Entry Tips

A successful CIPS Supply Management Awards entry should be simple, not include any jargon, show off your best assets and provide evidence of your achievements. These are just some of the tips from previous judges over the years.

Putting together an entry for an award can be a daunting process. Shouting out about your successes can often feel uncomfortable and it doesn’t come naturally to us all, but this is what it takes to win a CIPS Supply Management Award.

Cath Hill, CIPS in the 2016 UK CIPS Supply Management Awards said she was “blown away” by the creativity that comes out of procurement. “We marketers think marketing is where creativity comes from but you understand the business better than us – you just have to talk about these successes. Be vulgar and shout them from the rooftops.”

To help you get started we have pulled together the following tips:

Does it fit the brief? Take care to read the category description and ensure your submission is covering all that it asks.

Relay it to others. It’s often difficult to appreciate how good a project is when you have been so involved with it. Relay it others and see if it gets the “wow factor”.

Is it too big? Some procurement projects, especially transformation projects are so big it is difficult to convey it on three sides of A4. If this is the case then concentrate on one aspect or choose another project.

Is it too soon? One of the most important parts of the entries is demonstrating the organisational benefits that your project realised – and evidencing them. Predicted benefits cannot be scored and so make sure you have the timing right on entering projects.

What is your hook? Make sure you have a strong angle to your project and get across right at the beginning what it is you were trying to achieve. A good story always has an interesting angle or ‘hook’ so make sure you make this clear early on.

First impressions count - Our judges scrutinise so many entries make sure that yours stands out from the others. Consult with your internal marketing or PR teams to get your entries branded and set out in an attractive way. To avoid markers fatigue use simple language and avoid jargon; make it interesting, use good opening sentences, get to the point, demonstrate your innovation and creativity and keep it relevant.

Use the correct headings – The headings are used to help the judges allocate the best scores. Don’t make them unpick your entry to find out what you did that was best practice or innovative, tell them under these headings.

Evidence your claims – There are three additional pages for supporting documentation, ensure you maximise the space by evidencing what you have achieved.

Finally, don’t break the rules – Judges take a dim view of submissions that go over the word count or page allowance. No extra scores will be given for attaching a 20 page PowerPoint presentation or URLs to websites with more information. If it cannot fit in the allocated space then it’s too big.

Think about your language, think about your hook and think presentation!

*By submitting your entry your details will be shared with CIPS for judging purposes