SMA judges share top tips on what makes a winning entry

As the March 28 deadline creeps closer, CRN caught up with some of the 2025 SMA judging panel to get a few hints for those compiling their entries right now

Picture credit: Photo by Leah Newhouse

Crafting a winning entry for any awards event is a challenge, but the upside of winning that award certainly makes the hard work worthwhile.

With 25 categories to choose from in the 2025 SMAs, there is something for everyone, from company awards to individual awards. Every award has a detailed criteria written out to help with crafting those entries.

One thing most of us are guilty of is leaving things until the very last minute, and it is understandable with so many daily demands, but the one top tip would be to just bite the bullet, sit down and get it done before the 28 March deadline hits.

However, the best people to give advice is the experienced judging panel, many of whom have been judges since the awards started 13 years ago, and between them have decades of experience in sales, marketing and PR.

Gemma Telford, founder of she/her, said that while it is always gratifying to see the effort many have put into the look of the entries, it is the content that matters.

“Unless you have actually answered the question of why you should win, and paid attention to the pointers in the entry guidelines, it is largely just nice window dressing. It is really frustrating when people complain that they don’t win, yet still fail to do this,” she said.

“The best validation isn’t you saying how good you are – it is proving it. This means including numbers – which people are often so reluctant to do – and I’m never sure why,” Telford added. “Also, it means including testimonials from your customers. Staff testimonials are great, but customer testimonials are gold dust. If you have numbers and external validation, then don’t worry so much about how ‘pretty’ your entry is. Also try to add something different too – show off a bit of your company’s personality.”

Richard Eglon, CMO at Nebula Global Services, said the key is to demonstrate what your company does for customers, rather than focusing solely on itself.

“Firstly, ensure that you have answered the criteria clearly and concisely as this helps the judges mark your submission fairly against your peers. Stay within the word count and don’t include reels of supporting documents, as they will not be read,” Eglon advised.

“Believe it or not, the submission is not just about you, it should be about what you have done for your partners and customers to improve their business. So many still talk about themselves,” he added. “Finally, make it authentic and personal, as the judges are not robots and we all appreciate reading or listening through a unique and engaging submission.”

Luke Budka, AI and PR director of Definition, said metrics were so important.

“When judging awards entries, we often see submissions fall short due to a lack of specific, measurable results, insufficient supporting evidence, or poor organisation. To create a standout entry, focus on providing concrete examples and data, clearly aligning achievements with the award criteria. And if you can do that while telling a compelling story that showcases innovation, all the better!”

He added: “Avoid excessive jargon, generic content, and overlooking the basics like proofreading - this is important, no-one should be submitting entries with typos. Also, consider length, judges will not review an additional 1,000 words of testimonial; if it's really important to the entry, make sure it's in the main document."

Sara Driscoll, former CRN editor and freelance journalist/editor, agreed about metrics and the personal touch.

“There are a couple of areas where some entries fell down last year,” she said. “The first (and I think most important) is proof points. Vague claims: ‘we help our partners sell more/we did lots of great marketing campaigns’ etc - without numbers, metrics or KPIs make an entry weaker than one that is peppered with stats, facts and testimonials.

“The second area is differentiation - what are you doing to make your entry stand out? Pick a theme, make it human, and make it look good and read well. ChatGPT might speed up the process, but if everyone is using it, the judges just get hundreds of bland entries that all sound the same.”

Darren Spence, CRO at Smartbox.ai, stressed that any company, regardless of size, is treated equally. It really is down to quality of entry.

“We need to stress that big or small, every company has a chance. Sometimes the big players submit a poor entry, sometimes the usual suspects submit a poor entry. Smaller and newer players are just as likely to win as the bigger players,” he said. “Don’t just write a load of boring text, bring your entry to life with easy-to-read PDFs and videos, get endorsements and most importantly, back up your claims with evidence.”

Gina Hough, managing director of MCC International said spacing was key.

“For me the walls of text with no light relief are such a no-no – as is the lack of testimonial back up from the right people and not just internally. A video that keeps to the time and an easy-to-read entry always helps.”

Sophy Gray, founder of 7demand, said storytelling is so important: “The more engaging and stand out you are, the more you resonate with the judges. The ones that stand out for me are the ones that tell a story. But keep it short and keep it simple. Provide evidence – use data, client testimonials, ROI stats and impact statements to really showcase how fabulous your entry is.”

Reading the criteria was also crucial, Gray said.

“Understand the criteria. Some judges use a points system so make sure your entry ticks every box,” she said. “Sometimes entries really fly in one area, but some important judging criteria has been missed. But forget the ‘we’ll never win’ mindset and go for it!”

Thanks for entering the CRN Sales and Marketing Awards 2025. The deadline is Friday 28 March 2025. Best of luck with your entry!