28 Jun Awards: More than just an ego trip?
The majority of our clients come to us and say, “We want more people to know who we are and what we do”. As many of them now know, a creative PR campaign built around an engaging story is an incredibly effective way of achieving just that – but what about awards?
Some clients are very awards-focussed and dedicate a specific yearly budget to entering them; whilst for others it is not a priority at all. Between on-going media relations, social media campaigns and events, it is no surprise that award entries can sometimes take a back seat.Whilst winning an award can sometimes prove difficult (we will cover how to draft the perfect award entry in a future blog post), here we take a look at the top four benefits of winning an award:
1 – Cement your reputation
A big award win – against some of your competitors – can go a long way to cementing your brand’s reputation. For challenger brands, winning an award showcases innovation or impact on the market, which is something you will need if you are going to grow to become an industry leader.
2 – Grow relationships with journalists
Across many industries, publications often organise their own awards ceremonies. Often, these events help fund a publication for another year (especially in the modern age where print is struggling). Award ceremonies and associated events are a fantastic opportunity to meet and form lasting relationships with an editorial team. More high-profile awards also have esteemed judging panels, so again there is a great chance to network and promote your business.
3 – Drive business growth
Whilst some award entries come with expensive entry fees, these can be negated by potential new revenue streams following a win. Many of our winning clients have seen new business opportunities come their way as a result.
Whether it is a new supplier looking to partner up, a new client looking to benefit from your award-winning products or services, or even just an increased market share – awards offer up new possibilities to grow your business.
4 – Positive reinforcement
Aside from the external benefits, a high-profile award win can have a significantly positive effect on team morale. Whether it was a successful product launch or a ground-breaking project, genuine industry recognition is a powerful thing and can suddenly make all those late nights and early-morning meetings worth it.
The trick to maintaining a strong award campaign throughout the year is to know which awards will have the greatest positive impact on your business and can offer you the most high-profile exposure. Oh, and do not forget to keep an eye out for new awards – otherwise you might just miss out on an opportunity to fill the trophy cabinet!
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