Everyone loves to be a winner! When you can show your market that your company is one of the top 100 pool companies in America, you will have an unbeatable advantage. You’ll be able to maximize your image, and attract more customers, particularly the high-end clientele who want to buy quality. You will be the company that they choose if you win the AQUA100 competition!
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As a former AQUA100 Hall of Fame winner, I’m happy to share some secrets with you on how to showcase your company in the best possible light.
In the 51 years I have been in business, the world has changed dramatically, but one thing is constant: the most effective way to promote your business is to spend very little on advertising and to do lots of “public relations” without being paid. And the best way to do this is to win the AQUA100 and then tell the public about it in feature articles, business articles and social media, so they will notice you and remember that you are “one of 100 BEST companies in the country.”
What should you know in order to have the best chance of winning? You have to enter! This may seem obvious, but is not. We all have so many things to do that we are distracted from this simple task. But, it’s a fact of life that deadlines and time slip by busy people. Things like entering a competition can be pushed off to the side and forgotten altogether.
It is important to identify the person within your organization that is most qualified to handle this project. Make it a top priority. It is important to start early and support it as you would with any high-priority project.
AQUA 100 has very specific rules that must be followed in order. Be sure to adhere to these rules when preparing your entry. Also, keep all supporting materials in the order that they appear. The judge will score each entry and evaluate it on a matrix. So make sure you are clear and simple, and not complicated and confusing.
The materials I could use to describe my company were far less sophisticated when I first applied for this competition. I sent a scrapbook of photos and descriptions that told what we did for each category. The entries today contain links to social media, websites, videos, and other high-tech materials that highlight the businesses. They are all online and the judging is so different than in years past.
A box that contained examples of toys given to children by the store on various holidays was one of my favorite entries from years ago! Aqua 100 is now a high-tech company, but your creativity, personality and uniqueness can still be used to demonstrate what a great business you run.
The more unique and entertaining your entry is, the better you will be able to attract the judges’ attention and show that you go above and beyond to provide your customers with the best service.
Do not be afraid to share your success story and how you overcame obstacles. In today’s constantly changing and challenging business environment, it is difficult to run a successful business. Show the judge your resilience and how you “made it work”, even though it was tough. You will be a winner if you put in superhuman effort! Tell your own story and not what you believe your story should look like.
You will be judged in the Aqua 100 competition on 7 criteria. The judge will then use a matrix-type method to evaluate your entry. They will assign points between 1 and 10 for each category, adding them up to determine how you compare to the other entries they are evaluating. You will then be placed according to how you rank amongst the other entries that the judge is evaluating.
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Each entry is usually sent to two different judges located in areas that are not competitive, but close enough to your location. This ensures that the competition is as objective and fair possible by ensuring there are two different points of views from judges. The integrity of the Aqua 100 judging method has impressed me greatly.
Aqua 100 will ensure that your work is judged by professionals who are knowledgeable about the industry. The judges are usually former Aqua 100 Hall of Fame winners who have won five consecutive competitions and “retired” themselves from further participation. But whoever Aqua chooses to judge you, you can rest assured that they will be someone who is qualified to evaluate you.
The seven parameters are: the company story, customer services, store design and digital footprint, future plans, and other activities. You must show the judge as many “proofs”, as you can, that you are outstanding in each of these categories. Make your presentation as varied, interesting and special as you possibly can to set yourself apart from most companies.
Showcase the things that you have done well, what you are planning to do in order to achieve even greater success and how you market your area. You can also tell about the things you do to help your community. In my entry, I mentioned a successful mini golf program that our merchants’ association held each year at the shopping center in which we were located. Houston Open Golf Tournament was being held in the area where we were located. Our merchants’ association organized a “mini-golf” tournament at the center on a Saturday.
Each business created a golf green in front of their store. We filled the baby pool with water, and used a game called Aqua Golf to see who could hit the golf green closest to the pin.
The neighborhood participants paid a small entry fee which was used to fund an annual scholarship to the local community college. The scholarship was given to a student who worked at our center or whose parents were merchants and planned to attend the community college. It was nice to help kids who would not have otherwise had a chance to receive a scholarship.
This project met several criteria of the Aqua 100 judging process — it served as a golf community, was an effective marketing program for a specific clientele, was a “other activity”, and was a wonderful charity project which also gave back to its community. Include all the things that your company does, even if you did not realize they were beneficial to you on multiple levels.
You will be asked a version of these questions to get information about your business in the seven areas where you are being judged. Answer each question, and include any supporting information that will help the judge understand what you do. Please answer in the same order as the questions are asked, so they don’t miss anything. Keep your submissions organized and in the format requested.
These are the questions that were asked:
- How many offices does your company own?
- When was your business founded?
- Company Story: Tell about the history and development of your business. Explain how your company has grown and what its core philosophy is.
- Customer Service: Give examples or anecdotes to best illustrate your company’s service to customers. Include photographs and other documentation, if appropriate. (Make sure to show how you go beyond the call of duty for service and not just say that you provide good service. You can include customer testimonials to support your claims.
- Include high-quality photos of the design of your store. Include information on merchandising techniques, unique locations, etc.
- Digital Footprint: Tell me how you keep your business up to date in the digital age, in terms of marketing, customer service, management, etc.
- Marketing: What are your marketing strategies? What is your greatest success? One example I gave was a description of and photos of our pool class. Our pool school included a wine-tasting from our nearby liquor store, free child care next door, refreshments, and a swimsuit show at our tanning salon!
- What is next for your business? What are your plans for your company’s next five years?
- Other Activities: You can use this category to showcase anything that you feel sets you apart as a retailer. Include any photos or other documentation that is appropriate.
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You may want to include a video in your entry. In the past, I’ve seen some really impressive videos sent by companies that have been judged.
A winning entry in Aqua 100 is one of the most cost-effective and effective marketing programs that you can invest in to market your business! Your Aqua 100 award will shine a spotlight on all your hard work, excellence and expertise. This year your company can have an even more successful and profitable year.
