Entering the Modern Barber Awards 2025 is a great opportunity to get recognition for all your hard work, showcase your achievements and build credibility for yourself or your business.
There is so much value in sharing your strengths – both creative and commercial, to help you get started, here’s our top tips on entering awards to maximise your chances of taking home that trophy.
Choose the Category That Matches Your Key Strengths
Selecting a category that aligns with your strengths is a great place to start. Even a niche category could be the right one for you if it speaks to your goals. When asked why he decided to enter the Modern Barber Awards, Bobby Gordon, Best Business Leader 2024, told us that it was completing the entry for the Team award that got him thinking about entering himself. “I started to read through the questions, and I thought I’d give it a go. It was nice writing everything down and reflecting.”
If you have a cracking shop interior and you have the pictures to show for it, then entering a category like ‘Best Shop Interior’ is a no-brainer. Shepherds Grooming, winner of Shop Interior at the Modern Barber Awards 2022, wanted to show how great Birmingham is and the great potential it has for entrepreneurs: “We chose to enter the Modern Barber Awards because we wanted to showcase all the hard work that went into building a superb space for men at Birmingham. It was important to share that the space that you create is key to drive business and loyalty.”
Taking the time to look at past winners and their advice is also key when putting together your entry. Shepherds Grooming advice? “Be genuine and ensure your concept is close to your heart and values. Make sure that it suits your clientele and following as you will be fulfilling their expectations.”
Read the Criteria Carefully
... Then re-read them, and then read again. A sizeable chunk of awards entries miss the mark because they haven’t ticked all the boxes on the criteria or checked the rules and guidelines to be sure their entry qualifies. If the ‘All Round Barber' category asks for four different styles to represent your breadth of skill, make sure you don’t send four shots of the same head of hair.
Eleni Tsesmatzoglou, winner of All Round Barber at the Modern Barber Awards 2022, recalls: “Winning the award has been a goal of mine for so long. It’s just validation that all hard work pays off and it’s an amazing boost to confidence.”
Deliver Evidence
Business awards particularly require evidence. The judges can’t judge what you don’t tell them, so the more the merrier. Attach testimonials, case studies and relevant supporting evidence to prove your credibility. Remember - the numbers never lie, so don’t be shy about sharing what you can. No award would share or publish your actual entry without your permission. Graphs and percentages help to give a snapshot of success. If you were entering Best Business Leader at the Modern Barber Awards for example, you would need some numbers to show business success.
Meanwhile, if you're entering Best All Round Barber, ensure any images you send across are hi-res, as they might later be published in Modern Barber. Entering industry awards doesn't have to cost a fortune with photography fees, either. Josh Lamonaca, winner of All Round Barber in 2023, explains: "I've got loads of imagery that I don't put on Instagram, because I'm too busy so it was great to see it together and with this particular collection I put in some Afro, I put in some blonde hair, short hair and mid length hair., so it gave me quite an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction."
Don’t Waffle
Tell a compelling story - focusing on the outcomes and impacts of your achievements will keep the judges reading. Great information well written is better than something that reads like fiction. Make sure you keep to the word count too. The judges are going to be reading a ton of entries, so you want yours to have an impact - judges are impressed by entries that demonstrate genuine passion and innovation as well as a long-term vision.
Don’t Leave It To the Last Minute
Check the submission deadline first and start preparing early! That way you can plan to put your entry together over time and revisit it before you submit. The entry deadline for the Modern Barber Awards 2025 is 5pm Friday 21st February 2025, and you can save your entry before submitting, meaning you don't have to complete it all in one sitting. Our awards have a higher amount of traffic on deadline day so always aim to submit as early as possible to avoid any technical issues!
Check the T&C’s
Don’t get caught out. The Modern Barber Awards requires that each entrant works and resides in the UK, while each category has its own specific criteria, for example, any entries for Best Newcomer should be completed by the newcomer’s direct Manager, and if you have more than one barbershop, focus on just one if entering Client Experience.
Remember, winning an award is not only about the trophy but also celebrating your achievements. Many entrants, finalists and winners comment on the entry process itself being a highlight as it offers a chance to reflect on all their hard work up to that point. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your entry now and see you on Sunday 18 May.
