Winners, insiders share tips on how to win popular Sunshine Coast business awards
Award winners and insiders reveal top tips on how to win a Sunshine Coast Business Award as the popular accolade was officially launched at a breakfast event.
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Time is everything and know your numbers - these are just some of the tips Sunshine Coast Business Awards winners and insiders have shared to help others take home their own trophy in 2021.
The guide to winning the popular accolade has been released as the award nominations were officially opened at the Sunshine Coast Small Business Month Breakfast at Maroochy RSL on Thursday morning.
More than 250 people attended the sold out celebration.
Businesses will again be able to enter 16 categories across a broad range of sectors.
Applications will close at 5pm on August 27, and an awards gala event will be held on November 13.
So how do you improve your chance of winning this year? Here is what the experts had to say:
1. Time is everything
Time is everything when it comes to a business awards application.
Awards chair Jennifer Swaine urged potential applicants to start applying now.
"Don't leave your application to the last minute - start now and do a bit each week," she said.
Awards judging chair Bruce Williams echoed Ms Swaine's call.
"Start now," he said. "Download the award questions and begin drafting your answers offline."
Brigid Woolnough won the food and agribusiness category for her small business, Kokopod, in 2019.
She said applicants should start writing when nominations open. "And allow yourself plenty of separate opportunities to write, reflect and re-read before submitting," she said.
Wildlings Forest School's Vicci Oliver who was also a 2019 winner said it was important to make time for the award's workshops and networking events.
"We learned so much from these opportunities and put everything we learned into practise." she said.
She encouraged applicants to spend time collating all the data and answering the selection criteria with as much evidence as possible.
"This can be a great opportunity for your team to do some reflection and planning and to know what areas you need to focus on and to make sure you spend time working on the business and not just in it," she said.
2. Know how to sell your story
Restaurateur and media personality Peter Kuruvita from Noosa Beach House who took out the hospitality award for a large business in 2019 is passionate about his work and understands the importance of being able to sell the story behind the business.
"This is what you do, and what you love, it should be easy to sell your business and all the positives if you do love what you do," he said.
"Are you sustainable, do you have a training program in place, have you got a program for recycling, do you incentivise your customers to also be eco friendly. Are you community focused, do you offer alternatives and are you flexible with your services."
Mr Williams said the awards were an opportunity to tell the story behind the business and the people who drive it.
But he said it was important to point out how the wider community benefits from the business.
"It's time to shine a spotlight on why the Sunshine Coast is a better place because of what you do," he said. "Back yourself."
Mr Kuruvita urged applicants to ask themselves about their role in the community.
"How does your business fit into the community," he said. "Do you do charitable work, do you have a scheme for buying and employing local. What does your business bring to the community."
3. Nail the interview
When it comes to the interview, Ms Oliver had a simple piece of advice.
"Have fun with your interviews," she said.
Others, such as Mr Kuruvita, said be positive, organised and sync with your interview partner.
"The interview can go very quickly and you need to be able to get your message across," he said.
Ms Woolnough said being clear was the key to succeeding in the interview.
"Be clear and to the point - stay on track of what the question asks and be relevant," she said.
"And think hard about why you deserve the award and prove to the panel that you do. Articulation is key."
4. Know your numbers
Ms Swaine said it was important to know your numbers, how you measure growth, customer satisfaction and return of investment. "Remember we are judging your business," she said.
Ms Oliver also said numbers were important.
"We wanted to pitch our business with passion but it needs to be supported with your data so be prepared," she said.
But it's also a fine line between knowing numbers and boring judges with irrelevant financials, said Mr Kuruvita.
"Do not bore them with non essential financials or issues you have with the business," he said.
5. Teamwork matters
Teamwork always matters but an award application can be so much better when more than one person was involved.
Mr Williams urged applicants to ask as many people as possible to contribute their ideas.
"Involve everyone in your team and your customers and suppliers," he said.
Naomi Elliott won the manufacturing category with her business Concept Labs last year.
She supported that call.
"Use the application to help build a positive staff culture," she said. "Include team members and get them to review the application. They may see things you didn't and it will show them that you have achieved more than they knew."
Ms Elliott also said it was not all about winning.
"Even if you don't win or make the finalists, celebrate your achievements with your team. Completing the application is a success in itself," she said.
Originally published as Winners, insiders share tips on how to win popular Sunshine Coast business awards
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