Entering the CPE Influence Awards? Try These 10 Tips (Plus FAQs)

The CPE Influence Awards are back! This award program aims to honor the most innovative and interesting properties, projects and deals, as well the most impressive executives, brokers and rising stars in the commercial real estate industry.

We know that every award program is different. So if you’re new to the process, or if you’ve entered before but want some advice on fine-tuning your entries, I’m here to help!

Here are some tips and FAQs about the CPE Influence Awards submission process. (Note: The tips and FAQs for the CPE Influence awards are similar to the ones for the MHN Excellence Awards. Check them out if you have a residential project!)

Tips

1. Explain why your property/project/deal/etc. stands out. Really tell the judges your story—what makes it special, why you should win. CPE judges typically look to honor innovation, thoughtfulness, creativity and leadership.
2. Give context. Is your deal small in terms of dollars, but represents one of the largest price tags for the area? Is your office property offering amenities that have caused a surge in return-to-office workers? Let the judges know!
3. Don’t just send a press packet. Especially if you’re sending the same press packet, with no further explanation, in multiple categories. Judges do look at the effort put in to the entries.
4. Small companies can definitely compete—and win. Don’t be intimidated if you’re not one of the biggest companies with a huge portfolio. (And refer back to tip 1 about explaining why you should win.)
5. Give all the information in the entry. Don’t expect the judges to just know what your company is doing or for them to check out your website for more information. Your entry form should provide a complete picture.
6. Number and label all your attachments and images. All pieces of an entry are downloaded. They can easily get misplaced if they’re not labeled correctly (and please don’t just have a random string of numbers).
7. Be thoughtful with your images. Before and after shots should always be labeled as such. And you don’t need a ton of the same property and amenity from different angles unless those images provide more information or context.
8. Floor plans, video clips, testimonials, etc. are always welcome. Be creative, give all relevant information and make your entry stand out.
9. Make sure you give pertinent contact information. The editorial team might need to get in touch if an image in the submission doesn’t load correctly, if there’s a question about a submission, if they need to send you an award, or for many other reasons.
10. Don’t be shy. Enter multiple categories! Submit yourself for rising star! Ask your team if there’s anything they want to submit too. You have to be in it, to win it!

FAQs

Wait, I thought CPE had the Distinguished Achievement Awards. What happened to those?

We’re still here! We just rebranded in 2022. Same great awards, new(ish) name, and more categories to enter!

How many submissions can I enter?

To quote the seminal piece of cinema Mean Girls, “The limit does not exist.” You can enter as many submissions in as many categories as you’d like. And after your first entry, there is a price reduction for additional entries!

Can the same project/company be entered in different categories?

Definitely!

Can I enter more then one project from the same company in the same category?

Yes, not a problem.

Do you still have the Executive of the Year Awards?

This was actually a former CPE program that was editorially driven. We no longer offer a separate Executive of the Year program. However, you can now submit your star executives to the Influence Awards. We have categories to honor office, retail, industrial and mixed-use executives.

I won last year! Can I enter the same project in the same category again, or do I have to sit this year out?

Wow, congrats! And, also, as long as something major happened to the project in the past year, you can enter again.

Who decides the winners?

All awards are picked by a group of judges who come from different areas of the industry. This can include developers, architects, economists, financiers, etc.

I’m interested in judging. How can I be considered?

Great! Our judges often report really enjoying the whole process, which includes learning what others are doing in the industry, networking with other industry professionals and talking with the editorial team. Email Editor-in-Chief Jessica Fiur for more information.

If I’m judging, can I still submit projects?

Yes. You would just recuse yourself from judging any category you entered (same goes with if you’re affiliated with a company or project in a different category).

How come I won a category I didn’t enter?

We give our judges a lot of say in who wins what in which category. Sometimes, that means they’ll move an entry to something that they think is a better fit.

What is the pricing structure for entries?

It’s $325 for your first entry and $275 for each additional entry, no matter the category. If you enter during the early-bird pricing time, it’s $275 for your first entry and $225 for each additional category.

Do you accept bribes?

As mentioned, the judges pick all the winners, so you’d just be wasting your money. But if you want to send me something just out of the goodness of your heart, I accept diamonds, Lamborghinis and briefcases full of cash. No crypto! (I can’t figure that out.)

I have some residential real estate projects that I think could win an award. Can I enter them?

The CPE Influence Awards honor commercial real estate; however, we do accept mixed-use projects, if that applies to you. And if you have a stellar, totally residential project, our sister publication Multi-Housing News has an award program as well, where you might be a good fit! Find information about entering and all the categories here.

I still have questions that weren’t answered. What should I do?

Email Editor-in-Chief Jessica Fiur for more information.

Find a list of all the categories for the 2023 CPE Influence Awards.