How to use awards to cheer-up staff and win new business
Prizes are a brilliant, low-cost way to promote your company.
AWARDS ARE A cost-effective and rewarding marketing tool for businesses – but they’re often overlooked.
Winning accolades from your peers should be an integral part of your PR and marketing strategy. There’s no better way to boost staff morale and pride, and it’s a legitimate opportunity to build the profile and reputation of your business.
No matter what the category – business, social, cultural or community-based – making the effort to put your business forward for an award is never easy.
But if you win, or are shortlisted, the pride and satisfaction makes up for the effort.
So why should any business or individual enter for an award? Obviously to win, but what does that really mean? Well, within your sphere of business or among your peers, it means that you are considered to be worthy of recognition.
Here’s why firms should look to spruce up their trophy case:
- It gives the people in your company a tremendous confidence boost.
- Knowing that management has enough faith in the people to put the organisation forward is highly motivating.
- Awards are a great way to show customers and peers that the business is a force to be reckoned with.
- They can be a useful and low-cost business marketing tool.
The entry process
When entering your business for an award, the first step you need to take is to assess the categories and choose the one that’s most suitable for you.
If they’re available, view the entries of previous winners in the selected category and assess what they got right and why they won.
Depending on your business structure, either bring together your best team to work on the submission, or if you’re a one man band, give yourself plenty of time to work on your entry to ensure that everything isn’t left to the last minute.
Keep the language in your entry submission consistent and make sure it highlights all that is positive about your business.
Use photography, video links or supporting material (if allowed) to strengthen your entry and ensure your final submission looks and reads well.
It’s always a good idea to have someone you trust from outside the business to read over the submission as it can be difficult to promote yourself objectively.
The process of examining your business in this way can add value and have a very positive impact. As well as focusing on the successes, it will inevitably unearth the weaknesses.
It also forces you to compare your business to your competitors. All of this can be used to identify your unique selling points and develop your brand essence and future strategy.
Even if you don’t win or become a finalist, the fact you are nominated can give your business considerable credibility through a third-party endorser.
External endorsements are always good for business and enhance your reputation. Customers like the reassurance that they are buying from someone who has been independently vetted and acclaimed by others.
The awards ceremony itself provides an opportunity to mix and build networks among industry peers and stakeholders. Many businesses host a table at the event to invite customers, valued suppliers and staff members along to share in the celebrations.
Celebrate your success
If you’re lucky enough to win, become a finalist or be shortlisted, don’t be shy about it.
Remember that awards bring excellent opportunities for PR. Check with the event organisers to see what plans they have for publicity. But don’t rely on this alone. Put your own PR plan in place or use the services of a PR agency to help you make the most of your success.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Make sure you have good photographs of everyone involved at the awards ceremony.
- Display the photos in your premises, in your staff newsletter, industry publication, company website, social media platforms or in your local press.
- Prepare a press release and send it with a photo to all your local and industry media contacts.
- Use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to announce your win.
- Include a short one-liner on your success in your email signature.
- Use the award logo on your letterhead, company website and any other company material.
- Display the award trophy or certificate on your premises.
- Celebrate your success with your staff and ensure they feel part of it.
- Inform your suppliers and customers about your win.
- Create a video or use footage/images from the ceremony.
If you don’t win this time around, don’t lose heart. Don’t let it knock your confidence and – most importantly – learn from your experience for next year.
It may take a lot of effort, but the staff motivation, incentive and boost to morale as well as the opportunity to generate positive PR make it well worth it.
Caroline Heywood is managing director of Walsh:PR.
