Streamlining the submission process: a complete guide

The submission phase can make or break your awards programme. Get it right, and you'll see a flood of high-quality entries from engaged participants. Get it wrong, and you'll spend weeks chasing unfinished applications and fielding frustrated emails from confused entrants.

Think about it from your entrants' perspective. They're already investing time and effort into crafting compelling submissions. The last thing they need is a clunky form that crashes, unclear word limits, or confusion about file formats. A smooth submission experience shows you value their participation and - every awards manager’s dream - it dramatically increases completion rates.

For awards managers, a straightforward submissions process means fewer support queries, less data cleanup, and more time to focus on promoting your programme and engaging stakeholders.

So how do you create an awards submission process that actually works for everyone? Here are our top tips:

Keep forms simple and logical. Only ask for information you genuinely need. Break longer forms into sections so entrants can track their progress. And avoid jargon - use clear language in the questions so that entrants know what you’re looking for.

Be crystal clear about requirements. Word counts, file formats, supporting materials, deadlines – spell it all out upfront. Ambiguity leads to incomplete submissions and needless back-and-forth.

Enable save and return. Let entrants save their progress and come back later without losing their work. This single feature alone can significantly boost completion rates. (Hint: this functionality comes as standard with AwardStage!)

Send confirmations and reminders. Reassure entrants with instant confirmations, and send a friendly nudge by email to those who've started but not finished.

Make it mobile-friendly. Many people will start their submission on a phone or tablet. If your form doesn't work on mobile, you're putting unnecessary obstacles in their way.

Purpose-built awards platforms handle all these elements seamlessly – from intuitive form builders to automatic confirmations to secure file uploads. As an awards manager, you get clean, organised data from day one, and your entrants get an experience that reflects the professionalism of your awards programme.

A streamlined submission process isn't just nice to have – it's essential for running awards that people actually want to enter.

If you'd like to find out more about how AwardStage can make your submissions process - and streamline your whole awards programme -just drop us a line or book a call. We’d love to chat to you!