Archive for May 2021
4 tips to help you create an award-winning entry
Diana Beaufort is the former owner of award-winning salon Reds Hairdressing, and after winning New Zealand Hair Salon of the Year in 2011, Excellence in Marketing in 2019 and Industry Assessor of the Year in 2020, she’s got some great tips on creating an award winning entry. Check out what she has to say about entering The Industry Awards:
Why enter The Industry Awards?
I'm not going to lie, it takes a lot of time and effort. However, winning an award has so many benefits and an immediate impact. For me, entering has been a valuable process that allowed me to involve my team in understanding and celebrating what makes our business truly special.
Our clients love being part of an award-winning salon and sharing in our unique story. Reds Hairdressing has been incredibly fortunate to have won many awards over the years, so how did we achieve such a high strike rate? It starts with a great entry.
Here are my top tips to create an award-winning entry.
1. Plan, plan, plan!
The best written entry won’t make it if there are no outstanding results to back it up. My first ever entry did not make the cut, but the win for me was in defining the areas I needed to focus on to create a great entry for next time.
The real gold here, of course, is that by knowing where to focus, your business results will improve significantly. The next year we entered and won the New Zealand Hair Salon of the Year award.
2. Tell a great story
Writing about your business gives you an opportunity to show your personality and tell your unique story in a way that takes the reader on a journey. Embrace the opportunity to show where you have come from and what you have achieved.
Of course, facts and figures are needed to back this up, so make sure to present them in an engaging way.
3. Answer the question
It sounds obvious, but in the process of crafting your entry the original question can be forgotten. Some key things to remember are:
- Really take the time to understand what is being asked.
- Be specific and clear in your answer.
- Use facts, graphs or photos to back this up. If you use Kitomba, you’ll find Benchmark is excellent for this.
- If there is a word count, adhere to it, try not to ‘waffle’. Think of it as an essay, after all it is what you are being judged on.
- Make sure you answer every question, sometimes the difference between winning and not winning is a matter of only a few points. Failing to answer the question could make or break your entry.
4. Focus your message
Once you have finished your entry go back and focus your main message.
- Are there unnecessary words in there? How can you make your message simple and clear?
- Is it easy to read and beautifully presented in a way that communicates your message and reflects your brand?
- Can you add testimonials or statistics to back up your entry?
It can pay to engage a copywriter to refine your entry. If you win, the benefits will far outweigh the cost.
Entries to The Industry Awards 2021 are open now, so check out the award categories and don’t forget to think about these tips when you’re completing your entry. Good luck!
Diana Beaufort is the former owner of Reds Hairdressing and recently founded Propel Coaching to help other businesses achieve success. If you're interested in making your business more profitable, improving your systems and processes or building a vibrant business culture, check out Propel Coaching.
The Industry Awards are back for 2021!
The Industry Awards team are thrilled to announce our return for 2021.
After a challenging 2020, we’re very much looking forward to celebrating the passion, drive, and creativity in our industries.
Location
Just like last year, The Industry Awards will be in Auckland.
Every year we strive to make our event better than the last and this year is no exception. So get your glam squad ready for the biggest celebration yet!
New creative categories
We’re so excited to be introducing five new barbering categories to this year’s Awards, as well as a new Patrick Cameron Instagram Challenge for teams!
We can’t wait to see more of the top talent within New Zealand’s barbering community.
The new categories are:
- Editorial Barber of the Year
- Editorial Barber of the Year – Hot Shot New Talent
- Editorial Barber of the Year – Next Generation
- Barber Hairt Instagram Challenge – Senior
- Barber Hairt Instagram Challenge – Next Generation
- Patrick Cameron Instagram Challenge – Team Challenge
Entry fees
Our entry fees are the same as last year. Here’s a reminder of how they work:
- There’s different entry fees for individuals and for businesses (business categories include salons, spas, shops and workplaces).
- You can choose to enter either one category, or multiple categories.
- If you choose to enter multiple categories, you’re welcome to enter a mix of Business, Training and Creative categories.
Please note: students and HITO apprentices do not pay an entry fee.
Entry fees for individuals:
- One category: $99+GST
- Multiple categories: $199+GST
Entry fees for businesses:
- One category: $149+GST
- Multiple categories: $249+GST
How to enter
Entering is easy, just follow these steps:
- Download entry forms
Check out the award categories and download the entry forms here for each category you’d like to enter. - Complete the entry forms
Read the entry requirements and judging criteria so you can get to work on creating an award-winning entry! - Send us your entries
Send in your entries to: The Industry Awards Team, Level 2, 107 Customhouse Quay, Wellington, 6011, along with completed entry forms. Entries must be received by 31 August 2021. - Pay
Pay your entry fees here. Payments must be made by 3rd September. If you require an alternative payment method, please contact us at info@industryawards.co.nz.
Finalist announcement
Follow The Industry Awards on Facebook or Instagram, so you’re the first to hear about our finalists. They’ll be announced by the end of September 2021, so stay tuned!
Join us at The Industry Awards
The winners of the Awards celebration will be announced on 7 November in Auckland.
To keep up to date with news and announcements, please check our website or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.