It’s challenging to step back and view your accomplishments from an outsider’s perspective, which is crucial when sharing your story, especially if awards are on your to-do list. When it comes to entering awards, many overlook or diminish achievements and wins as nothing to celebrate, because it seems easy for them. Nothing to see here. 

Many find it uncomfortable to sing their own praises. Writing about your successes can feel like bragging. This discomfort can lead to downplaying your achievements. It pays to get outside help to objectively reflect your strengths and successes without hesitation, reflecting your true value. It’s smart business to outsource elements of your business that you are not highly skilled in.

Balancing day-to-day operations with the demands of writing can lead to a rushed, hodge podge entry that doesn’t showcase your amazingness. While ChatGPT is a fabulous tool, when you are racing to get your entry in before the deadline, it doesn’t capture the human element judges are looking for.

You can’t know everything OR do everything. Here are five reasons why outsourcing can and will serve you well. 

Style and guidelines – Award submissions require a particular writing style and understanding of specific guidelines. Every award is different—structure, criteria and questions. Working with someone who specialises in this space means they’ve immersed themselves in this space, understanding each award’s nuances and criteria. They know the key words and phrases that capture judges’ attention. 

Fresh eyes – It’s challenging to be objective about your own work. You might focus on aspects of your business that you find most interesting or significant, but these might not be what the judges are looking for. A specialist can spot the standout elements that you might take for granted or miss altogether. Having an unbiased view means your submission highlights the most relevant and impactful achievements.

It’s all about stories: A story takes the judge on a journey, allowing them to connect not just with the data and facts, but the essence of what you do and why. It requires not only writing skills or understanding how to answer the questions, but also the ability to connect the dots and create a storyline that resonates. An award submission needs to be more than a recitation of stats and figures, it needs to flow and captivate.

Time is on their side: Writing awards is a big job, regardless of who is doing the writing. But when it is someone’s speciality, and that’s all they do, they’re immersed in the award space. They’re comfortable meeting deadlines. They know how long it takes to take information and put it into a format that ticks all the boxes. They are au fait with award submission portals and how to upload and submit entries. They know how to weave words effectively to get the message across. 

Better odds: Living and breathing awards, honed through many submissions, a specialist knows what will make or break an entry. They understand all the above. Their expertise increases the likelihood of your submission standing out among the competition, giving you a better shot. Caveat: That doesn’t necessarily mean you will win EVERY award you enter, because you still have to factor in bias in judging (it happens). Someone may have way more wins on the board than you.