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10 tips to win the Mercury Award
Written by an experienced Mercury Judge in order to assist you with your entry.
- Identify what you are really entering - is it a tray or an idea, is it a skill enhancement or a logistics programme that will help productivity?
Clearly read the category descriptions. Then read them again. Does your entry clearly fit into any one category? If so, read that category description yet again. If you still have doubts and you are not sure if this is the right category to go into you can telephone +44 (0)1483 419 449 - Now fill in your entry form, with all required details listed. Practice what you are going to say in the descriptive sections so that, when you are ready, you type short and clear wording. Send your entry form off. If you can attach a photo of your entry, or part of it, that would be helpful in the validation process.
- If your entry is pre-selected, get all data together. You will be judged by a cross industry panel of 8 professionals. They know the business and they want you to achieve your best.
- Anticipate what they might ask and have answers ready. The kind of questions you might get include:
- What is innovative about your entry (be honest about this - if you have seen a similar in, say, a Supermarket, say so but also say that this is the first time that it has been used in transport hospitality)?
- What has been the result of your entry?
- What is the effect of your entry on internal customers? Who is your internal customer ? Your direct customer i.e. a caterer or airline.
- What is the effect on external customers (passengers)?
- Never use such unqualified comments as a great success. What do you mean by this? Have sales gone up 10% as a result of your entry? Have as many facts and figures as possible, written out and hand held during your presentation so that you are ready with answers (Judges get upset when entrants say they do not know something).
- Practise your presentation to make sure that it is easily within the given time slot. Your time starts when the judges file in so do not waste time by greeting them all at length, and then personally handing out written material (have this already waiting on their chairs). Frankly, written material is not necessarily going to help you, as judges do not have the time to read anything further before making their assessment. You will however, help your case by making sure the information on your entry form gives the details they might want.
- Judges are not impressed by having the industry explained to them. They are all experienced professionals so do not waste your valuable presentation time by going through the history of, say ,the airline catering industry.
- It does not matter if your presentation does not last the entire allotted time. By contrast, if you are entering an extremely complicated logistics process, do not try to rush through all the technical aspects in in your allotted time . In this case, confine your presentation to originality and effects of the process. Be prepared for technical questions following this presentation.
- Do not use your allotted time as an inexpensive marketing opportunity. If you try to sell to existing or new customers during your presentation, it will work against you, both in immediate marking and possibly later.
- Bothering judges after or before The ITCA Conference (say to try to find out how your entry did, or what you can do to help promote your entire entry) will not make you friends.
- Entering Mercury may well make you think more about your entry, and if you present to win you will do your best. This is what the judges want, so good luck!
