#RIA24
Entry Hints & Tips
Here are a few top tips for maximising your chances of success in our categories this year
![1. Start Early](https://evessio.s3.amazonaws.com/customer/b4289942-d924-4d3d-9044-2b4131d4ae91/event/a5e637e9-d895-4423-951c-4d59d5c9d4c5/media/2b73003b-node_RIA24-Website-Slider-WhyAttend1260x450px_Medium.jpg)
1. Don’t leave your entry until the last minute. Your entries need careful thought and time dedicated to making them clear and informative. If you put the work in, it’s more likely to pay off! Take a note of our entry deadline, Friday 7 June, and make sure you submit your entries in good time.
![2. Criteria](https://evessio.s3.amazonaws.com/customer/b4289942-d924-4d3d-9044-2b4131d4ae91/event/a5e637e9-d895-4423-951c-4d59d5c9d4c5/media/5d82da63-node_RIA24-Website-Slider-WhyAttend1260x450px2_Medium.jpg)
2. Our categories have tailored criteria for you to refer to before and during the entry process. Read the criteria carefully and answer the questions.
![Figures](https://evessio.s3.amazonaws.com/customer/b4289942-d924-4d3d-9044-2b4131d4ae91/event/a5e637e9-d895-4423-951c-4d59d5c9d4c5/media/cfd4088f-node_RIA24-Website-Slider-WhyAttend1260x450px3_Medium.jpg)
3. When writing up your entry, remember that facts speak louder than words. Say what you have done, then back it up with figures. All the judges are sworn to confidentiality, so the more numbers, facts and objective proof you can provide to show the success of what you have been doing, the more likely you are to grab their attention.
![Context](https://evessio.s3.amazonaws.com/customer/b4289942-d924-4d3d-9044-2b4131d4ae91/event/a5e637e9-d895-4423-951c-4d59d5c9d4c5/media/c7af2afe-node_RIA24-Website-Slider-WhyAttend1260x450px4_Medium.jpg)
4. Put it in context. We want to know the background, the thinking behind what you did, the objectives, the process, the execution and the results.
![Stand out](https://evessio.s3.amazonaws.com/customer/b4289942-d924-4d3d-9044-2b4131d4ae91/event/a5e637e9-d895-4423-951c-4d59d5c9d4c5/media/1eab0f14-node_RIA24-Website-Slider-WhyAttend1260x450px5_Medium.jpg)
5. What makes you stand out from the crowd? Tell us what you did that was new. We are looking for evidence of businesses and people that have found new and better ways of getting things done. Most of the categories at the Retail Industry Awards focus on achievements over a 12-month period. Flag up things you did over the past year that were new, and tell us about things you did that were different from what your competitors were doing.