Today, we received a letter from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta to advise us that a nomination we had made on behalf of a client for their prestigious Centennial Leadership Award was selected as the sole winner, designated to receive the award this June.
Now, our client was certainly a winner – accomplished, accredited, and had achievements that were readily demonstrated through published works. However, there were other great contenders I’m sure… as the Award Committee Chair for APEGA wrote:
…Our committee greatly appreciates the time and effort you have taken to prepare and submit this nomination. Your effort has made our committee’s work both easier and more difficult. Easier, since we had a good selection of nominations to consider, but more difficult because the high quality of the nominations has made the selection process a challenging one.
And by this I wish to underline that there is an art to constructing winning award entries. They have to be specific, measurable, and succinct. They have to be backed by published works – videos, articles, papers. They have to tie back to the award criteria. And they have to be well written, getting to the point quickly and readily, as judges often have many applications to review. Further, restrictive word counts often come in to play and must be considered when preparing the application. You have to say what is needed to win in X characters or less. Auggghhhh! This often requires fancy footwork and copious editing. Most notably, the award application process requires time to do well.
And awards are MUCH more than just a pretty trophy to place on your mantle or a plaque to hang on your wall. They provide valuable recognition to the recipient. They often attract considerable media attention and editorial coverage. They can lead to speaking, business development, and sales opportunities. And they can lead to other awards, providing even more credibility to the project, person, or company.
In short, a credible award can be of TREMENDOUS value to a corporation but opportunities are often brushed aside because the application process is too onerous and requires too much time.
Let us help. A small upfront investment can lead to unparalleled value for you and your corporation. We have completed dozens of successful award applications for our clients (our record is 90% of successful applications or higher) that have led to exposure, new business and great PR.
Let us help you be recognized for the winner that you are!