SMA 2021 - Top Tips for entering

Below are some Top Tips for entering CRN Sales and Marketing Awards 2021.

We want the entry process to be as pain-free as possible - these tips will offer invaluable advice about crafting a potential winning entry.

1. Decide which categories you are going to enter and read the criteria fully before starting your entry. The criteria, split into Vendor, Reseller, Distributor and General; tell you everything you need to know about the award and the types of company it is covering. It also tells you what information to include. Remember these awards cover the UK market ONLY.

2. We are well aware of the effect Covid 19 has had on our industry over the past year. Please do feel free to mention in your entries how your teams/company have/has overcome the many challenges thrown up by the pandemic, and please be aware of the new ‘over and above' award that looks to recognise outstanding performance by individuals and teams during the ongoing situation, both at work and in the wider community.

3. Make it personal. When writing your entry - keep it concise and remember the word limit - don't ramble and include loads of marketing/corporate speak or as many do - cut and paste from the corporate website - imagine you are telling a story. Try and inject some personality and life into the award and make it interesting to read. Think of how it will look visually as well - would you feel inspired to read huge blocks of text if you were a judge? Think about what would make your entry stand out from the crowd.

4. Make sure your entry actually fits the description of the award category - If you are entering the Technology Innovation Award for example, please make sure it describes why the product is innovative and how it is helping your channel partners. Don't just talk about speeds and feeds and describe the product itself. Make it relevant to CRN's audience and something that the judges will find interesting to read.

5. Always include facts and figures - if you are making a claim about one of your teams being the best at something - back that claim up with something tangible. It helps put it into context and shows the judges that your entry is genuine.

6. Resellers - explain what value you have provided to your end user customers through your entries- why are they using your company, what do you offer them that nobody else can? What have you done differently that makes you stand out from the crowd?

7. Distributors - explain what value you are providing to your resellers and vendors and why they continue to work with your different teams. Don't feel ashamed to shout about your success. 

8. Vendors - Please keep your entry UK relevant - these awards do not cover other territories, so any programmes, events, websites etc must be relevant to your UK partners. Injecting some passion and personality into entries is always welcomed by the judges. Please don't just cut and paste from corporate websites - make the entry personal.

9. Testimonials - ALWAYS include testimonials - resellers these should be from your customers, distributors from your resellers or vendors, and vendors from your distributors or resellers (not end users).  Again, make sure the testimonials are interesting to read and are not full of corporate/marketing speak and keep them short and to the point.

10. Don't just submit the same entry in different categories - if you don't have the time to spend on tailoring multiple entries, focus on just one and make it a winner! The judges do penalise those who just submit the same entries in multiple categories.

11. PDF or video entries - feel free to submit a PDF or video entry if it is easier. But remember the word count still stands with PDF entries. Also, videos must be NO LONGER than FIVE MINUTES. Any videos going beyond that time may not be viewed in full by the judges and all that work will have gone to waste.

12. Please limit or completely avoid attachments. One attachment only - multiple attachments will not be read by the judges.

13.  Entry guidance points. Don't feel you have to answer each criteria point in order - they are just there as a guide - as long as the points are covered, it doesn't matter what order you address them in.

Thanks for entering the CRN Sales and Marketing Awards 2021. The deadline is 9 April 2021. Click here to start your entry.