How to put together a top notch entry for the 2023 Comms National Awards

The Comms National Awards is the most highly regarded awards process in the ICT channel and is fairly and independently judged by a highly experienced panel of channel experts.

Awards can be an incredibly powerful asset in helping winners and finalists enhance brand image and reinforce existing sales messages and collateral.

Internally, awards can help build deeper team engagement and will absolutely support a positive employer brand identity in any recruitment campaigns.

Vendor Awards

The Vendor Awards are for Carriers/Network Providers/ Distributors & Service Providers and recognise the products, support and service they provide to third party reseller partners.

Reseller Awards

The Reseller Awards are for third party solution providers (systems integrators, resellers, dealers) and recognise the effectiveness, quality and ROI of solutions provided to end user customers.

Business Awards

The Business Awards are for Carriers, Network Providers, Distributors, Service Providers, Systems Integrators, Resellers, and Dealers and recognise growth, success and innovation.

The benefits of entering...

  • Raise your profile across the UK ICT channel
  • Benchmark yourself against other UK channel companies
  • Acknowledge your team's efforts
  • Influence and impress partners, clients and investors
  • Improve staff morale
  • A finalist position will provide a platform for follow on PR and marketing activities in the trade, local and regional press…
  • You will receive a finalist or winners' logo you can use as an email signature and in all your marketing collateral. AS THIS IS A NATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAMME DO NOT NOT UNDER-ESTIMATE THE INFLUENCE THIS LOGO CARRIES!
  • And as a finalist you will of course get the opportunity to treat your clients and staff to the best night out in the comms industry!

The entry process

  1. Entry is FREE!
  2. Register here
  3. Download the relevant vendor, reseller or business entry form.
  4. Choose the award category or categories you wish to enter.
  5. Answer the questions on the form.
  6. Send your completed form to awards@bpl-business.com with testimonials, and relevant supporting information (preferably in pdf format) by Wednesday 28th June 2023.

Tips for your main entry

  • NB: The CN Awards acknowledge solutions, services and products delivered between July 31st 2021 and July 31st 2022.
  • Answer the questions succinctly, do not flannel or write flowery or highly technical text. Stick to the facts!
  • You can enter for as many awards as you like, but try and avoid cutting and pasting the same answers into different category entries. Each entry should be relevant to the category you have selected.
  • Remember the judges are reading through scores of entries so when answering each question try to write two or three paragraphs of summary followed by bullet points that point out the key aspects and benefits of the product, service or solution.
  • The judges give marks for each section so read through the entire form before starting to answer the questions. Writing 'see above' could count against you.
  • Stick to the word count, as you may get marked down if you don't!
  • Do not forget to check your entry for spelling and grammar. A poorly worded entry can be the difference between getting shortlisted or not.
  • IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLEASE NOTE THAT ENHANCED/DESIGNED ENTRIES WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED. ALL ENTRANTS MUST USE THE ENTRY FORM ONLY. SUPPORTING INFORMATION PRESENTED IN PDF FORMAT WILL BE ACCEPTED, ALONG WITH RELEVANT VIDEO LINKS.

Tips for your testimonials

  • Do not just copy and attach an email from a client or partner - a legitimate signed letter on header paper saved as a pdf and attached to your entry is what the judges are keen to see.
  • You can send in multiple testimonials but 3 or 4 good ones are better than scores of them saying how wonderful you are!
  • Do not send in testimonials from another awards programme; it's lazy and the judges hate it.

Tips for your supporting information

  • The judges welcome succinct supporting information relevant to the entry e.g. Product sheets, infrastructure diagrams, channel support collateral etc. but don't over do it. Relevance is key.
  • The judges will also welcome links to videos e.g. testimonials, case studies relevant to your entries but they must not be over long!

Judges notes for Reseller entrants

Read the question. It is staggering how many entrants fail to answer the question properly and ramble on about irrelevancies!

This year we will be looking for reseller entries where they have shown that the solution has improved the 'customer experience'. In today's customer led world the experience is everything. Having a clever solution that saves a company money is no longer just good enough.

Judges notes for Vendor entrants

We will be looking for entries that show the supplier has gone beyond just having a great product or service.

Their go to market strategy and implementation must show they understand the channel's issues about running a successful business and have created marketing, sales and services programs to support their partners.

Judges notes for Business entrants

We will be looking for entries that have shown how a channel business operating in the vendor, distributor, service provider or reseller arena has achieved success and growth via customer service and/or innovation.

To complete your entry...

  1. Please make sure you advise us if any information provided in your entry is confidential.
  2. You must provide your company logo in jpg or eps format.

And finally...

Remember the deadline for entries is Wednesday 28th June 2023.

If you need further assistance, please contact Rachel Seymour by email awards@bpl-business.com or call 07977 034752