There are plenty of award programs, and participation requires a commitment of budget and time, but it can be well worth the investment of money and extra work entries create. From the largest multinationals to high-growth indies and from brands to suppliers―winning an accolade sets your business apart, but your bottom line may be the big winner.

Winning a BeautyMatter NEXT Award is no accident, and you can't buy one. So, what does it take to win a NEXT Award? Our independent judges review the entries, submitted assets, and samples where appropriate; the quality of the entry matters.

"The winners last year really stood out because they went above and beyond with the information supplied, and they gave the judges a sneak peek behind the curtain to show the impact the submission had made/had," shared Anna Vale, Global Integrated Marketing and Communications Advisor.

Writing award entries doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming but does require focus and planning. Here are some tips to create a winning submission.

Pick the right award. Review award descriptions and focus on awards that relate to your strengths to increase your chances of winning. Look beyond the obvious, like new product awards, and explore opportunities that highlight other aspects of your business—like marketing, content, technology, and community.

Take time to understand the criteria. Carefully read through the award description, instructions given, and each piece of information requested. Identify key stakeholders required in creating the entry. Take notes to provide informed requests for information and assets.

Consider the audience. The independent judges review a lot of entries, and they are subject matter experts. Make your entry memorable, easy to review, and go beyond the obvious, really digging into what differentiates your submission.

Organize assets and develop a plan. Gather the information and create an outline. Great award entries tell a story. They have a beginning, middle, and end interspersed with interesting details along the way. Avoid bombarding the reader with repetitive information or one stat after another.

Crafting the entry. Don't mindlessly cut and paste information from your website or previous award submissions. Review the entry criteria and ensure you are addressing the requested information. Consider incorporating data, testimonials, or social proof to support accomplishments or claims. Present information in a clear and concise way. For example, data is often easiest to digest as bullet points.

Consider the supporting assets. Photos, videos, renderings, and clinical studies can be powerful touchpoints to supplement an entry. For marketing and design awards, these elements are crucial for evaluating the submission.

Refine the entry. After you've created a first draft and compiled all the information, start refining. Take a hard edit of the information, think about the tone of voice, and get a fresh set of eyes on the content. Does it effectively communicate the accomplishment and reflect the personality of your business or the work itself? Consider using quotes from senior executives or agency partners to help break up the text and emphasize the key points you want to make.

Final review. Before submitting, circulate the entry to a diverse group of team members for feedback. Ask them if it's easy to understand and to share what they think are the key takeaways from the entry. Take the input and do one last revision.

Planning for efficiency. Consider organizing and storing key information and assets of an interesting project or new launch as it's happening. Taking this approach will make preparing award entries more efficient.

Whatever the outcome, the process of preparing award submissions can be a valuable exercise in understanding the impact of your work. The potential exposure gained for being a finalist or winning an award can unlock recognition from retailers or investors if you are a brand, or new clients or collaborators, if you are an agency, tech solution, or supplier.

If you don't enter, you cannot win, so begin your 2024 NEXT Award submission here.