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Carl Molesworth

Six Tips for Improving Contest Entries
April 7, 2008

I had the good fortune to serve as a judge in three construction excellence contests this winter: the joint AGC/Washington Department of Transportation Excellence in Contract Administration, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington and the Associated General Contractors of Washington.

Every time I judge a contest I’m reminded of how much terrific work is being done out there by contractors. I try to find interesting projects while they are being built to cover in the feature stories of PB&E, but invariably I’ll read a contest entry about a finished project and think to myself, “Damn, I wish I had know about that one.”

These great projects deserve attention, as do the people who build them. Not only does a winning contest entry present your company with a valuable marketing tool, but it also provides an opportunity to boost morale by showing off the winning project team to the people who understand their work best – their peers.

First, however, you need that winning entry. Here, based on my experience and observations, are some tips that may be helpful in that regard:

1. Make the commitment to enter. Put your best people on it and make it a priority for them. Otherwise, you risk submitting a lackluster, last-minute entry that will reflect badly on your company.
2. Chose the right project. On time, on budget and an excellent safety record are essential. A compelling story of overcoming unusual challenges adds greatly to your chances of winning.
3. Enter with enthusiasm. Answer all questions to full extent allowed by the contest. One-word answers won’t cut it.
4. Don’t pad. Repetition of facts annoys busy judges.
5. If the contest calls for photos, make sure you submit pictures that show the work in progress. One or two shots of the finished product are OK, but the bulk of the photos should show the judges how the project was built – just like the ones in a PB&E feature story.
6. Proofread your entry. Whether you use spellcheck or the good old eyes-and-dictionary method, make sure you avoid confusing the judges with incorrect words. Be especially on the lookout for dropped, added or misplaced letters that turn the right word into the wrong one.

This is just my list. If you have other tips for preparing winning entries, let’s see them.

Until next time…

Posted by Carl Molesworth on April 7, 2008 | Comments (1)