Making the shortlist
With the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2018 set to take place in Berlin on 15 November, Michelle Marshall, Editor of the European Cleaning Journal and member of the judging panel, reveals the top traits of a finalist and what it takes to get your business shortlisted.
Securing a place as a finalist can give a company a real boost, but what is it that we look for in a business? What are the key ingredients of a great award entry? If you didn’t make the shortlist this year, here are a few hints and tips for 2019:
• Make you entry count – The most important thing is giving real thought to your entry and plenty of time to draft it. Remember that the judges can only make decisions based on what they are reading, so do not assume they know anything else about your company or the particular project you are talking about.
Recognising talent and celebrating success through industry awards is so important, not only to motivate employees and make them feel valued, but also to shine a spotlight on innovative, forward-thinking businesses within the wider industry.
Despite the cleaning and hygiene industry being clouded by misconceptions, there is some outstanding work taking place in our field in terms of employee policy, client relationships, sustainability, innovation and driving up standards. As the only pan-European awards programme to recognise and reward such achievements, gaining a place on the finalists shortlist is a coveted accomplishment.
Along with the obvious kudos comes a platform for finalists to shout about their work, highlighting their innovations and sharing best practice with their peers. It positions them as leaders, giving them authority and recognition in their discipline. One cannot underestimate the opportunities that this level of publicity can bring.
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• Grab attention upfront – Use your introduction to describe as succinctly as possible what you are presenting, what particular challenges you are tackling, and what the results have been.
• Show don’t tell – Bring your entry to life with evidence and case studies: there’s plenty of scope to do that in the supporting evidence section. You may make claims about the
solution/technology/training programme you have implemented, but how do the judges know your claims are true? Show the judges what you have achieved by giving them concrete statistics, evidence or testimonials.
• It’s in the details – Give the judges as much pertinent and relevant material as possible to enable them to make a genuinely informed decision as to whether your entry is shortlisted. Without enough detail, it is very difficult for them to justify advancing you further.
With over 100 entries this year, the judges and I had the challenging task of selecting a handful of finalists in each of the 10 categories. We agreed on 36 leading service providers, manufacturers and distributors, and the winners will be announced at an exclusive gala dinner at the Five Star Hotel Palace in Berlin on 15 November.
For a full list of nominees, please visit the website to find out more:
www.echawards.com
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