Iknowho Know How; writing a finalist worthy award entry

Award entries are the bane of most companies life. The accolades (and let’s face it, the party) are fantastic but it’s a lot of work to get there, and that’s after all the hard work to even believe you are eligible!

Last year iknowho was the Founding Sponsor of the AdNews People & Culture Award at the Agency of the Year Awards. Our Director, Dene was a judge and has since been asked a number of times “what makes a great entry stand out”. There are a couple of components to the answer for this question;

Content is King! You need to have the goods
Structure & Quality Writing

We have also been active in the Recruitment Industry awards recently and have had to face the task ourselves. We have a small but successful strike rate over the last 12 months with 3 awards entered and 3 finalists positions announced!

I thought you might find these insights into how we go about writing an eye-catching entry interesting!

Here are our top 5 tips for writing a stellar award entry;

Focus on Content

We started by looking at the award categories over 12 months ago to see what the criteria were to be considered. For the award categories that felt right for us, that amplified our brand and offering rather than provided the opportunity of award win for the sake of it, we decided to focus our efforts on building best practice with initiatives we already had in place and introducing new ones. We created our content with a purpose.

Prepare

Knowing the criteria is essential, then assessing, and being honest with yourself. Do you have what it takes to win? Are you able to address the criteria and provide measurable results? Take a step back and look at your business critically. If you don’t feel like you are there just yet, wait until you have had more focus on the development. Better to delay entry by a year to get it right!

Be Smart

Writing a good award entry takes longer than you think so start working on it straight away! Put your plan together, brainstorm what to include and then start putting details together and compiling the evidence. Gather feedback from independent sources to ensure you are being objective.

Write, read, break, re-read then repeat the cycle! Until you are happy with the final product keep going through this cycle. It is also great to have another set of eyes over the submission as they can provide a fresh perspective and additional ideas, as well as spotting any mistakes. There is nothing worse for a judge than reading an entry with mistakes and sloppy attention to detail.

Be Mindful

Be careful with interpreting the questions; re-read before answering, it’s important that you are answering the question in the right way!

Ask yourself to justify your content? Does this answer the question? Why is this important? Why would the judges care? How am I proving this information? Does this bring the information to life? Does this truly represent our brand?

Word count - it is very important to watch your word count and adhered to the guidelines or rules, it would be awful after all your hard work to be disqualified on a technicality.

Be Positive

Remember to stand out you need to be passionate and believe in what you are submitting, if you believe it then that will come across. Bring your passion and personality to the forefront, make sure your business and brand shine. If the entry guidelines allow for additional material, such as video or testimonials work out how you can utilise these to bring the entry to life.

Who are you as a brand? What is your value? What have you done to stand out in the industry? What is your message? And most importantly why should you win?

Keep all of this in mind throughout your preparation and keep asking yourself these, and be honest and truthful.

Be Professional

Keep a strong sense of your companies personality whilst keeping it professional. Remove colloquial words and terms unless they add value and understanding, be diligent with your spell check - you can use an online tool https://www.grammarly.com/ which helps not only with spelling but also your grammar. Check, check and triple check.

Be Straightforward

You may have some awesome initiatives within the business but can you demonstrate how these have provided the results you were looking for? Do you have measurements from prior to the initiative commencing and post?

Now this is one of my favourite parts of writing an award submission - STATISTICS and evidence. It’s great that you can talk about what you have put in place, now prove it - testimonials, statistics from surveys or CRM database, ROI. For every point you are making there should be proof. This is why sometimes you need to wait a year, put your groundwork in and then demonstrate the results of the changes you have made.

We wish you all the best of luck for any awards you decide to enter, remember to have fun with it too! Celebrating your successes is important in every business – even if you don’t win, the process can highlight the great work you are doing.

iknowho was a finalist for the RCSA Awards for Excellence in Candidate Care and have recently been announced as finalists in the Seek Annual Recruitment Awards (SARA) in the categories of Small Agency of the Year & Excellent in Candidate Engagement

With the SARA’s being announced on 16th November, keep your fingers crossed for the iknowho team and watch this space for hopefully more award news from us!!

Get in the know.

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Signs It’s Time to Hire a Marketer…and how to get it right

By Kristina Gerdov • September 3, 2025

For many growing businesses, marketing is often something that gets added to the to-do list of already busy managers or existing teams. A social post here, an email there, and maybe a campaign when there’s time. But without dedicated expertise, marketing rarely delivers the consistency and commercial results your brand needs to grow. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to bring in a dedicated marketing resource, here are the key things to consider and how to ensure your first hire is set up for success. 1. The Telltale signs If your demand generation has stalled, you’re struggling to convert interest into sales, or your brand presence feels disjointed, it’s time to stop relying on ad-hoc efforts. A dedicated marketer can build and execute a strategic plan that drives consistent results and positions your brand for long-term growth. 2. What to avoid It can be tempting to look for a “jack-of-all-trades” who can do a little bit of everything. The reality? Even the most talented marketer will struggle without clear goals and defined outcomes on what the business is looking to achieve. Hiring without clarity can lead to underwhelming results and frustration on both sides. Be specific about the expertise you need and the outcomes you expect. 3. Why this hire is so important to get right Your first marketing hire is more than just another role, it often lays the foundation for your brands future growth engine. The right hire can build momentum and shape how your future team evolves. The wrong hire however, can stall progress, waste budget, and leave you back at square one. 4. Fractional vs full-time Not quite ready for a permanent commitment? Fractional marketers can be a great short-term solution to get things moving while you build the case for a full-time hire. Just be clear on their remit. Fractional marketers are ideal for campaigns, projects, or interim support, but they’re not typically suited to long-term brand building or team development. 5. What kind of marketer do you actually need? Marketing as a discipline is broad, as are the tools used to reach your desired target audience. Do you need someone to drive digital acquisition, manage partnerships, develop content, or build brand strategy? Start by clarifying your business’s biggest priorities and pain points, then match the skillset accordingly. The clearer you are upfront, the better the outcome. 6. How to set them up for success Hiring the right person is only half the job. To see results and maximum impact, you need to set your new hire up for success. This means: Clear KPIs so they know what good Vs great looks like The marketing tools and access to the resources they need to deliver Integration into cross-functional conversations with key decision-makers from day one Bec Godkin, Senior Talent Partner says “Marketing can’t succeed in a silo. The deeper your marketer is connected across the business and understands the various levers that shape success, the greater their impact will be” Hiring your first marketer is an exciting step - it signals growth, ambition, and the desire to build something bigger. By being clear on what you need, avoiding common pitfalls, and setting your hire up for success, you’ll give your business the best chance to thrive. At iknowho , we specialise in helping brands make their first marketing hire. If you’d like to talk through what kind of marketer is right for your business, we’re here to help.

What is a Fractional CMO and could one be right for you?

By Kristina Gerdov • June 25, 2025

Discover what a Fractional CMO is, the benefits they bring, and how to know if hiring one is the right move for your business.

How personal branding can supercharge your job hunt in 2025

By Kristina Gerdov • May 13, 2025

In 2025, personal branding isn't just a buzzword – it's important for anyone navigating the job market. The uncomfortable truth is this; you're likely being Googled more often than you're being interviewed. In a digital-first world, your personal brand can potentially boost your career prospects. So how can you leverage it to stand out during your job hunt? 1. Your brand is what people say when you're not in the room Personal branding isn’t just about the polished version of yourself that you post on LinkedIn. It’s what others say about you when you’re not around. Consider how you’re being perceived online and offline. Is your brand consistent, authentic, and aligned with your career aspirations? What would potential employers say about you when they Google you? To start refining your personal brand, think about your values, your goals, and how you want others to perceive you. This means showcasing your strengths, yes, but also acknowledging your struggles and learning moments. Authenticity can give you a competitive edge. 2. Lead with curiosity, not just expertise Publicly asking thoughtful, insightful questions. It positions you as someone who is constantly learning, open to feedback, and not afraid to explore new ideas – a thought provoker and idea leader in your space. In the job hunt, this quality can set you apart from others who might be more focused on offering answers than asking the right questions. So, when you’re engaging with others online or in an interview, try focusing on asking questions that spark deeper discussions. Your curiosity and willingness to learn can make a lasting impression. 3. Your personal brand is about becoming known for the right things Remember, personal branding isn’t about trying to become famous. It’s about being known for the right things – the things that align with your career goals and the value you want to offer to employers. For job seekers, this means ensuring that your online presence and interactions reflect your expertise, passion, and ambition. When crafting your personal brand, be deliberate. Think about the skills, values, and personality traits you want to highlight. 4. Be consistent and intentional The foundation of a strong personal brand is consistency. Your personal brand is built in the small, everyday actions – how you engage with your network. Consistency in your interactions helps shape how people perceive you and helps create a brand that’s memorable. If you're job hunting, it's critical to show up consistently both online and offline. This includes engaging with industry professionals on LinkedIn, contributing to discussions, and demonstrating professionalism in all your interactions. 5. Small steps to narrow the gap So, what's the gap between how you see yourself and how others might perceive you? The goal isn’t perfection, but making small, consistent adjustments that move you closer to aligning your internal brand with how you’re seen externally. It could be tweaking your LinkedIn profile, starting a blog, or sharing your expertise. What’s one small thing you could do this week to move the needle and narrow that gap? Whether it’s posting a thoughtful comment on a relevant post, reaching out to someone in your industry, or sharing a story of a recent challenge, small actions can have a big impact over time. 6. Share struggles, Not just wins When it comes to personal branding, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only sharing successes. However, some of the most credible personal brands are built on transparency – sharing the struggles and lessons learned along the way. It’s interesting to see how you handle setbacks, not just your triumphs. Embracing imperfection in your personal brand helps paint a fuller picture of who you are. Whether it’s sharing a challenging project you worked on or a time when you faced a setback and how you overcame it, these stories can help demonstrate your resilience, problem-solving abilities, and growth mindset – qualities employers are eager to see. In today’s market, personal branding isn’t just a nice-to-have. By being intentional, consistent, and authentic, you can build a personal brand that resonates with potential employers, ultimately setting you up for success in your job hunt. So, there’s no better time to start than now.