Whether you’re entering a niche industry-based category or nominating a fellow employee for going above and beyond, there’s a huge variety of local, national and international awards where you and your business could be recognised as the best-of-the-best.
No matter what industry or size of your operation, anyone can enter and win awards with expert support and advice. In this blog, we share why simply entering an award in 2022 will be good for business and our top tips for securing the win.
Why are company awards so crucial?
It’s not just the winning that counts! Of course, as a winner, your business could be acknowledged as the top within your field and you’ll immediately have an upper hand over your competitors and previous winners in competitive pitches, but it’s not just the winning that will equal success.
Making yourself known within your industry is key if you want to be recognised as a leading company and even attending an awards ceremony can provide multiple opportunities to connect and build your network, showing that you’re credible and trustworthy for future customers.
Qualifying as a finalist or being shortlisted still holds significant weight and is always worth shouting about. Recognising all achievements is rule one of marketing and securing a finalist place is instant content for internal and external communications. Acknowledgement of these successes will increase your authority above competitors and build internal motivation by showcasing the position you now hold within the sector.
Awards are a fantastic way to applaud the hard work of your employees and show that it’s a great place to work, helping to boost morale. Knowing they have been individually nominated or contributed to external recognition is a great motivator to continue to perform and inspire others.
Why you should instil experts rather than go in-house
The application process can often be a time-consuming task that requires a certain eye for detail and with resources often stretched, entering business awards can repeatedly fall down the priority list.
Diagnosing impressive opportunities and achievements across the business can also prove troublesome and we often discover that internal staff are too close to projects to recognise what is award-worthy. A fresh pair of eyes can identify these nuggets of gold and see the overarching value in what you achieve daily.
At WSA, our PR department write award entries on behalf of clients and our success rate is strong. As it stands, 70% of our client submissions have been shortlisted and 30% of these have been victorious. Working with an agency such as ourselves will alleviate the pressure of drafting a response and ensure the quality is not jeopardised, resulting in an entry that is strategically written to appeal to judges.
2022 and beyond
On the back of COVID-19, we’ve seen a significant drive towards awards opening back up and businesses wanting to shout about the innovative ways they not only survived but thrived during the pandemic. We are currently in a unique moment in time where businesses can capitalise on the tentative behaviour of others to reposition or assert themselves at the top of their field. By being proactive in communications, marketing and brand awareness, a business can show they have come out of the pandemic stronger than their direct competitors.
There is an abundance of opportunities to nominate people who deserve to be recognised for their outstanding work and also showcase how you are ahead of the curve.
Sound like a plan? Get in touch with our expert PR team here and see if we can help.
