Written by Andy Boardman, Digital Content Specialist at Thornton & Lowe
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are widely seen as the UK’s top business awards, recognising organisations that deliver outstanding results and lasting impact, and we’re on a mission to increase the number of Greater Manchester businesses applying and winning as the region has world‑class innovators who should be recognised nationally. That’s why we’ve partnered with expert bid writing agency, Thornton & Lowe, to bring you this ‘how-to’ guide.
Preparing a strong King’s Awards application isn’t just about writing well, it’s about planning well. The businesses that perform best tend to start early, involve the right people, and take a structured approach to gathering evidence. This final part of our series focuses on the preparation stage: how to organise your team, manage the workload, and build a clear foundation before you start drafting.
One of the most helpful tips shared by previous winners is to involve the wider team early and split the work into sections. It keeps momentum up and makes it easier to gather accurate detail. In previous editions, it’s been possible to add collaborators to the submission portal, enabling you to work on your application as a team.
It is also worth planning the time commitment. The King’s Awards guidance has been quoted as suggesting the application can take around 20 to 50 hours to complete, depending on the organisation and how prepared you are.
If you want a simple way to organise this internally, assign a lead to own the overall narrative and structure, nominate owners to verify key figures and source documents, and build in a review step to check clarity and consistency before submission.
Edit hard for clarity and word count
Word limits in award writing can be tight. That’s why it’s important to plan out the elements you need to include before you begin. This helps you to write short, focused sections that hit each key point.
Once it’s time to start writing, focus on getting the content down rather than polishing as you go. It’s fine to begin with a rough draft. The editing process is where you’ll tighten up your language and make sure that your claims are backed up with strong evidence and specific examples.
When editing, look for broad claims and replace them with one strong example supported by evidence. If a sentence does not answer the question, prove impact, or explain why something was distinctive, cut it.
This is also where a second reviewer pays off. Fresh eyes tend to spot repetition, missing context, and places where your strongest evidence could be brought forward.
Make it easy to assess
Even a strong story can underperform if it is hard to read. A few practical changes can make a big difference:
- Mirror the question order and criteria in your headings
- Put your strongest evidence early in each answer
- Use short paragraphs and plain language
- Avoid burying key proof in long blocks of text
- Keep your core message consistent across the whole entry
A quick internal check is to ask whether someone unfamiliar with the project could skim the draft and still understand your main outcomes and the reasons behind them.
Common pitfalls to avoid
A common mistake is treating the entry like marketing copy. Assessors are looking for clear outcomes, evidence, and a logical link between what you did and what changed. If a sentence sounds impressive but does not prove anything, it usually needs tightening or replacing with a specific example.
Another frequent issue is trying to include too much. The temptation is to showcase everything your organisation has achieved, but broad coverage can make the entry feel vague. It is often stronger to focus on fewer initiatives and go deeper, using well-chosen examples that are properly evidenced.
Applications also lose strength when figures are presented without context. If you quote a number, add the baseline, the timeframe, and a short explanation of why it matters. Where possible, make it clear what your organisation influenced, rather than leaving assessors to guess.
It is also easy to hide your strongest proof by placing it too far down the page. Bring key results forward early in each section and keep paragraphs short so they can be scanned quickly.
Finally, avoid leaving review to the last minute. Inconsistent figures, missing sources, and small contradictions often creep in when multiple people contribute. A final fact-check and a consistency pass across the full entry can make a bigger difference than rewriting for style.
Planning to apply?
If you’re aiming to apply for the 2027 King’s Awards, the application window opens in May 2026. Having a structure in place can help you to organise your workload. Use this four-week plan as a starting point.
- Week 1: Agree the headline claim, confirm your evidence, and build your evidence bank.
- Week 2: Outline each answer and map evidence to the questions. Identify gaps early.
- Week 3: Draft the entry and refine structure so key points are clear and easy to assess.
- Week 4: Review, fact-check, and polish. Check consistency across the full entry and tighten to word count.
Ready to start your application?
At GM Business Growth Hub, we offer support and guidance for businesses applying for the King’s Awards, including resources and events to help you through the process. Keep an eye on our King’s Awards page for upcoming opportunities to learn more and get involved.
We’re grateful to Thornton & Lowe for sharing their expertise as specialist bid writers. We hope their insight helps to demystify the process and encourages businesses to think carefully about how they present their achievements.