Secrets to Winning: Tips from Microsoft Advertising’s Top Global Agency

Microsoft Advertising’s regional Partner Awards acknowledge outstanding successes and innovations by partners across Asia Pacific, in a wide variety of categories including Generative AI innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and social impact.

Winning awards is a great way to stay at the forefront of the industry. It signals to the market that your team consistently delivers excellence and innovation, making you a standout choice among competitors. This recognition can open doors to new opportunities, foster stronger relationships, and ultimately drive business growth. By participating in programs like the Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards, you demonstrate your commitment to excellence and build a legacy of trust and credibility that resonates with clients and partners alike.

Creating a standout award entry

To compete for the top spot, it’s important to remember it's not just about the quality of the work itself, but also about how effectively you communicate its value and impact. A well-crafted entry highlights your strategic thinking, creativity, and attention to detail, making it easier for judges to understand and appreciate the significance of your achievements. 

Carly O’Grady, National Search and Social Lead at Kinesso – winners of the 2024 Global Agency of the Year award – shares a few critical tips on how to maximize your chances of success and truly stand out in the competitive landscape.

Tips for writing a winning entry

Although our tips might seem straightforward, it's easy to overlook them amidst our busy schedules and competing priorities. Here are some reminders on where to focus your time and effort to maximize your chances of success:

1. Make sure your project aligns perfectly with the award categories: Each submission is carefully reviewed by several judges, and they will be looking at all the criteria for each specific award category. Those who don’t adhere to the eligibility criteria will be the first to be eliminated, which is unfortunate because sometimes, aside from the one critical error, the quality of the campaign might have made it a serious contender.
2. Showcase innovation: When entries are similar, the highest standard of information in each section can often tip the scales between a winner and a runner up. Put your best points up front and draw the reader in with the “who, what, why,” and most importantly the “why care” of your story. You want to make sure the judge wants to read further. Your opening statement should encompass the essence of your entry, showcase why it’s innovative, unique, and, most importantly, resonates with the judges.
3. Demonstrate impact: Use data and metrics to show the tangible impact of your work. How many regions, organizations, or people did your solution serve? Is the solution scalable across industries? What was the bottom-line impact? Did the solution save the customer money? How much? Use solid stats to show what you achieved. All of this information will lead to a more well-rounded story. The best way of ensuring your entry gets noticed is to include direct evidence of your customers’ satisfaction and success with your solution. Include relevant customer testimonials in your answers. And include links to supporting materials such as case studies, white papers, other awards, videos, or anything else that helps document you and your customers’ success.
4. Focus on customer success: Center your entry around the benefits to your customers. Highlight how your solutions have made a difference in their business and contributed to their success.

A few other pointers:

• Show how it leveraged Microsoft Advertising solutions. 
• Describe how it helped you win against the competition from a technical or a business perspective.
• Include information about how you went above and beyond in answering your customers’ needs.
• Highlight how your solution is delivering meaningful, accessible, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes for customers.
• When possible, show how your solution was tailored to target an untapped market.

Bonus tip: Consider more than one entry

Yes, writing more than one entry will take more time, but it will also give you a better chance of being a winner or finalist. Don’t go overboard though. Spend your time submitting your best one or two stories, rather than trying multiple categories with less compelling entries.

Inspiration to participate

Winning the Global Agency of the Year award at the Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards was a monumental achievement for Kinesso Australia. It not only validated our hard work but also opened doors to new opportunities and collaborations. I encourage all agencies to seize this opportunity and submit their nominations. The recognition you receive can propel your business to new heights and inspire your team to continue delivering exceptional results.

The Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards is not only a showcase of the incredible work that our partners do every day – it is an opportunity to benchmark against the region’s top-performing players and contribute to a culture of excellence and innovation. So, take the leap, share your story, and show the world the amazing work you are doing.

Submit your nomination by 11.59PM PST on August 30, 2024, and join us in celebrating the best in the industry. No matter which award you nominate for, make it count. We wish you the best of luck!