Introduction
Partners typically spend a lot of time building a great customer story as part of their Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission, and that of course is important. But your customer story is only one piece of the overall narrative. Each award category is also looking for other elements, such as your commitment to industry clouds, your adoption of innovative technologies, your position as a thought leader and more.
Too often we see partners cutting and pasting existing marketing copy into their submission to address some of these areas, but that is usually not enough to tell a complete story that will capture the interest and imagination of the judges.
You will likely spend about 60 hours on each Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission. Maximizing your chances of success requires a deep understanding of what Microsoft is looking for. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the art of crafting a winning Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission by dissecting the key elements of the award criteria itself:
- the Opening,
- the Eligibility Criteria, and
- the Executive Summary.
Decoding the award overview
Every award category in the Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission criteria begins with an overview —a paragraph or two that provides a glimpse into what Microsoft is looking for. Here’s how to decode it:
- Identify Themes: Pay close attention to recurring themes or keywords in the opening. These will guide you towards emphasizing the aspects that Microsoft values most for this award. If Microsoft uses language such as “preference will be given to submissions that include…” make sure you can include that information.
- List responses to specific requests for information: The summary often has very specific requests that do not appear in the Executive Summary questions. Read these through the lens of your organization and what sets you apart. Have you developed a groundbreaking solution? Are you a thought leader in this category? Do you have multiple exceptional customer success stories? Innovative partnerships? Find your unique angle as it pertains to what Microsoft is asking and amplify it, and don’t forget to include this in the narrative.
- Tell a story: Create your story by using the detailed questions in the Executive Summary (see more about this below) to build a complete narrative. Use some of our storytelling techniques (described in blog post #3) to make your entry more appealing and relevant to the award evaluators, and ensure that you don’t miss anything that is critical.
Eligibility Criteria
Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards eligibility requirements vary per award – most of them requiring a Solutions Partner designation or participation in the ISV Success Program. Depending on the award, you may also be required to have achieved a specialization or other specific achievements deemed necessary by the award creation team. All awards require partners to be members of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program.
Executive Summary
In the Executive Summary, Microsoft lists the questions they want each partner to answer. You need to answer these in a storytelling format (not as a Q&A) and you will need to weave in the information that Microsoft is looking for, as stated in the opening.
The customer story is central to the category and, as such, is often highlighted first in your submission to capture the attention of the judges.
But you also need to include additional story elements to paint a complete picture of why you deserve to be recognized as a Microsoft Partner of the Year:
- Lead with storytelling, showcasing the impact your solution or technology enabled for your customer(s). Define the challenge vividly using specific details. Make your story human; your technology solution is ultimately for people. Highlight how your solution is delivering meaningful, accessible, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes for customers. Include customer examples or links to case studies or win wires.
- Showcase your solution by positioning your solution’s value in terms of business innovation, technology innovation, and customer ROI. Highlight the Microsoft technologies or products used, how it leveraged Microsoft Cloud. Describe how it helped you win against the competition from a technical and business perspective.
- Identify how you have used Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program resources or tools to enable your success. Share how your transactable offer has been deployed and scaled.
- Highlight how your organization may be a thought leader in your area of expertise. Highlight your contributions to industry knowledge, blogs, whitepapers or speaking engagements.
Conclusion
Maximizing your entry for a Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission involves a thorough understanding of the Opening, Eligibility Criteria, and Executive Summary questions. It’s not just about showcasing your success but aligning it with Microsoft’s vision and expectations. By paying attention to these details, you can create a compelling submission that stands out. Remember, Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards are a celebration of innovation and excellence, and your submission should reflect the depth of your achievements and your commitment to empowering individuals and organizations through technology.
If you need help collecting and documenting your customer stories, consider using our free tool “daXai” which is available at https://www.daxai.com/pricing/#awards or hiring the Mercer-MacKay Microsoft Awards writing team. Email us at awards@mercermackay.com.
Good luck with your Microsoft Partner of the Year Award submission!