When to run business awards competitor research for England

What to take away

• ONS business statistics are refreshed on a rolling basis, so award teams in England can size categories from published counts rather than guesswork.
• Run research before you pick a category, not after you have drafted an entry. Category crowding is the biggest reason strong entries lose.
• Check the previous two cycles of any scheme you plan to enter. Shortlists and winners are public, and patterns repeat.
• Treat research as a live process. Revisit it when a scheme changes its criteria or a new sponsor joins.
• Keep a written record of what you found, with sources and dates.

When competitor research actually pays off

Research pays off at three points: before you choose a category, before you agree a budget, and after a shortlist is published. Outside those windows it becomes busywork.

Timing matters more than depth. A quick audit of two schemes done in a fortnight beats a three-month study that lands after the deadline.

If you are still deciding which schemes fit your organisation, the wider business awards audience research guide for England sets out the sequence.

A checklist for England-based entrants

• Confirm the scheme operates in England and accepts your legal structure.
• Pull the last two years of shortlists and winners for every category you are considering.
• Count entrants per category. A category with 40 entrants and three places is harder than one with 12 and two places.
• Note the size and turnover band of typical winners. If every winner is a 500-person firm and you employ 12, look elsewhere.
• Check whether the same organisations appear across multiple schemes.
• Read the judging criteria line by line and mark which ones you can evidence today.
• Check the sponsor list. A new headline sponsor often means a refreshed category.
• Look for categories added in the last 12 months. They are usually less crowded.
• Record the source and date for every figure you collect.
• Set a review date, normally 90 days before the entry deadline.

Where to get reliable numbers

Published business population data is the most defensible starting point. The business population estimates for 2016 remain useful for historical trend analysis, letting you show whether a sector has grown or shrunk over a decade.

For current methodology, the ONS explains how its business statistics are compiled and what their limitations are. The UK business activity, size and location quality note is worth reading before you cite any count in an entry.

Two sources beat one. Where a scheme's own figures and a published count disagree, note both and say which one you used.

Reading shortlists properly

Shortlists are the closest thing to a competitor list you will get for free. Build a simple table: scheme, year, category, entrant name, size band, outcome. After two cycles you will see which names recur.

Do not read a shortlist as a ranking. Alphabetical order tells you nothing about the scores.

Keep the table in a shared file so a colleague can update it when the next shortlist lands.

Spotting a category that is quietly closing

Some categories attract the same three firms every year. If the same names appear in consecutive shortlists, the judges have a settled view. Enter only if you can shift it.

Aligning research with audience needs

Competitor research shows who you are up against; audience research shows what judges and sponsors care about. Our guide to the business awards target audience in England explains how to map judges, sponsors and press into one view.

Security and data categories need extra care. BSI publishes guidance on digital risk and information security management that helps you judge whether your controls are strong enough to evidence in a technical category.

Judges change between cycles. Note who sits on a panel before you write, because a new chair often shifts what the criteria reward.

Common questions

How often should I repeat competitor research?

Once per awards cycle is enough for most entrants. If a scheme changes its criteria mid-cycle, repeat the category-level part within 30 days.

Can I rely on shortlists alone?

No. Shortlists only show finalists. Pair them with published business population data to see how many firms could have entered but did not.

What if a category has no previous winners?

New categories usually have thinner fields. Check the sponsor's launch material and the entry deadline before assuming it is open.

Does research replace a strong entry?

No. It tells you where to compete. The entry still has to evidence the criteria.