The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 46: Dec/Jan 2019 | Page 33

TECHIES JUDGE KATE WESTBROOK GIVES HER INSIGHT INTO THE TECHIES AWARDS Kate Westbrook is a leading technology and contracts lawyer in the South West. Her team at Thrings works with a range of technology businesses, from UK SMEs to multinational listed PLCs. Working with these innovative and fast-paced enterprises, Kate enjoys becoming part of the team and helping these businesses to grow. Based in Swindon herself, she feels that the tech sector in Wiltshire is in need of a spotlight. What were your highlights from the Techies 2019? A huge highlight for me was the number of great Swindon and Wiltshire-based businesses in the room on awards night – it’s exciting to see how tech has exploded in our region over a relatively short space of time. The awards were a real celebration of these businesses’ achievements. What do you think of the Swindon & Wiltshire tech scene? The Swindon and Wiltshire tech scene is varied, which helps keep things interesting… and open to a specific direction evolving over time. We have some ‘deep tech’ businesses like Intel and Appsbroker, large corporates using tech as an enabler, such as Zurich and the National Trust, and everything in-between. We’ve always had a healthy number of start-ups and scale–ups, but have seen an increase in recent years thanks to facilities like the Digital Mansion Corsham and the Workshed at the Carriage Works in Swindon which, as a model, provide great support networks. For more info: www.thrings.com What aspects of the 2020 awards are you looking forward to? In 2020, I’m looking forward to finding out what new and wonderful things are being created by the region’s tech-brains. I’ll also be wearing my TechSwindon hat this year. This new Switch on to Swindon initiative, which I’m excited to be helping steer as a board member, will be encouraging an ecosystem of innovative tech-driven businesses to thrive and creating a leading community to attract and retain the best talent. The Techies, by helping to highlight tech successes and bring companies together, will contribute hugely to these ends. At Thrings, we’re embracing the world of blockchain and smart contracts, swotting up on this disruptive technology to help our clients seize the opportunities it presents (and mitigate the risks). So I’m looking forward to discussing the driving force behind what’s being coined as the fourth industrial revolution with our region’s techies. What advice would you give firms looking to enter the Techies? It’s helpful for entrants to know that the judges sit in a room together, discussing each award entry in turn until a decision is reached using a scoring system. Personally, I’m looking for businesses that don’t just roll out the sales patter. I’d like to see evidence of achievements (I’m a lawyer after all)! There is a lot of discussion before we reveal our scores to each other and it’s great to hear the different perspectives around the table. Given the high number of good-quality entries, pizza and chocolate help to keep us going through these tough deliberations. My top tips for entrants are: • Bring your submission to life in some way. One of the best I saw last year included contributions from all of the team in a really engaging way. • Provide evidence (where possible). • Avoid submitting the same entry for each award. Reading the same thing over and over can get dull (and makes it more likely that we’ll miss the subtle differences). Pay attention to the award title, tailoring the info you provide to match. • Short submissions make me wonder if there’s more, but longer submissions may not keep the interest of everyone – this is a tricky one to get right, but think Goldilocks. Good luck everyone! BE A WINNER IN 2020! Always wanted to WIN a Business Award? Don’t know where to start or what you should include in your entry? Winning an award can also boost team morale, drive competitive advantage and secure trust in your business. Multi-award winner Denise O’Leary of Purpol Marketing explains how to consistently win business awards for your business and leverage the great PR opportunities they present. Many business owners and small businesses dream of the profile they could create and look on in admiration at other award winners. Lack of confidence is an often-cited problem for small businesses alongside limited time and resources. The process for winning awards is very similar to Denise’s proven formula for winning bids – each award entry needs to be treated as a bespoke marketing campaign. Promote your USP: Unique Selling Point Every company will be different – you have got to determine what your company USP is – this is the Unique Selling Point that makes you stand out and makes your business memorable. This is the content you need to focus on to make your entry impactful. What do you want to be known for? Pick the most relevant award and category to enter. Evidence is essential - Get client testimonials Award entries give you the opportunity to document your achievements, but if you haven’t done yourself justice on that entry form, they can’t give you the credit, even if they are already aware of your business. Evidence is key, and what they might already know about you cannot be considered unless it is presented. If someone outside the business has realised you are good and has been prepared to go on the record to say so, it is far more powerful than if you, as a business, say how good you are. Tailor your entries for ultimate success Each award is likely to be judged individually, so we would always recommend that you tackle each award independently. The key to winning awards is in meeting and exceeding the criteria as best you can, every award entry must be bespoke and tailored in content and language to match the award category you are entering. Check the entry criteria - Do they have a minimum turnover requirement? Who took home the trophy in previous years? Visualise that win Understand why you want to win. When you know this, it will educate you as to the process you have to follow and the awards you will want to target to enter. Build an Award Calendar - Finding the right awards to enter can be time-consuming, but the good news is that most are an annual occurrence. So rather than having to do the leg work each year, build yourself a calendar that includes the details, due dates, etc. This will make it easier for you to target the ones you want. Be honest Always be honest with your entry. Don’t lie, make up figures or avoid mentioning something that the general business community will know about you. If you’ve had a challenging year, say so. Follow that up with why it was a challenge, what you learned and explain how you are going to increase your efforts or refocus the next time. The judges for your awards are usually experienced business owners, investors and experts in their fields. This means that they are experienced enough to see through any attempt to cover up your weaknesses. Being sincere and explaining your challenges is very powerful as it shows you are constantly learning. Do you have the capacity to win? Almost certainly yes, provided you choose the right award for your company and dedicate the time to write a compelling entry. There is a myth that only big companies win awards, but this is not true, and you have to be in it to win it. These tips are based on the book WINNER – How to Win Business Awards, launching on Amazon on 14th January 2020 and available to order on: www.winnerhowtowin.com Denise also provides bespoke consultancy on marketing strategies, bid writing and awards entry. Contact her at [email protected] or call: 01249 481411. THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019 33