Wordsmiths

Drafting winning award entries for an award-writing agency

Four out of five entries shortlisted, with wins clients now use to bring in new business.

Content writing

Award Entry Writing

Copywriting

“Vicky managed the award entries as a reliable extension of our client’s team, delivering exceptional results on behalf of us and our client. They were delighted with the outcome.”

Louise Turner, MD Wordsmiths & Awards Writers

What they wanted:

“Award entries that made the shortlist”

I work as a copy and content writing associate for Louise Turner's two agencies: Wordsmiths, for general copy, and Awards Writers, which specialises purely in award entries.

Awards Writers has an 82% shortlist rate, and Louise believes shortlisting delivers 90% of the marketing benefits of winning. So every entry has to earn its place, and every client expects to see their name on the list.

The challenge is that judges read hundreds of entries. Yours has to stand out, meet the criteria, and prove its case, often in very few words.

What I delivered:

1. Award entries that tell a gripping story

Some people think awards are a waste of money. But the right ones bring in new business, attract talent and give teams something to celebrate, and some are free to enter.

Last year I wrote five entries: two for the AM Awards, two for the Prolific North Champions Awards and two for the Prolific North Creative Awards. Four were shortlisted, one was highly commended, and one won. Three were free to enter, and clients have used the whole journey, from shortlisting to winning, in their own marketing.

2. Award entries that go that little bit further

Meeting your objectives gets you considered. Beating them gets you shortlisted. But to win, you need something exceptional, and you can't invent it.

So each entry clearly showed how clients met or exceeded their goals. Where the evidence was thin, I advised clients to set KPIs and data targets so their next entry would be even stronger, and they'd have better insight into their own performance along the way.

**3. Winning award entries, in fewer words**

Most entries allow 1,000 to 1,500 words. Some allow just 150. Telling a winning story in a few paragraphs means knowing exactly what matters, and cutting everything else.

That's why most of the work happens before I write a word: research, interviews and planning. For one client, that meant an 80% shortlist rate and a 25% win rate, plus higher social engagement and recognition for a team member.

The results?
See them here for yourself.

Awards are one of the most positive ways to show how far you've come: to clients, to your team and to the people you'd like to hire next.

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