Compelling Honours Nominations
“I wish had approached Bayleaf four years ago when I first thought of engaging help for a Queen’s Honour. The level of detail knowing what is required, as well as the ability to coax the relevant information to support a successful application, I can say with experience, is second-to-none. Bayleaf’s approach that every individual is different – and so every approach has to be tailored – is both unique and also comforting that you’re giving yourself the best chance of recognition in the process.”
Get Help With Your Queens Honours Application Or Nomination
How To Write A Successful Queen’s Honours Nomination
How do I get a Queen’s Honours? The process isn’t difficult. An online form from the British Government needs to be completed according to the published guidelines. Then, at least two letters of support need to be included.
Bayleaf Honours are also the ONLY Honours Specialists who provide “No Risk” nomination packages. We are so confident in our expertise and approach, that if you choose one of our No-Risk Services, we refund 100% of your fee if you are not successful*. Check out the product page or our Explainer Video for further information.
Try Our Fast Self-Assessment Test!
No sign-up required, only minutes to see if you could be eligible for one of the Royal Honours – and if the results look good, we can help you with how to win an MBE.
Writing A Successful Nomination
Anybody can write a nomination form to receive an honour, (or OBE, CBE or even a Knighthood) and the Government helpfully has some advice about how best to write the application on the Honours website.
Who Deserves An Honour?
Honours recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements. There are always fewer honours than people who deserve them and because they are rare, they should be reserved for people:
- who have changed things especially by solid, practical achievement
- whose work has brought distinction to British life or enhanced the UK’s reputation in their area or activity; if you think your nominee demonstrates one or both of these accomplishments and that their contribution stands out from other people’s, please consider nominating them for an honour
(UK Government Website)
Beyond that, and the other tips on the site, here are our best pieces of insight gained from our experiences working with a wide variety of clients – from school teachers to movie stars.
How To Nominate Someone For Queen’s Honours
- Read the application form before you start your research! It seems obvious, but it’s very important to understand what the nominating committee is looking for. Here at Bayleaf, we plan out our Queen’s Honours nomination before starting any research or reaching out to people.
- Focus on Difference. What makes the nominee different from other people operating in the same field? What differences has the nominee made to their community? By clearly highlighting those differences, you will show the nomination committee why your candidate is worthy.
- Choose Supporters Carefully. When we write an Honours Nomination, we break down the story into distinct pieces and find supporters that can write from personal experience about each part. For example, each business success, each charity effort, each community action – find a supporter who has seen the benefit and the work and can speak personally about it.
- Don’t Use Template Letters. If a chosen supporter says “I’d love to help, but I don’t know what to write. Write something for me and I will sign it” – then find a different supporter. It’s not possible to capture the personal enthusiasm and necessary support when writing on behalf of somebody else. In short – if somebody can’t be bothered to write a short, personal letter, you don’t need them in your corner.
- Don’t Overplay Business Success. In general, an application will not receive much credit for elements which have already benefited the nominee. More bluntly – something which has brought personal wealth or stature probably won’t attract an Honour. Focus on what the nominee has done with that profile and how they have given back.
- Be Specific. Generalisms and platitudes don’t win Honours. Give numbers, amounts, hours spent, people helped.
- Enlist Help. You probably don’t know everything about your nominee (unless you are behind your own nomination). If you are a work colleague, enlist the help of a family member who may know about private charity work. If you are a partner or family member, talk to business colleagues who may know something that you don’t. Be thorough.
- Take your Time. It will probably take 2 years for the Government to evaluate your nomination. Spending a couple of extra weeks to really check the application is time well spent.
- Don’t Forget the Background Checks. Several agencies are involved in the evaluation to check that nobody “unsuitable” is awarded an Honour. Police, Immigration Services and HMRC etc all have the power to comment on or veto a nomination. If you are aware of an issue in the past, it probably will be noted and could stop an otherwise successful nomination.
Bayleaf Honours In The Media
Mike McKie explains the Queen’s Honours application process.
From The UK Government Website
Honours recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements. There are always fewer honours than people who deserve them and because they are rare, they should be reserved for people:
- Who have changed things especially by solid, practical achievement;
- Whose work has brought distinction to British life or enhanced the UK’s reputation
In their area or activity.
How Can Bayleaf Honours Help You With Your MBE Nomination?
How We Work To Help Your MBE Nomination
It’s a common question – “Why should we use a company like yours when the service is free? And is it ethical to pay for help?” You can read our answers at our blog post.
The Planning Phase
- After placing the order, you will receive confirmation that the payment has been received with a link to a questionnaire.
- Complete our online questionnaire with a few details about the nominee. Some of these details are needed now at this early stage (eg confirming email address etc). Others are for foundational work (eg CV or profile). Some are for the online submission at the end of the process (eg date of birth, address etc.) You submit the questionnaire to us and we…
- Use your profile documents and start to do online research. Using that plus the documents you have given us, we put together a framework of the application. More specifically, what are the significant planks of your story around which we are going to build the nomination?
- Once we have a clear framework in mind, we will share that with you to get your agreement and then start the longest and most complex part of the process.
The Creation Phase
- Gathering supporting letters. Firstly, we will ask you for 2 or 3 names for each “plank” of the story to ensure we have good coverage and depth across the entire nomination.
- We approach the potential supporters gently, via email (phones make people suspicious) explaining who we are and that we are working for a client to nominate person X. Then we ask would they be willing to write a letter of support and if so, would they appreciate some guidance from us about how best to write it.
- On average, in a list of 10 supporters, 7 will agree, 2 don’t reply (maybe didn’t see the message, or maybe don’t want to support) and 1 will decline. (There can be several reasons for this – sometimes people don’t approve of the process, sometimes people have been declined themselves & sometimes, people just don’t think that you deserve an Honour).
- For those that agree, we send them some guidelines to help them write effective letters.
- Then we wait. And remind. And chase…and then wait some more. Finally, the letters arrive back and we check, suggest edits, and wait again.
- Once we have enough letters of high enough quality, we pass the letters, background information you have sent us, and online research to the writer from our team that we have selected for you. (Our writers are all broadsheet trained journalists and writers. We match your story with the writer with the experience to write your story in a compelling way.)
- Then – we write. The Bayleaf way. We base our writing on the planks we discuss in #5 above with the key aim of demonstrating your contribution and the results you achieved. We are NOT writing or rewriting your CV. Instead, we are writing a story to show you to your best advantage.
The Review Phase
- And then – we send it to you. The two main sections of the nomination form plus all the supporters’ letters. (Most of our clients tell us that this is the best part of the process – reading the letters from friends and colleagues and seeing their accomplishments in black and white.) Then, we discuss, edit, review, discuss etc – until we are happy.
And that’s it – our twelve stages which help us build a great nomination for you to win an MBE or other Honour. It’s all targeted to create something compelling, memorable that hits the Government’s priorities.
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What Our Clients Are Saying
“Experienced”
“Experienced, professional and accessible. My experience with Bayleaf Honours was very enjoyable. I found the team there to be unpretentious, honest and transparent. My nomination was written in a compelling, comprehensive & timely manner. Their fees are fair and readily available. I had full access to all team members and felt my nomination was in the best hands.”
Why Choose Bayleaf Honours For Your MBE Nomination?
5 Good Reasons To Use Bayleaf Honours
1. Identifying The Right Supporters And Helping Them Write Compelling Letters
Chances are, you know a lot of people. Some of them would be amazing resources for supporting nomination letters for an award nomination. But you’d be surprised to learn how many people just don’t know where to start when it comes to creating a prospective supporter list or helping them create a helpful supporter letter. That’s where an honours writing service can help. You’ll receive guidance around whom to approach and they’ll get support writing a great nomination letter; one of the many requirements for a Royal Honour.
2. Follow-Up And Persistence During The Process
3. Effective Writing With A Laser Focus
4. Eliminating The Admin And Risk-Of-Error
The awards nomination process for a Royal Honour can be a long and tedious one. There are multiple moving parts and a fair few documentation requirements to meet before a nomination is considered. So there is a lot that could go wrong for the inexperienced. The admin and detail of submitting a nomination could take over your life if you’re going at it alone. That’s why many people choose to work with an expert team like Bayleaf Honours. That external support is critical to minimise your time investment and reduce errors in your honours nomination submission.
5. Being Discreet Throughout
Outside of your designated supporter list, you might not want the world to know you’re attempting to nominate for or be awarded, a Royal Honour. There are many reasons for this and when you work with an established honours writing service, they’ll always respect your need for privacy throughout the process. You may also be sharing sensitive information about yourself, your career or your medical history as part of the nomination process. Understandably, those things are all kept in the strictest of confidence at all times. When you contract a team like Bayleaf Honours, your privacy is a top priority.
So you see? While no one can guarantee you’ll be awarded an honour, there are lots of compelling reasons to retain an honours writing team for your nomination. If you’d like to discuss further what Bayleaf Honours can do to support you and how to get an MBE or other Honour, reach out to our helpful team here.
Fun Facts About Honours
Twice a year we hear debate about the Royal Honours – both in terms of the recipients chosen and the reasons that some people reject their award. But how much do you really know? What are the rules? And who turned their award down?
History
It is perhaps the origin of the Royal Honours that divide the masses. While some embrace the tradition and all is stands, others cannot bring themselves to participate in a ceremony that harks back to the British Empire.
So Where And Why Did It Start?
Rarely Granted Awards
Do You Have To Be A British National To Win?
Controversial Awards
Who Was Stripped Of Their Honour?
And Finally, Just For Fun, We Look At The Weird Things People Have Worn To Their Honours Ceremony
Even the Queen herself has made headlines for her choice of clothes at an investiture. In March 2020, due to public health fears amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the Queen made news for, unusually, wearing long white gloves to pin the medals to the recipients.
But there has been a truly colourful fashion parade at previous ceremonies.
From devil’s horns to no knickers – and we’re talking about just one person here. The Queen of punk fashion, Vivienne Westwood, made the news when she collected her OBE in 1992 and giving a rather revealing twirl in her dress. Although stating that she was once again knicker-less when she was made a Dame years later, it was perhaps her silver devil’s horns that made the headlines along with her fashionable nod to Che Guevara. But even though Dame Vivienne is perhaps the most controversial, many celebrities have been snapped in gorgeous or unusual creations. There’s a great photo gallery here – but can you guess which British celebrity arrived in her trainers?
* For full details about No Risk Nominations, please see our Terms and Conditions, and consult our No-Risk Nomination page.
Bayleaf Honours As Featured In The Media
To read the latest news and get the very best insights from our team, visit our Insights and Updates page