Win your own Oscar

Awards season is upon us.

The best of Hollywood have already graced the red carpet at the Golden Globes, SAG and Grammy Awards. The Academy Awards will soon take center stage.

Business owners should also consider the beginning of 2020 as their awards season.

This is an excellent time to plan to enter some key award contests that will strengthen your company’s credibility, add leadership and authority positioning, and create earned media and public relations opportunities.

While many business awards have value and are certainly worth pursuing, others do not.

Here are five tips to help you earn a prestigious honor, and then use it to get the maximum return on your investment.

1. Develop a reward strategy.

Businesses must take a proactive approach. They should do a little research and determine which awards will be most beneficial to help them grow their brand.

In some cases, the great national honors are the only ones worth pursuing. For other local awards, such as the fastest growing companies, the best accounting firm, the best places to work, etc., they can offer a high level of prestige for their client base and their prospects.

2. Appoint an award ambassador.

Many companies make the mistake of postponing the presentation of awards and then find that they only have a limited time to collect and send all the materials.

Appointing a contact person to be your award ambassador can ensure that all necessary documentation is available. They can also search for award opportunities in line with the mission and values ​​of the company.

3. Adjust focus and costs.

Almost all big name prizes are awarded at no cost or require a small, affordable entry fee. However, some ask for a hefty sum just as a consideration.

While the sponsoring company certainly incurs some costs with processing and evaluating applications, those with seemingly excessive fees should be avoided.

Many unknown organizations practically proclaim that you have already been named the best company in your category and for a fee of $ 800 they will secure your listing and send you a nice trophy. In the long run, these meaningless honors are worthless to you or your clients.

4. Share your award with your team.

Some companies will spend hours working on an award request and then bury the news once they receive their special honor. They put their plaque or trophy on a shelf in the lobby and then forget about it.

The business owner must ensure that all team members share in this success. The award must be displayed and highlighted during a company meeting. Those most responsible for obtaining the award must be recognized.

News of the award must be published on the company’s website and included in the newsletter. The award can serve as a vehicle to build team camaraderie, enhance prestige, improve employee satisfaction, and generate excitement throughout the organization.

5. Take advantage of your recognition for optimal branding and advertising.

Most award-winning organizations will attempt to highlight their award-winning companies. Typically this occurs via a listing on the event program, an announcement in a publication, or a sample press release that is sent out to the winners to hopefully distribute to their local media. However, companies should intensify these efforts.

Winners must post the award notice, and accompanying photo and / or video, on their website and on all viable social media channels. Company-formatted press releases should be created and distributed to local media, trade publications, and trade magazines.

News of the award can be highlighted in an email newsletter sent to clients. An award badge or line of recognition can be added to email signature lines. A story surrounding how the team achieved the achievement provides excellent content for the company blog.

Winning a prestigious award can have many benefits. Not only does it elevate the company in the minds of its employees and customers, but it also serves as an attractive tool for recruiting new employees.