The Xero Australia Awards are again for one more yr! That’s proper, this can be a probability to showcase your achievements, benchmark what you are promoting towards the trade, and be within the working to win an unique awards expertise.
Like final yr, now we have 13 main classes. These are designed to recognise the variety (and expertise) of our enterprise neighborhood. So whether or not you’re a sole dealer, rising entrepreneur, app associate or advisor, there’s an award for everybody.
In case you haven’t submitted your nomination but, don’t fear – there’s nonetheless time. That can assist you get impressed, we requested three winners (one among whom can be on this yr’s judging panel) what makes a successful entry. Learn on for his or her high ideas.
1. Be clear and concise
As you progress by way of your nomination, you’ll discover phrase limits hooked up to every query. Though it may be difficult to maintain your entry concise, it helps be sure that solely crucial info is included. Richard Jeffares of Two Bays Brewing – who took out the Small Enterprise of the Yr Award in 2021 – says, “It stops you from waffling. So my recommendation is to deal with the query and reply it as succinctly as doable.”
What’s one of the best ways to trim down the small print? By taking a state of affairs, motion and outcome method. Michael O’Neill of ServiceM8 – final yr’s successful app associate – says, “When the questions ask you to reveal one thing, you actually need to do the legwork. Use examples and all the time come again to your worth proposition.” In the end, you need to make it as simple as doable for the judges to do their job.
2. Bear in mind your prospects (and present, don’t inform)
After we requested earlier winners what they have been most pleased with of their nominations, the resounding reply was how they demonstrated buyer success. As an FY23 decide, Jason Robinson of Future Advisory – a agency that additionally took out final yr’s Accounting Accomplice of the Yr Award – says the secret is to spotlight how what you are promoting is making a distinction in folks’s lives. He explains, “Present the judging panel that you simply actually care. We need to see the way you create five-star experiences to your shoppers.”
How finest to do that? “Show buyer success each independently and thru your joint worth proposition with Xero. The place you may, leverage your prospects to point out (not inform) what influence this has had. And you should definitely use concrete examples – like occasions, initiatives, initiatives or testimonials – to again your self up,” says Michael. Bear in mind, proof equals credibility.
3. Stand out from the gang
Relating to judging, your award entry can be reviewed alongside hundreds of others. So think about what units you aside from the remainder and amplify this in your nomination. For instance, Jason made a aware effort to showcase his follow’s model voice, explaining, “In case you look and sound like everybody else, likelihood is, you’ll get misplaced within the crowd. So it was actually vital for us to point out our persona to the judges.” Do the identical, and also you’ll be in with a successful probability!
4. Take an enormous image method
In fact, the Xero Awards are a improbable alternative to showcase and have a good time your achievements. Nonetheless, it’s additionally an opportunity to mirror on every part that contributes to your success. Jason says, “We thought exhausting about why we existed. This meant taking a look at our mission, imaginative and prescient and values, in addition to our objectives, monetary targets, and the way we work with our shoppers – we realised how far we’d come ultimately.”
For Richard, his large image method was extra private. He says, “Two Bays Brewing is a gluten-free brewery, and as an individual with Coeliac illness, this enables me and the workforce to deal with what our prospects need. Each alternative we make is with this in thoughts, and it resonates in-market (and should’ve carried out so with the judges too).” Make sure you inform your story as a result of, in spite of everything, it’s what makes what you are promoting what it’s at present.
With lower than per week to go earlier than the FY23 Xero Award nominations shut, what are you ready for? Head right here for extra info and submit your nomination earlier than 11:59pm AEST on Monday 15 August to be within the working. Good luck!
