Try not to have an identity crisis. If you are a FTSE 100 organisation, don’t make a submission to the FTSE 250 category or even the unlisted one. We may not be able to ‘move’ things around, which means your entry may not get the appropriate consideration.

We look for a maximum of 700 words. While entries can be shorter, the awards platform does not allow them to be longer. Use your words wisely.

The judges are human. Densely written copy will not engage them, nor will an in-depth analysis of font choice and colour palettes. Try to avoid acronyms or terminology that are not widely used.

Set the scene. If your company is not widely known, offer a short explanation and context so the judges can properly understand the challenges or journey it has been on. Explain why certain decisions were taken, or which obstacles needed to be overcome. Make your story compelling.

Several of the Strategic Comms Awards categories reflect new thinking about how organisations should measure their non-financial performances. There may not be a template to follow, and your organisation may be leading the way. Point this out to the judges as this may also be relatively new to them.

We get it. It can be hard to measure the performance of annual reports but relying on the old The chairman said it was the best he’s ever seen qualification doesn’t really cut the mustard. Does the report score highly in best practice? Has it been recognised by an authoritative source? What was the reaction of investors – the target audience? For some Strategic Comms Awards categories, however, where not every company has embraced the need to report on them, highlight that as a measure of success. Are you leading the way in your sector? Are you one of a handful of companies trying to answer the question? Think about what feedback made you proud.

Entries can be let down by poor grammar or simple spelling mistakes. It is impossible to know how much judges take this into account when making their decisions, but it is likely to have an impact. Ask a colleague to read the entry to both sense check and proofread. If they don’t understand a specific point, it is likely that the judges will also struggle.

Picture the scene: the judges gather to watch an embedded video, they enter the password and… nothing happens. The password is invalid. The moment has gone. The entry is judged without consideration of this key element.