We summed up your questions and our answers regarding the application for the SO!APART Award.
Why should I apply?
The SO!APART Awards recognise the best serviced apartments in Germany as well as the best “international” one. The awards are a performance and presentation platform which is noticed in the industry by operators and investors as it is part of the well-known industry meeting SO!APART and is picked up by the media. In addition, the SO!APART Awards acknowledge yourwork and are an effective tool for your marketing activities. By engaging your guest, clients and fans to vote for you in the audience categories you bring attention to your serviced apartments.
In short, what do I need to submit?
1.A letter of motivation with approximately 200 words: In this text you describe your house and point out why you should be awarded.
2.Four pictures of your house.
3.Three catchwords: These buzzwords put in a nutshell what your house describes best.
4.Completed fact sheet: The fact sheet requests the hard facts such as how is the location´s infrastructure, how is the design, what services do you offer?
5.Description of your operational concept: Here you refer to your target group, sales strategy, service concept, HR strategy and your future plans and unique selling proposition.
6.Freestyle part: On a voluntary basis you can submit a freestyle surprise. It is as individual as your house and brings it and you team into focus just the way you want. The letter of motivation, the pictures and catchwords are also used to present the nominated houses online as well as to introduce the houses which take part in the audience online voting.
What is an “operational concept”?
This year it is the first time we asked you to submit an operational concept. It offers the opportunity to give a little insight into your business philosophy and what the idea is behind your serviced apartment house or hotel. It describes, as far as it is possible, your target group(s), sales strategy, service concept, HR strategy as well as your future plans and defines your unique selling proposition.Why do you do what and how? The jury gets the chance to get to know your house much better and direct its attention to those things which are important to you and your house.
How long does it take me to prepare the application documents?
Well, this is not easy to say.For submitting the pictures, keywords and fact sheet you should not need to calculate much time and preparing the letter of motivation should neither as you know the “sunny side” of your house by heart. For the operational concept and the freestyle part you may have to calculate a little more time as this varies from individual to individual depending on what you would like to show.
We open in 2016 – does it make sense to apply?
If you house opens before 10 June 2016 the answer is yes. For the national, that means German houses we have the category “new and different”. International houses can apply for the category “international”. All houses which were opened in 2015 and 2016 but best before 10 June 2016 can apply for it. If your house opens after 10 June 2016 you are invited to submit your application for “new and different” respectively “international” next year.
We don´t have a chance to win, do we?
Of course, you have. Even if you are not nominated in one of the jury categories you can succeed in the audience categories “the popular little ones” and “the popular big ones” – without needing to apply for them separately. Not the jury decides who wins but your “fans”. Your guests, friends and visitors vote in an online voting and determine the winner. So the ones who know your house best are “in power”.
When are the SO!APART Awards presented?
The SO!APART-Awards will be given in presence of around 200 delegates on the evening of 17th November 2016 in Berlin, Germany. The award giving ceremony is the highlight of the prominent annual industry meeting for serviced apartments in Germany, SO!APART. It attracts delegates, investors and operators by offering fascinating expert speeches and is also a unique opportunity to network, to learn more about market developments, new topics, worldwide trends and best practice.It takes place in the German capital Berlin on 17 and 18 November 2016.