Awards AFC Summer Awards 2024: How to write a compelling nomination Published: 2nd April 2024 Share Asset Finance Connect receives over 150 nominations per year for its annual summer awards – this makes competition fierce. Well written, well considered nominations stand more chance of winning because they tell the judges what they need to know, without making them work hard to find the information they need to reach a fair conclusion. Well thought-out nominations are clear and succinct, provide objective evidence including facts and figures as well as subjective evidence like testimonials that make it easy for the judges to respond positively. A fun night with a serious purpose, the AFC Summer Awards recognise innovation and celebrate expertise and professionalism among finance providers, suppliers and intermediaries. “There are lots of excellent awards that industry players will want to compete for – and you have until 12th April to get your nominations in,” said Edward Peck, CEO of Asset Finance Connect. “Our categories provide the opportunity for employers to recognise not only the outstanding achievements of their company but also the hard work and talent of their employees from the CEO right through to rising stars who are just starting their career.” Don’t miss out on the chance to nominate companies, individuals and teams to be recognised for their hard work, innovation and service to the industry – submit your entry today! Explore the award categories for the Summer Awards 2024 here. For most award nominations, the following structure works well: Opening statement – why you believe the nominee should win the award: Open your nomination with a clear and succinct statement telling the judges why you believe the nominee deserves the award. Include enough information for the judges to understand what is unique or special, what specific challenges were faced and overcome, what actions were taken, and what the outcomes were. Avoid too much detail. Write like a journalist not an academic: list the most important information first. Objective evidence and detail – why the judges should agree with you: Back your opening statement with relevant detail and objective evidence. Provide the judges with the detail and data they need to reach the same conclusion as you. Ruthlessly remove anything which is padding. If there is compelling information which judges need to know, include it. If they don’t need to know something, remove it. Closing statement – any other information you would like the judges to know: Include subjective evidence like testimonials or details of other awards which have been won. They tell the judges others have already reached the same conclusion. Pet hates for judges include: Minimal text that doesn’t provide a comprehensive answer to the question. Generic marketing material. We all know winning awards is much more fun than writing nominations. Trust us however, you need to put in the work if you want to win. Overly complex information. If it is difficult to understand, the judges will need to work harder to find what’s relevant. They’ll do the work, but they wont like you for it. Do them a favour – keep it simple. Avoid superlatives. Good luck with your entry! Don’t delay, submit your entry today! Closing date for entries is 12th April. To see a full list of the categories and start your entry, visit: https://afcawardsuk.com/summerawards2024/en/page/categories Visit the Asset Finance Connect’s Summer Awards website HERE to place your nominations for award winners and to book your table. Don’t delay booking your place at the Asset Finance Summer Awards Night – the early bird rate is just £2,812.50 for an enhanced table for ten or £2,480 for a standard table for ten. Prices rise on April 12th, when award nominations will close. Kindly supported by Sponsors Platinum Sponsor Asset Finance Provider of the Year Award Sponsor Auto Finance Provider of the Year Award Sponsor Equipment Finance Provider of the Year Award Sponsor Excellence in Technology Award Sponsor Table Host Corporate Members Lisa Laverick Editor - Asset Finance Connect Sign up to our newsletter Featured Stories AppointmentsPolestar appoints Jonas Engström Chief Operating Officer Leasing ProfessionalsAFPA Trust spreads festive cheer with 12 Days of Christmas giveaway Corporate Member Thought LeadersFCA Board Report findings: Key insights for asset finance