Industry Awards
“To those of you who received honors, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you, too, can be president of the United States." - George W. Bush
When you think of awards and public relations, I'm willing to bet that the first thing that comes to mind is the Oscars or the Grammys. But no matter your industry, there's likely an award for it. Case in point, the Best Dog Walker as recognized by the Beast of the Bay Awards. Slow clap.
Awards equal bragging rights, generate buzz, and can even help land you new clients. At the very least, they can help you benchmark with others in your industry.
For example, when we won a Bulldog Stars of Tomorrow award (like how I worked that in?), the process was rather grueling. We had to submit lots of data to back up our application (client retention rates, revenue growth, etc.). The process of applying proved very eye opening and gave our team the chance to say...wow, we did that?! That alone was worth the time and effort.
But there are things you should know before you apply. Small print if you will. I break it down for you below.
What to Know about Industry Awards and How to Leverage Them
1. Awards are money makers.
It usually costs money to apply for an award in your industry. Whether it's the Webbys or the Emmys, there is usually an application fee that can cost in the hundreds of dollars. This is because they are a huge money maker for magazines (like Fast Company), non-profits and other organizations. If there is no upfront cost, there are sometimes hidden expenses such as a commitment to travel to the actual awards ceremony and buying tickets (or a table). Pay attention to these costs before you apply.
2. Not all awards are created equal.
Just as the media has become fragmented, so have award shows. When I started out in PR, there were the big entertainment awards you've heard of. By the time I left the agency, nobody could keep up with the sheer amount of award ceremonies and entertainment publicists were exhausted to the point of a near breakdown. To try to figure out if an award is worth your time, look at past winners to see who else in your industry cares.
3. Awards give you credibilty.
Like getting a magazine feature, getting an award gives you third party credibility. Your current clients will feel like that mom in the school play audience, "That's my baby, that's my baby!" And it will give future clients one more reason to swipe right.
4. Awards help with company morale.
Getting an award is cause for celebration and an excuse to do something special for your team. It's the equivalent of thanking them in the award speech. Everybody wants to feel appreciated and when they do, they tend to work harder. *Don't forget to thank your publicist.
5. Leverage that sh*t.
If you win an award, shout it from the rooftops. But also...
Put it on your website
Share it on social media including Linkedin
Add "award-winning" to all your company marketing materials including your company boiler plate that would go out in any press release
Share it in your company newsletter
Use the win as a news hook to pitch yourself to a podcast
Pitch it to your industry trade magazines
