We’ve collated our experts' answers below to give you the best chance of success.
Caroline O’Keeffe, Chief Marketing Officer at The Happiness Index
I'm looking for inspiring stories of organisations who can evidence the success of their strategy all the way through their customer journey. Give us a clear narrative and show us how you delivered.
The word count is tight so be really clear on the story you want to tell and make sure you have clear evidence to demonstrate the success of how this has translated into revenue. Oh, and always proofread it.
Francesco Federico, Executive Director of Global Marketing at JLL
As a judge for the Engage B2B Awards, I look for entries that show a clear understanding of the problem they're addressing, provide innovative and effective solutions, and demonstrate tangible results. Creativity and originality are key, but so is the ability to execute and deliver results. A standout entry is one that goes beyond just stating what was done—it delves into the "how" and "why," offering a narrative that provides insights into the strategy, process, and people behind the success.
- Be clear and concise: Make sure your entry is easy to understand, even for someone not familiar with your specific industry or project.
- Tell a story: Don't just list facts and figures—build a narrative that gives context and meaning to your achievements.
- Highlight your results: Be sure to provide tangible evidence of your success. Metrics, testimonials, and case studies can all be useful here.
- Show innovation: If your project involved a novel approach or a creative solution, make sure to highlight this.
- Don't forget the team: B2B success is often a team effort. Acknowledge the people who contributed to the project and explain their roles.
Georgina Gilmore, Founder of The B2B Marketing Expert
Clearly state the marketing objectives, what your strategy was, what you learnt (good and bad!) and detailed results. Demonstrate the positive impact your campaign has had but be real about what you learnt along the way.
Make sure that your entry is 100% relevant to the category. Don’t just copy and paste an award entry multiple times (it shows believe me!) Put in time and really think about your entry and be proud of what you have done.
Jennifer Smith, Senior Director of Marketing Technology and Operations at Sage Group
Be sure to highlight your creativity – what did you do slightly different or ahead of others in the industry?
Ensure you quantify the success your campaign has brought to stakeholders and the business overall. Sentiment is good but explicit results drives profitability and satisfied consumers.
Harjeet Singh, Senior Director Global Marketing Technology & Demand Operations at Finastra
Solving a B2B Marketing problem in an innovative way and being able to prove its value through data in a timely fashion. If pitching for a campaign, its innovativeness, value, and the capability to engage with the target audience.
Think from the perspective of the end user/stakeholder. When pitching anything, it should be able to prove value and certainly the more innovative and out-of-box the pitch, the better the chance of winning. All the best to all participants.
Juliette Harris, Director of Sales Enablement at Sophos
Collaboration with other teams. I am a true believer that no team should or can work in isolation. By showcasing how a team, a project or initiative has been successful by collaborating with other teams within a business I believe that the overall potential of success will be greater. I see this every day in my career and feel strongly that the more collaborative we can work the more successful we can be.
I would suggest thinking about both the good and bad of a project or initiative. We all learn from our mistakes and recognising those and being open and honest about them will not only show self-awareness but also opens the door to future success and growth. In addition, I would suggest thinking about impacts made beyond the initial goals or objectives, who else has or will benefit from your great work?
Marco Davi, Head of Sales Enablement, Direct Sales, at Xero
For me, entries stand out if they are innovative and well-executed. In addition, they should focus on measurable sales performance improvement and include coaching to drive sales transformation.
Ensure that you focus on sales performance, customer satisfaction, and retention. These qualities are crucial in a challenging economy.
Pamella Barotti, Head of Customer Advocacy Storytelling at Microsoft UK
Make sure your entry is tailored to the category you are entering, and don't be afraid to highlight your team's innovation, teamwork, and resilience. Provide specific, measurable results and demonstrate how your work had a positive impact on your customers, stakeholders, and the environment. Lastly, be authentic and tell your unique story in a compelling and memorable way.
Phil Hobden, Head of Sales at Wolters Kluwer
Detail – it doesn’t have to be long but it does have to have detail! Numbers, metrics and evidence are essential to helping me understand what you have achieved and how. Tell your story – how it worked but also how you overcame the challenges. Let us see the WHY in your business and your vision!
You know your story and your successes and are best placed to tell the world about it. It doesn’t have to be big innovations – sometimes it’s the small things that change the world!
Ruth Oakey, Global Marketing Director at Eckoh
- Meaningful numbers to highlight the success of your project.
- What’s the effect on revenue?
- What’s the ROI?
- All the good stuff!
- Answer the question – so many award entries don’t!
- Keep it simple – the easier it is to understand, the easier it is to mark!
Sam Robinson, EMEA Enablement Leader at Medius
What makes an awards entry stand out for me is one that links to the values of the customers they are serving. It’s a cliché to call it customer first but I want to feel the customer is at the heart of what is presented.
Try to be concise in what you say and clear in what you say. Avoid jargon, try and write it so your friends and family would understand it.
