10 Tips to help you get short listed for Business Awards
(but it’s still not a guarantee to get shortlisted)
Applying for business awards takes time, but it is one of the best ways to build credibility, boost team morale, and get free marketing. If you are aiming for the Business Growth Awards, the judges are specifically looking for sustainable, strategic expansion.
Here are 10 practical tips to make your application stand out.
Apply for upto 5 Categories
The more the judges see you the more chances you have to be nominated by judges for Business of the Year. If you only apply for 1 category the most you can be shortlisted for is on category if you apply for 5 categories you could be shortlisted for 5 categories and be seen more and increase your chances of being nominated for Business Of the Year.
Use the free social media
As soon as you apply follow Business Growth Wales on socials, if you are shortlist engage, like and share posts it helps all the businesses shortlisted and you will get seen more. Follow, like and share other finalists posts. The awards are all about helping each other grow and enjoy each other success.
Tell a Compelling Story
Judges read dozens of dry applications. Stand out by framing your growth as a narrative. What was the turning point? What major bottleneck did you overcome to unlock this growth? Connect the data to a human story of ambition and resilience.
Lead with Hard Data
Vague claims like “we grew significantly” will get passed over. Use concrete numbers, percentages, and timeframes. If your revenue grew, by how much? If you expanded your team, from what number to what number?
Rule of thumb: If you make a claim, back it up with a metric in the very next sentence.
Prove Sustainable Growth
Anyone can have a single lucky quarter due to a viral moment or a massive one-off contract. Judges want to see a repeatable engine. Explain your strategy: Did you enter a new market? Launch a subscription model? Improve customer retention? Prove that your trajectory is built to last.
Taylor your answer to each category
It sounds obvious, but many applicants copy-paste answers from previous award entries, marketing brochures from one category to another. Read the prompts carefully. If a question asks about leadership challenges during growth, do not just list your sales figures—talk about how you managed culture and hiring.
Highlight Your Team’s Role
Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Acknowledge the people who executed the strategy. Explain how you scaled your team culture, upskilled employees, or aligned everyone around the new growth targets. Judges love to see responsible, people-first leadership.
Be Transparent About Flaws (the judges do their research)
Perfection looks suspicious. If you hit a massive roadblock—like a supply chain crisis or a failed product launch—and pivoted successfully, write about it. Showing how you navigated a crisis demonstrates mature leadership and operational strength.
Write for an Outsider
Avoid heavy industry jargon, acronyms, or hyper-technical language. Assume the judge is a smart business generalist who knows nothing about your specific niche. If they can’t understand what your business actually does within the first three sentences, you’ve lost them.
Start Early and Proof read Ruthlessly
Applications close at the end of November every year, get your application in early don’t wait for the deadline and then ask for your application to be added. Shortlisting is tough and starts as soon as applications close.
A rushed application looks sloppy. Typo-ridden entries or sentences that cut off due to character limits signal a lack of care. Write your answers in a separate document first, run them through a grammar checker, and have a fresh pair of eyes review them before submission.
