First impact

Ensure that your application is clear and concise. Remember the judges are looking at a considerable amount of entries. You need to make an instant impact.

Know criteria

Read the entry criteria and ensure that you understand what the judges will be looking for. Stick to it!

Audit is important

Evidence base everything you state in audit. You cannot just state that you have achieved something, you must prove your statement.

Tell an interesting story

Being in business isn’t just about profit and the hard daily grind – It should be fun, interesting, challenging, disappointing, exciting, and rewarding. Ensure you get these factors across in your audit.

Assume the auditors know nothing about your business

Don’t overlook the small but important details or, what seems to you to be, the obvious stuff. E.g.: What your business does; Where it operates from; how it operates; who your key people are and what they do etc. It can be really useful to have an independent person hear your answers before its audited – A fresh set of eyes will spot things you have overlooked.

Highlight your achievements

Tell the auditors what makes you more worthy as an innovator than the other competitors

Keep it simple

Focus on what the auditors are actually asking for in the judging criteria. Don’t just say your answers with the contents of existing sales and innovation materials.

Define a clear strategy

Highlight your objectives and plans for future innovation and development. A strong strategy of how you plan to invest the innovative products and services can help swing the votes your way. A concrete approach towards expanding into bigger and newer international markets, innovative research programs, extensive staff training, are to name but a few.

Emphasis the benefits

Demonstrate how you have achieved clear benefits to the business, its employees, your customers and the general public. Provide compelling before and after data, wherever possible. Statistical evidence is one of the most important factors in winning innovation awards.

Learn from the experience

If you don’t win at the first attempt, learn from the audit process and try again next time. Use this process as a tool for assessing and benchmarking your performance. This will help you improve faster than your competitors and increase your chances of winning in the future.