AWARDS season is just round the corner, and whether you’re a start-up or a scale-up there’s a category for you. But is applying for business awards simply a vanity project or a serious marketing initiative?
According to PR expert Julie McLauchlan, there’s nothing quite like a third-party endorsement of your services to convince potential clients that your company is a safe pair of hands.
But entering awards schemes or competitions is often the last thing on an entrepreneur’s mind. They’re focused on running the business and don’t always see that they have something to shout about. Mclauchlan says they should consider entering awards as a key part of their communications strategy.
The founder and managing director of Perceptive Communicators, she said: “Winning – or even being shortlisted for - an award can have a very positive effect on employee morale. Then there’s the awards ceremony itself, which is often a great opportunity to network and meet prospective clients, and to treat your team for all their hard work over the year.”
Winning awards can have a significant impact on your business, not least in attracting new customers. McLauchlan and her team at Perceptive have written hundreds of award submissions on behalf of clients with a great hit rate, and have won several awards themselves, so they speak from personal experience.
McLauchlan added: “The awards themselves and the successful communications on winning these with our target audience have helped elevate our profile and build our brand for potential clients and employees. Being recognised by awards is also great not just for potential employees and clients, but also for current employees, and it can also help reinforce loyalty with current clients.”
McLauchlan shared another example of business benefit, what she called the combined “halo effect” from her client City Legacy winning 25 awards. That played a huge part in the Athletes’ Village development in Glasgow’s East End (pictured above) building up an excellent reputation very quickly, resulting in the 300 private houses selling out nearly two years ahead of schedule.
McLauchlan said: “Each of the four companies involved in City Legacy has witnessed a boost in new business enquiries, and winning the much-coveted Queen’s Award — the most prestigious award for UK businesses — has supercharged their profiles and brought enormous pride to each of the organisations involved.”
Her advice to companies considering entering awards is simple; be realistic, and think quality over quantity – spend your time entering awards you think you can win, not simply those you would like to. Give yourself plenty of time, and make sure to read any previous winning entries that might be available online to give you the best idea of how achieve success.
Answer the questions (or criteria) properly. Don’t skirt around the edges, offer genuine understanding and tangible evidence of what was achieved, and how it demonstrates best practice. Make certain you have addressed every single point in the award’s criteria explicitly. And finally, says McLauchlan, use plain English, avoid jargon and clichés, and never assume insider knowledge on the part of the judges – make it a joy to read.
Michelle Rodger is a communications consultant
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