How to send your entry numbers skyward!
You’ve set up the perfect awards platform (AwardStage, naturally!), assembled a first class panel of judges and lined up a host of top quality prizes… all that’s left to do is watch the entries flood in, right? Worrying about whether there will be enough entries is guaranteed to keep awards managers awake at night. Without entries - and quality entries, at that - there is no awards programme, so we’ve put together our top tips to encourage as many people as possible to go in for your award.
🏆 Make it super straightforward to submit. Don’t make entrants jump through hoops unnecessarily - the easier it is to enter, the more people are likely to start - and, crucially, complete - the process. Allowing them to register quickly and easily, then get straight to the entry process, will result in more entrants coming through.
🏆 Be upfront about what you expect from entrants - if you want them to submit a headshot, write 1,000 words or provide a slide deck, make it clear from the outset so they can be prepared. We would even encourage you to make the entry form available on your awards site, before registration, so that entrants are fully aware of the requirements.
🏆 Be clear about the costs. We all know how frustrating it is to ferret around trying to find the price of something - entering awards is already a time-consuming process, so don’t hide the fees away.
🏆 Big up the benefits - it takes time, effort and money to enter awards, so you really need to shout about all the advantages. From the professional kudos to the publicity boost, make sure you highlight the upsides of winning. But don’t forget to point out the value of entering, not just winning - the feedback from big-name judges or the opportunity to network with industry leaders could persuade people it’s worth their while even if they don’t win.
🏆 Consider your categories - specific, well-defined categories can encourage more entries as it helps entrants know exactly which one to go for and, importantly, which one they’re in with a chance of winning.
🏆 Be transparent about the judging process - nobody likes to think that the results are a stitch up, so make sure your procedures are beyond reproach. The Awards Trust Mark is a global scheme that ensures the transparency and ethics of awards; matching up to their standards will reassure entrants that it’s a level playing field.
🏆 Credibility is key - people are more likely to go to the effort of entering awards that have a prestigious reputation and offer obvious benefits. A respected judging panel, reputable processes and previous worthy winners will all work in your favour when it comes to encouraging entries.
🏆 Target your market - make the most of your social channels to create a buzz about your awards. You can really go to town with creating exciting content about the judges, the prizes and the ceremony, to get your awards plenty of publicity. Incentivise early entries and offer discount deals to motivate people to participate.
🏆 Give your awards a home - create an online space to showcase your awards, where entrants can find all the relevant info they need and register to enter. (Hint: AwardStage makes this nice and easy!)
🏆 Reach out and remind, remind, remind - lots of people leave things, including award entries, to the last minute and may need the odd reminder about looming deadlines and incomplete submissions. Chivvy them along with customised emails to prompt them to finish their - possibly winning - entry. (Yep, AwardStage can help with this too!)
Getting enough entries is without doubt one of the biggest worries for awards managers - hopefully these top tips will go some way towards alleviating the anxiety. AwardStage exists to make the whole awards process as pain-free as possible - we’d love to chat to you about how we can help to make your awards a success, so give us a shout!
