Are business awards worth the effort?

From a marketing perspective…YES!

With the business awards season quickly approaching you’d be forgiven if you found yourself thinking. “is this really worth the effort?”

While the awards submission process can daunting, time consuming and even expensive you should look at the entry process as an investment in the future of your business rather than a cost.Even if you don’t win, just being a part of the experience can be very rewarding.

Creating a business award submission is a great opportunity to sit down and think about what your business has achieved, how you have achieved it and what your plans are for the future?

Creating a submission for your business ensures you will spend some time looking at what you’re doing right & what you’re doing wrong which can help influence your future marketing efforts. Participation in awards programs opens the doors to additional marketing opportunities for your business. Just being nominated can result in coverage through a variety of media outlets that are covering the awards.

Inclusion on the organizers website, social media efforts, press releases and advertising also grants your business additional exposure.The opportunity to run promotions surrounding your entry on social media and on your website will enable you to reach out to not only your existing customers but past and future ones to.

If you end up finding yourself as a finalist or even winning a category, there will be plenty of ongoing  PR opportunities to take advantage of. Winners will usually be rewarded with coverage in local media outlets and industry publications.

When marketing your business, differentiation from your competitors should always be top of mind. If you are named a finalist, or winner of a business award and your major competitor isn’t, this can be promoted as a unique differential and be the stand out factor between a customer using you verses a competitor.

Participation in your local business awards event will raise additional awareness for your business and provide networking opportunities that often lead to new business opportunities. Most business usually enter awards for the marketing opportunities that come as a result but remember there are often prizes involved as well!

For awards that have presentation ceremonies and dinners, the event itself is often a great way to celebrate a job well done which will help build team morale which will hopefully mean more award wins in the future!

If you need help with your submission, give us a call at TMD!