Business awards – why you should enter and how you can win

There are countless business awards open in Australia each year. There are industry awards, as well as general business awards with categories for specific industries or related to aspects of running a business, such as marketing, innovation, training and education. There are awards for women in business, entrepreneurs, people under 30, those under 40, start-ups, SMEs, micro businesses, innovators, marketers, local businesses – you name it, there’s a business award open at some point during the year. Any business can enter a business award as long as it meets the entry criteria. And entering a business award is just the start. If you’re a finalist – and the vast majority of the business award entries that Award Writers writes for our clients result in them becoming a finalist (and most go on to win) – you’ll be invited to attend the gala awards evening. Gala award evenings are often the highlight of the business social calendar, for small businesses in particular. But is it worth entering an award just for a fun social evening? In truth, yes! Here are five reasons why entering a business award is important for your business.

Why you should enter business awards

Marketing opportunities

Many of Award Writers’ clients make a very deliberate decision to enter business awards as part of their marketing strategy. They recognise winning business awards is a fantastic way to promote their business cost effectively. Finalists and winners alike are able to use the awards logo on their email signature and promotional materials. Becoming a finalist or winning gives you something very solid to talk about on your website, in your e-newsletters, in social posts and blogs, in proposals, and on banners outside your business premises. Winning a business award is also a talking point with client and potential clients, too. It add valuable credibility to your business. The key is to make the most of your award success. You have a whole year to leverage your role as a winner or as a finalist before the next group of finalists is announced, so take every opportunity to share great news.

Team morale

Receiving an invitation to a gala black tie event is a great morale booster for any team. The opportunity to attend together to share the fun and excitement is a positive team experience. A part from the social aspect, there is the shared experience of waiting for the award winner to be announced. As well, being a finalist – or the winner – is attractive to potential employees. As a business award finalist or winner, you’re showing that your company is a leading business; it’s recognition that you’re one of the top players in your industry or location. Your award success is something you can share in job ads when recruiting new staff, for example. It’s also recognition of your business by your peers or in your region. Business award have many different categories, and you can enter more than one. This means that you can enter individuals, projects or an aspect of your business, such as innovative practices, training or customer experience. So entering business awards gives you a number of opportunities to build team morale and give recognition to your staff for their hard work and achievements. Read our blog on Five ways to win a business award to help you get started.

Networking

Attending gala awards evenings is an opportunity to meet others in your area, industry or businesspeople from the broader business community. You may also get to meet the judges, who are often experts in your industry or have a particular field of expertise, such as marketing or accounting. Connecting with experts and arranging to meet at a later date is good for personal and business growth. All up, gala evenings open the door to endless possibilities. The social atmosphere also makes people more open to networking and connections. If you’ve entered an industry award or industry category, networking also enables you to meet, or to identify, your competitors at close quarters. You’ll also hear briefly from the winners when they take the stage to collect their award. Identifying which of these would be good to connect with is another bonus.

Reflection

One of the comments that our clients make is that entering a business award is a time for reflection. Business owners and managers are so caught up in the day to day running of the business that time to look back at what they and their colleagues have achieved and where the business is heading is usually at the bottom of the to-do list. Entering an award gives time to think about the effort and achievements.

How can you win a business award?

If you’d like help finding suitable business awards to enter or help with the creation of your award entry, Award Writers will be delighted to help. Each year we write 70-80 award entries and over our years of experience, we’ve written hundreds of successful award entries, helping companies to enjoy accolades and recognition. 98% of our clients are shortlisted, and of these, more than 85% win. Give us a call today on 02 8036 5532 or 0448 566 377 or email chrissy@proofcommunications.com.au.