Industry awards are a valuable marketing resource that you should be exploiting. Whether you have a product, service, or even a team of talented individuals, an industry award does more than just highlight your expertise to your peers.
Here are just a few of the reasons you should be writing an entry.
1. Raises Your Profile
First and foremost, an industry award will raise your company profile – getting your name out to potential customers, collaborators, and even prospective future staff.
Every awarding body will have many thousands of members that your company will be promoted to – potentially worldwide – and many are free to enter.
On top of that, awards that are aligned with your business are often sponsored by potential clients who are interested in your area of expertise. If you are shortlisted or win, you’ll get a ton of exposure for investing just a few hours of your time.
2. Proves Your Knowledge
Industry awards are judged by experts from industry and academia. This makes your products and services credible, as you can demonstrate the benefits to not just your believers, but to others outside your company.
Many of the most popular and long-standing awards are supported by noteworthy organisations or government departments, lending weight and recognition to the award – and by extension, to your company as well. And what visitor wouldn’t be impressed by a crowded trophy cabinet in your reception?
3. Opens Opportunities
Beyond helping you win more work as you become more recognised, winning an award can open up other opportunities such as guest speaker invitations, or joining a technical committee as a thought leader in your field. Even the award ceremony can be a great occasion for networking with other professionals.
Think Outside the Box
To maximise your chances of winning, try entering some of the lesser-known awards for niche areas. Here’s a few unusual awards:
Companies who have really put some effort into their marketing plans – have you started publishing articles on LinkedIn, or increased your social media presence?
Organisations who have dedicated teams for customer service and are committed to providing the best service possible
Local Chamber of Commerce Awards (such as the Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield & Tamworth Dinner and Awards)
Businesses who are making a difference in their communities (though you may need to be a member of the Chamber to enter)
Awards related to your field (such as the Security and Fire Excellence Awards)
Manufacturers whose products can be used for a range of applications – for example, highways technology can be used for security purposes
Where Can I Find More Awards?
You can, of course, search Google for awards relating to your stream of work, and it’s worth doing this to see what you can find. Social media can also be a good source of potential awards – try searching Twitter for #awards, #award, and other hashtags relating to your discipline or professional body (such as the ICE or CIHT).
However, it’s even easier to download my spreadsheet (below) of over 100 awards for the construction industry, which covers awards from architecture to windows. And if you need some tips on writing a winning entry, check out my posts on how to write a great proposal here and here.
If you have been debating about whether the time and effort to write an award submission would be worth it, the answer is a resounding YES.