{"id":43809,"date":"2022-03-03T15:52:46","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T23:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msftuspartnerblog.azurewebsites.net\/en-us\/us-partner-blog\/?p=43809"},"modified":"2022-03-10T10:44:06","modified_gmt":"2022-03-10T18:44:06","slug":"potya-judges-advice-for-a-winning-entry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/americas-partner-blog\/2022\/03\/03\/potya-judges-advice-for-a-winning-entry\/","title":{"rendered":"POTYA judge\u2019s advice for a winning entry"},"content":{"rendered":"
Part of our role in supporting US Partners is to make sure you have the knowledge and tools you need to reach your potential, and this is no different. We want to give you a chance to hear from those who will determine whether you will claim the title of Microsoft Partner of the Year Award finalist or winner \u2013 the judges<\/em>.<\/p>\n We spoke with Adriana Bade, Microsoft Senior Partner Marketing Advisor, Dynamics ISVs and former judge and manager for the MSUS side of the Partner of the Year Awards, about her experience reviewing partner submissions and her top advice for partners hoping to claim their spot atop the podium this year.<\/p>\n Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submissions are due April 5, 2022, at 11:59pm PST. <\/em>Start your nomination<\/em><\/a> now. <\/em><\/p>\n The Microsoft Partner of the Year Award Guidance from Judges<\/em><\/a> is full of excellent advice around getting started, writing your entry, and editing and final review. But if we boiled it down to one key takeaway, what would it be?<\/p>\n According to former judge Adriana Bade, dedicating adequate time to design and edit your entry is the best starting point.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really important to demonstrate your credibility as a partner as well as your commitment to Microsoft,\u201d impresses Bade. \u201cA partner who takes the time to develop their story from end-to-end, gather the evidence to support customer ROI, and present it all in a creative way will stand out in the minds of judges as we work through subsequent rounds and final deliberation.\u201d<\/p>\n No partner is too small to win or too big to fail.<\/strong> \u201cWe have had large, well-known partners submit sub-par entries consisting of simply bullet point answers. While their actual solution and track record may have been top-tier, they didn\u2019t take the time to show that in their submission, which impacted their score,\u201d recalls Bade.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that judges are sourced from across solution areas and roles, and typically judge nominations outside their area of expertise<\/em>. What does this mean?<\/p>\n \u201cYour submission needs to clearly and strongly state who you are right off the bat,\u201d says Bade. \u201cFor example, were you the top co-sell partner last year? A former award winner? Since your reader may be someone highly technical or someone with a marketing and communications background, you need to find a way to present yourself in a way that resonates.\u201d<\/p>\n As judges review your entry, they write commentary to share during subsequent rounds. By creating a connection, you are more likely to remain top-of-mind for that judge and show better during deliberations.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive into some key areas where time makes a difference:<\/p>\n Have you ever tried to force a joke or create something spectacular under a time crunch? In many cases, deadlines are an enemy of free-flowing creativity. As mentioned before, judge Adriana Bade credits partner creativity as one of the things that helps them stand out in the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cEntries that take a bit of risk to be different \u2013 with humor, wit, outstanding storytelling \u2013 take hold of the imagination. They have more staying power. So, if two entries both hit all the points on the rubric, the one that is more unique will still stand out,\u201d says Bade.<\/p>\n Defining what angle works with your company\u2019s character, your customer\u2019s story, and so forth takes trial and error, and lots of refining.<\/p>\n This is not a new concept \u2013 real world evidence is enormously valuable in proving the value of what you do. However, unless you have your customer stories written, approved, and ready to go, you\u2019ll need to invest time in talking to customers, gathering testimonials, or documenting how you swooped in to take out the competition.<\/p>\n This requires more than regurgitating facts. \u201cOftentimes we see entries where the partner has crammed in several case studies which don\u2019t go beyond surface level,\u201d explains Bade. \u201cA quality customer story or competitive take-out focuses on digging into the detail and connecting the dots for the reader.\u201d Again, your reader may not be familiar with your company or solution \u2013 the information you include in your entry will be their only source of knowledge and must be relatable.<\/p>\n For example, \u201cWe had one partner whose customer, a coffee wholesaler and retailer, was unprepared for the large scale direct-to-customer motion they needed to adopt when their storefronts shut down as a result of the pandemic,\u201d recalls Bade. \u201cThe customer needed to see their inventory in a new way, which the partner was able to deliver, and then some.\u201d Because the pandemic touched everyone and is intimately familiar to most in their professional, personal, and consumer lives, this customer story had a wide reach and was likely to resonate strongly with anyone who read it.<\/p>\n In the example, above, the partner not only told a great story, but showed how their solution created a clear return on investment for their customer, the coffee wholesaler and retailer.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, [judges] need to see hard data,\u201d says Bade. Gather your facts \u2013 the metrics, numbers, and statistics that demonstrate the strength of your solution.<\/p>\n How many people your solution served, in what ways it increased productivity (and by how much), and so on can be captured in case studies or customer stories, but also press releases or a customer quote. Use solid stats to show what you achieved.<\/p>\n This bears repeating. Make sure to connect the dots between who you are, your customer pain points, your solution, their ROI, and so forth. Again, the judges reading your entry could be brand new to your solution area, so assume they know nothing and go above and beyond to make it clear.<\/p>\n A critical part of connecting the dots is demonstrating how you worked with Microsoft teams to deliver value to customers. \u201cListing client engagements (or wins) with products on Azure but no real Microsoft participation fails to provide a solid view of the partnership,\u201d says Edwin Vargas, another Partner of the Year Awards judge.<\/p>\n Everyone has the same 8,000 words in which to capture their story. If you nail your entry in the ways we outlined above, including supplemental materials is one more way to drive home your impact.<\/p>\n The main body of your entry needs to be complete \u2013 remember, connect those dots, but if you can expand on those points with quality complements, \u201cit really does augment your application,\u201d explains Bade. \u201cSupplemental materials are part of your official packet which a judge must review \u2013 that\u2019s extra time they\u2019ll spend thinking about you and your solution.\u201d<\/p>\n Supplementary materials may include full case studies, additional quotes from customers, and press releases, among others. Especially powerful are materials co-branded with Microsoft.<\/p>\n You probably already have an award category in mind, but after you\u2019ve done the groundwork, read and choose your categories carefully. By selecting the most appropriate category, you can ensure your entry is as relevant as possible.<\/p>\n Also, always consider more than one category. 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.<\/p>\n Stay focused, though. \u201cSelect categories you have a good chance in and spend your time creating solid submissions for those rather than trying multiple categories with less compelling entries,\u201d says Bade. \u201cEven if a particular solution or story fits well with multiple categories, make sure that you tailor your submission to each. Cutting and pasting something generic is a quick way to fall out before the final round.\u201d<\/p>\n Remember, the ultimate goal of your Partner of the Year Award entry is to weave together a well-written story that emphasizes credibility and commitment to Microsoft in a creative way. This requires investment. Start early, take the time.<\/p>\n While judges don\u2019t begin their review until the nomination window closes, starting early will give you ample time to define your unique story line, pull together the compelling evidence, prepare your supplemental information, and ensure its edited and ready to go.<\/p>\n Inspired? Make sure to check out the official judge\u2019s guide<\/a>, to ensure you bring forward a quality entry worthy of your solution.<\/p>\n Your organization could be the next\u00a0Microsoft Partner of the Year Award<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0winner! With the submission deadline of April 5, 2022 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time<\/strong> looming, don\u2019t wait to\u00a0submit your nomination<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to be considered.<\/p>\n Nominations now open for Microsoft Partner of the Year Award 2022!<\/a><\/p>\n How storytelling defines winners | Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards<\/a><\/p>\nTop tip: Dedicate time to your submission!<\/h2>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Create space for creativity<\/h3>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Center around a customer story or competitive take-out<\/h3>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gather evidence to emphasize impact<\/h3>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Connect the dots for the reader<\/h3>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do include supplemental materials<\/h3>\n
6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider your award category<\/h3>\n
Claim your place on the Partner of the Year Awards podium!<\/h2>\n
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