Why are business awards important?

Winning a business award or even being shortlisted can prove to be a transformative experience. Successful awards celebrate achievement and excellence. But more importantly for businesses, they bring recognition, marketing and PR opportunities, the chance to connect with other businesses and mentors, and offer an positive experience for your team. Yet entering business awards is often overlooked as a strategic business development tool, despite the fact that business awards are very cost effective and bring with them benefits that far outweigh the time required to write a fantastic award entry.

1. Validation and recognition

Your ceaseless hard work really bears fruit when you’re shortlisted for a business award. After all the time and effort you’ve put into your company or a project, a successful business award publicly recognises your achievements and makes all those sleepless nights worthwhile. This external validation shows the world that your business is viable, credible and heading in the right direction. This in turn builds greater confidence and trust in your brand, which can attract more customers and investors.

2. Motivation and employee engagement

No business got to where it is today under the leadership of just one person. There’s a whole community behind every business: staff, mentors, lawyer, accountant, marketer, advisor, coach, family and friends. Business awards are important because they celebrate the accomplishments of a company and the people connected with that company. Awards acknowledge the hard work put in by employees and other contributors to the company’s success. It’s a win-win all round as employees get a boost from seeing the company they work for achieving public recognition, helping to motivate them to greater things. It’s for this reason that business leaders invite their team along to the business award gala evening to celebrate and to say a big thank you.

3. Networking opportunities

Going along to the gala awards presentation evening is a good networking occasion. You’ll meet like-minded professionals, industry leaders, the judges and potential partners or investors. The connections made during these events can lead to valuable collaborations, joint ventures, or even new business opportunities that may not have arisen otherwise.

4. Competitive marketing advantages

Every market is tough: competition is fierce and customers and employees can’t be taken for granted. Winning or being shortlisted for a business award is an easy way to distinguish your business from rivals. Success gives a clear selling proposition that there’s a reason that your business has been chosen from among others for public validation. Successful awards also offer PR and marketing opportunities. Business awards generate media interest, and winning or even being a finalist can lead to media coverage that amplifies your brand’s reach and visibility among potential customers, investors and talent. Plus, shortlisted companies and winners can display the award logo in their marketing materials. This public demonstration of your award success is an easy way to show that your business is a leader among its peers.

5. Improve your business practices

Although it’s not the first benefit that springs to mind when thinking about why to enter a business award, one of the things that our clients tell us that they get most from the experience is the opportunity for self-reflection. Writing a business award entry forces entrants to take stock, to look at what they’ve achieved, how they got there and where they want to go next. This introspective process is great for identifying what’s going well in a business and what needs improvement. Clients say that this makes them appreciate how hard they’ve worked and what they’ve achieved, but also how they can make changes for the better.

What business awards can I enter?

If you’ve never considered entering a business award, you’ll find that you’re spoiled for choice. There are local and national business awards; awards in every conceivable industry from real estate to public relations; and awards for specific groups such as business owners under 40, women and Indigenous businesses, just for example. It doesn’t matter what the nature of your business or its size; there’s an award out there for you. And most likely, more than one. See our comprehensive awards directory to find an award to enter.

Do I need a professional award writer?

Faced with writing an award entry on top of all your other responsibilities is no doubt a little overwhelming. That’s where a professional award writer will help. An award writer will interview you by phone or video conference and use your thoughts and insights to write your award entry for you. They’ll bring to life your business journey, project achievements or business success. And they’ll make sure that your entry covers all the assessment criteria in an interesting, compelling way. With the expertise of a professional award writer, the judges will be impressed by the clarity of your award entry, and by your drive and determination. They’ll be crystal clear as to why you should win. If you’re confident writing an award entry yourself, a professional award entry writer will review it for you. They’ll mark-up suggested edits and provide comments on information to include that you might not have considered. Your award submission will do justice to your exceptional achievements or those of the person or project that you’re nominating.

Get professional award entry writing support today

Award Writers’ experienced team brings peace of mind that all your award entries are the best they can be. They’ll manage the whole process for you, from interview to final proofreading. For more information on our award entry writers and their success rate, get in touch today or ring us on 02 8036 5532 or 0448 566 377 or email chrissy@proofcommunications.com.au.