How much do you charge?

Boost has a fixed day rate (available on request) and the cost then depends on the situation:

• If you just want us to help you decide your storyline, or maybe you want us to sense check your draft submission, then we are happy to charge for just a couple of hours (minimum order of two hours).
• If you want us to take ownership of a submission and you want us to write the submission from scratch for the first time; then this will take a number of days (typically two to five days) depending on the availability of evidence, the complexity of the entry requirements and sign off process.
• Rewriting the same story for a different category or award will take anything from a few hours to a couple of days depending on the similarity.

We keep accurate timesheets and if it takes less than the estimate, then we will charge only for hours clocked. If it is likely to take longer, we will let you know in advance.

How much notice do you need?

In an ideal world we would like to have one or even two months’ notice. This is simply because some research can take time.

The reality is though, that it is not always an ideal world and we are often given a few days’ notice. Fear not, there are twelve of us, and we work 24 hours a day as a team, so we can resource projects at short notice.

Isn't it just the big companies that win awards?

No. We cannot stress enough how wrong this common assumption is. Yes a few less ethical awards favour big brands, but many of the most prolific winners of national awards that we know, are small to medium sized enterprises.

Will you be honest about our chances of winning?

Yes. We often advise people not to enter awards or to pull the plug on a submission. This could be for three possible reasons:

1. There is a condition of entry in the small print that they cannot meet (for example, end date of a project).
2. The evidence of achievement is simply impossible to find, no matter how hard we search.
3. The evidence, when uncovered, actually proves that the programme was not outstanding after all.

N.B. This does not mean we won't charge for time already invested, but it does mean saving further time, money and possibly disappointment.

Who actually enters the submission? You or us?

A majority of clients like to do the final submitting themselves, and unless agreed to the contrary, our quotes will assume this. Here are some points to bear in mind:

1) If the entry is by email then a client contact will have to do the submitting, but we can advise on the covering email message.
2) If online credit card payment is required, then clients tend to submit themselves using their credit card details. This is preferable to them giving us their credit card details, or us paying using a Boost credit card and revealing our involvement. If we use our credit card then we will charge a 5% levy on the fee.
3) If an online upload is required then we can do this for clients with ease and in these situations we tend to do so.
4) If printing, packaging and a courier are required, we can provide this service. We will try to clarify this at the time of quoting, but if it is omitted from the quote, please assume this is an extra charge (time and expenses at cost).

Do we need to sign a non-disclosure agreement?

We regularly sign non-disclosure agreements with clients and are always happy to do so. Whether we sign one or not, we will treat all information provided as confidential and will not share it outside the Boost team. We will also not publish the fact that we work with you on our website or in marketing communications of any sort without your permission.

What happens if another company asks you to write a competing submission?

We do not write competing submissions for single-winner awards categories. Some awards, like the Queen's Awards and the National Training Awards have multiple winners in each category. We are happy to write multiple submissions for the same category for awards like these. When awards have regional and national phases, this policy applies on a regional basis only.