By: Chris Bignell, CEO
Why would a company bother entering awards? It’s surely too much hassle and - at the end of the day - is it really worth it?
Winning the right awards can help establish a trustworthy brand image. Winning the right awards helps companies prove they have gone above and beyond in a particular field and demonstrated their commitment to excellence.
While there are a few awards programmes that seem to shortlist every single entry, there are many credible programmes worth considering as part of a wider business strategy.
If you want to recruit the best talent, the Sunday Times Best Places to Work competition is a seriously credible prize to win. We’ve seen several clients win The King’s Awards for Enterprise and this has helped propel their international standing in a matter of weeks. Equally all the hottest tech startups want to win a Europa Award.
The winner takes it all
And the benefits can be unexpected. Early in my career we worked with a company that entered the Best Mobile Start-ups competition, sponsored by RedBull. Being listed in the top 10 helped the business secure new funding but – best of all – the competition winners were offered a year’s supply of RedBull and their own RedBull fridge to stack it in!
More recently a client in the insurance technology market wanted to globalise and – as part of a wider communications campaign – we supported entries into several relevant awards. Securing the Best Technology Innovation award led to a global contract with a dream customer.
Things to consider
It’s worth considering a few things before entering awards. First what is the purpose of the activity? Is it to encourage partnerships or customers? Is it to generate new sales opportunities? Do you want to recruit the best talent? Each objective will likely lead to different choices of awards programmes to enter.
Secondly, how much information do you need to bring together to enter the award? And is it information you are happy to share with a third party? The King’s Awards for Enterprise demand large amounts of information including detailed financial disclosure. However this is not shared outside of the awards programme so can remain confidential.
Finally do you have the resources and expertise to give yourself the best chance of winning? This is where we can help you focus your efforts on the awards that matter most and provide the support to give you the best chance of success.
A welcome boost
Getting shortlisted for an award can drive credibility, help establish trust and boost a company’s leadership position. Award entries are also a great excuse to collaborate with customers to showcase a unique partnership or innovation. And everyone – staff, customers, investors and prospects - gets a significant boost from being part of a successful programme of awards.