Any useful Tips for Grand Idea Awards

[veria]

I just applied and am kicking myself for not checking this thread out beforehand. Thanks for all the wonderful tips and advice.

[LiveWIRE_Mark]

Originally Posted by veria

I just applied and am kicking myself for not checking this thread out beforehand. Thanks for all the wonderful tips and advice.

Fear not! Don't forget you can always apply next month if you are unsuccessful this time round.

[tanakasan1734]

Yep, I would agree it's well worth re applying. We got rejected once so we reapplied and now we are in the videos. Drop the the LiveWire team an email to get feedback on you application - it helped me loads

Cheers

Simon

[lordlancaster]

For feedback on an unsuccessful Grand Ideas Award application please email the team at enquiries@shell-livewire.org and then someone will call you back.

[veria]

I applied for last months award and didn't hear back at all. I will probably apply in the nearby future but I'm worried that the same thing will happen. Is it normal to not hear back?

[lordlancaster]

Hi veria,

All unsuccessful applicants should receive an email from us telling them that they weren't shortlisted and offering some general advice on how to make improvements next time around.

These are normally sent to the email addresses that were given on the applications but it's possible that you were missed off in error.

If you'd like direct feedback on your application you can request it by calling the office on 0191 423 6229 or email enquiries@shell-livewire.org and one of the team will help you out.

In the meantime, I'll ask my colleague Anna Lawn-Thomas (Marketing & Awards Executive) to give you a call.

[jgarland88]

I just uploaded my video, i'm not the best at editing videos to make them look great but I believe I have a good idea. If you like it I hope you will vote for me. My business is called ecoTent.

[LawDan]

Hi all,

We were not successful the first time we applied and in all honesty on reflection some parts of our application were not concise enough. I almost feel as though in sections we believed due to the word limit we could not get our point across so wrote meaningless jargon.

The second time round we really focused on getting across the key points/fundamentals so every word added value to our presentation in answering the what, why & how questions about our business.

If anyone needs more advice drop me a message and I will help if I can!

We're shortlisted for the prize this month so VOTE for Perform London if you can see how our business can benefit the UK public & performers!!

[independentthought]

Our video (Recall Notes) went down a slightly different approach of not having someone talking.

Instead, we thought it would be more unique to have some simple and concise text which people will understand and hopefully will make us stand out more!

[dillanshikotra]

Hi guys,

I am the owner of www.thefloppydiskbag.com. I sell handmade bags made from floppy disks! I am trying to bring back the floppy disk in same shape of form back into every household!

Please have a look at the website for more details and products. I have also entered into the competition and my video can be viewed on the Business Kit section where you can vote. If you like my video/products and concept then please vote for me as the cash injection will allow me to fulfill my floppy dream!!

Speak soon,

Dillan Shikotra
3 1.2 inch floppy ltd
www.thefloppydiskbag.com

[artpistol]

Not been short listed for the Grand Ideas Awards? Keep going!!

I've been rejected before, but have been short listed this month and our video is online - artpistol - votes definitely welcome!

The rejection certainly made me rethink some elements of my business model and I looked for new ways to make it more efficient and innovative and really stand out. That rejection has certainly led to progress - so you're probably a lot closer than you think, and with each submission closer than you were! Really try to focus on answering the questions and don't just reproduce any written material you have been using to date - make it fresh and relevant.

Good luck!

Ali Smith
www.artpistol.co.uk

[meisage]

Originally Posted by florenceij

HI Guys I finally did it. I applied got shortlisted and won. If you haven't yet applied and ur still contemplating just give it a go.

Wow! Congratulations!! I know you can do it,and you proved us right!!

[ratethatcurry]

some brilliant tips here. Thanks!

[lordlancaster]

If you haven't yet seen it, make sure you watch the video of Shell LiveWIRE Project Director, Stuart Anderson giving his tips on how to apply for (and hopefully win a Shell LiveWIRE Award at:

www.shell-livewire.org/video-lounge/applying-with-success

[ratethatcurry]

I am now struggling to condense my answers to the 200 words quota... argh!!!

I remember so many months ago I was reluctant to share and give away my business model to strangers I have never met... which is probably why my apps in the previous months have been so short, sub-conciously I didn't want to share my project. More recently however, I have realised that people genuinely like to help.

Here's my request, should you choose to accept (I hope the forum managers don't mind me making such a long post in this thread) If you're an expert and condensing paragraphs of text, please help me get this down to 200 words... You can email me on abdul.khan@ratethatcurry.com I promise to take you out for a drink if you can help and I'm ever near your local watering hole.

My business’s main objective is to help the curry industry which was estimated to have contributed about £8.5bn to the economy in 2008, survive and compete in the current technology rich world. I am currently testing the market by using my home city, Coventry as a dummy.

The business model is set up to be launched in phases and be self-sufficient. After spending a lot of time and effort failing to secure finance for an online order a table reservation website specifically for the curry industry, I decided with the help and advice of family and friends to raise the money myself. I gave away twenty percent equity to a friend I grew up with (as I realised I couldn’t do this alone) and partnered with a web design company called Midlands Online Media. Together we now create low-cost, template-based websites for any ethnic catering business that serve any type of curry.

The sale of these websites will be used to fund the launch and production of our website, ratethatcurry.com which will be launched as an online directory powered by independent customer reviews. The plan is to raise £30,000 to cover the cost of an agency to build the website and advertise it to our users. I am a big fan of guerrilla marketing and the use of ambient media. We sell our websites at fixed prices, £199 for takeaways and £299 for restaurants, any extra features like social media integration is charged adhoc.

The final phase of our business model will only be activated after we have at least 100 curry houses from 20 of the largest cities in the UK on our online directory. Once we have achieved this, I plan to charge only £89/annum to each curry house to activate the online order and table reservation service. I will then charge a 7.5% commission to the curry house for every meal ordered via ratethatcurry.com and £1 per head for every table reserved.

In the future, as a means of new market penetration I also own the domain ratethetakeaway.co.uk, this increases my reach into all types of food including the greasy fast variety which is growing exponentially.


Thanks in advance