How our awards work - tips and tricks

Expert entry tips

Nominations are the first step in your Telstra Best of Business Awards journey. To be considered, please complete one online entry for every category you'd like to enter.

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Choose your category

Take time to reflect

The first thing is to understand what each award category represents so you can work out which one is right for you.

Next, take a step back from the day-to-day so you can look at your business objectively. Consider why you started it. What was it that you wanted to change? By thinking bigger and more philosophically, the category / categories will become clear.

One or more categories?

Australian small and medium-sized businesses often wear many hats, so it's not unusual for a business to fit into a few different categories. Enter as many categories you feel are relevant to your business. Make sure each entry is tailored to its specific category rather than using a 'cut and paste' approach. Or choose one category and focus your efforts on a single entry.

Need advice? Contact our Awards team, and we’ll be happy to help.

Prepare thoroughly

Compile your information

The more detail, the better. In your entry, we'll ask about your business plans, including year-on-year performance and financial projections. We'll also want to know about your operating model, marketing strategies and your business vision, goals and values.

Warm up with practice questions

To prepare for the real event, you'll find a list of sample video interview questions in the Awards Hub. Work through them so you know what to expect during the actual entry process.

Manage your time

We've recommended timeframes for each stage of the process. Before you start your entry, make sure you've set aside plenty of time to consider each question and collate the information you need to give detailed answers.

Engage your experts

The right people are the best people

No one knows your business better than you. You're welcome to engage subject matter specialists to supply information where needed, however we recommend that you, the business owner complete the final answers.

Supporting evidence

As an official entity, the Telstra Best of Business Awards adheres to the highest levels of governance and integrity. That means any results you submit must be provable.

In Stages 2 and 3, you’ll be asked for results. Where you can, please include details of the methods or tools you used to measure these results.

Also, in Stage 3, we'll ask how your business started. Where possible, include the best examples of supporting material (marketing campaigns, results, competitor analysis, news clippings, reviews, recognition) to validate your story. Engage relevant subject matter experts as early as possible.

About our application process

Stand out from the crowd

Does your story fit the category?

Try to tailor your entry to match the award category (or categories) you've entered. This helps ensure every entry receives the best possible score and satisfies all category-specific judging criteria. Momentous achievements are worth including, but our judges will be looking for what makes your business successful, along with evidence to support your story.

Be yourself

This is your time to shine. Be specific when you describe what makes your business unique. Tell us how you differ from the competition.

Try to avoid generic statements that could apply to any business. The judges will be looking for individuality, passion and tenacity. This may be a business awards program, but we want to get to know the heart and soul of your business.

Written submissions can be intimidating but you won’t be judged on your writing skills. For Stages 2 and 3, finding a balance between creativity and business acumen will help you stand out.

About our judging process