Your winning potential: Why outsourcing award applications makes good business sense

When you are neck deep in your own business, it can be hard to see the forest for the trees.  When you are good at what you do, it’s easy to dismiss your accomplishments as nothing special. This unconscious competence, where you do what you do effortlessly and naturally, is the hallmark of a seasoned business owner, but also a barrier to sharing your story, explains Annette Densham.

Unconscious competence is important. Your everyday work becomes automatic, and your brain can focus on more complex aspects of what you do. But, there’s a downside…the slippery slope of missed opportunities.

There’s many reasons people don’t outsource. Hesitancy due to perceived costs and a desire for control, believing you know your story best, and fearing an outsider won’t capture it accurately. Lack of awareness that award writing specialists exist and can significantly boost chances of winning. Overconfidence in your own writing skills and underestimating the time and effort required, leading to overwhelmed attempts and underwhelming submissions.

Then there’s concerns about confidentiality, and sharing sensitive information with an outsider, and a perspective that outsourcing is cheating (it’s not; it’s smart business).

It’s challenging to step back and view your accomplishments from an outsider’s perspective, which is crucial when sharing your story, especially if awards are on your to-do list. When it comes to entering awards, many overlook or diminish achievements and wins as nothing to celebrate, because it seems easy for them. Nothing to see here.

Many find it uncomfortable to sing their own praises. Writing about your successes can feel like bragging, which can lead to downplaying your achievements. It pays to get outside help to objectively reflect your strengths and successes without hesitation, reflecting your true value. It’s smart business to outsource elements of your business that you are not highly skilled in.

Balancing day-to-day operations with the demands of writing can lead to a rushed, hodge-podge entry that doesn’t showcase your amazingness. While ChatGPT is a fabulous tool, when you are racing to get your entry in before the deadline, it doesn’t capture the human element judges are looking for.

You can’t know everything OR do everything.

5 reasons to outsource your award applications

Style and guidelines

Award submissions require a particular writing style and understanding of specific guidelines. Every award is different—structure, criteria and questions. Working with someone who specialises in this space means they’ve immersed themselves in this space, understanding each award’s nuances and criteria. They know the key words and phrases that capture judges’ attention.

Fresh eyes

It’s challenging to be objective about your own work. You might focus on aspects of your business that you find most interesting or significant, but these might not be what the judges are looking for. A specialist can spot the standout elements that you might take for granted or miss altogether. Having an unbiased view means your submission highlights the most relevant and impactful achievements.

It’s all about stories

A story takes the judge on a journey, allowing them to connect not just with the data and facts, but the essence of what you do and why. It requires not only writing skills or understanding how to answer the questions, but also the ability to connect the dots and create a storyline that resonates. An award submission needs to be more than a recitation of stats and figures, it needs to flow and captivate.

Time is on their side

Writing awards is a big job, regardless of who is doing the writing. But when it is someone’s speciality, and that’s all they do, they’re immersed in the award space. They’re comfortable meeting deadlines. They know how long it takes to take information and put it into a format that ticks all the boxes. They are au fait with award submission portals and how to upload and submit entries. They know how to weave words effectively to get the message across.

Better odds

Living and breathing awards, honed through many submissions, a specialist knows what will make or break an entry. They understand all the above. Their expertise increases the likelihood of your submission standing out among the competition, giving you a better shot. Caveat: That doesn’t necessarily mean you will win EVERY award you enter, because you still have to factor in bias in judging (it happens). Someone may have way more wins on the board than you.

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