We spoke to Nickie Gott, Chair of WIN and the woman behind this year’s awards, to find out what she’s looking for on the judging panel.

An award application really does take you out of your comfort zone but it is so worth it.  Blowing your own trumpet is never an easy thing to do but a winning application needs your positivity, and honesty – making the judges go wow!

Having judged the WIN NE Women in Business awards for 14 years I clearly remember every stand-out application and they stood out because they each followed this format:

1. Check the criteria and make sure it’s the right fit for you and your business.
2. Remember this may be the first time any of the judges have heard about you, so key information is essential.
3. Tell your story to get buy-in but keep it simple and to the word count.
4. Be honest, share lessons learned and the wow moments. Be memorable.
5. Provide as much evidence as you can it really helps give your application authenticity.
6. Proofread it, (it sounds simple but reading an application with spelling mistakes or incorrect details is never a good start).
7. Get feedback from colleagues or other business people in your network.
8. Provide as much supplemental information such as marketing materials, press articles, and awards.
9. Get testimonials. So many forget to do this and hearing from your customers or peers is of huge benefit to the judges.
10. Enjoy doing it, it can be so rewarding to look back on what you have achieved, so be proud of your application.

Good luck and I can’t wait to read your stand-out story.