This year, our team at VROOM Digital were presented with three awards at the Digital Media Awards 2020 (DMAs), while also being shortlisted for Best Agency. Our agency was awarded Gold for Best in AI with Hunt Office, Silver for Best in Big Data & Analytics with EPIC Museum and finally Bronze for Best Search with EPIC Museum.
Six months following the DMAs, we have achieved huge success as a result of winning these three business awards. Upon reflection, we have outlined five reasons why your brand or agency should enter business awards.
Exposure
Employee Motivation
Credibility
Stand Out From Your Competitors
Client Retention
1. Exposure
Entering your brand or agency into business awards can result in a multitude of free marketing opportunities. Even if your business does not go on to win an award, being shortlisted greatly improves brand awareness, along with promoting your business to a pool of potential new clients and consumers.
There are many opportunities that come with being recognised for your achievement. Take advantage of the PR potential that comes with winning a business award. Don’t be afraid to shout your achievement from the rooftops. Share your feat with local and national business publications who may be interested in running a news story on your success. In order to maximise exposure, update your employee email signatures with the award logo, along with your business cards, website content pages and any advertising material you may have. This will ensure all existing clients and potential new clients are aware of your success from the very first email exchange.
Social media is a powerful tool. Share your recognition and success across your social media channels, particularly LinkedIn as it is a B2B platform. This will then be liked and shared by clients and other businesses, bringing attention to why your business is achieving success. Without directly selling what your business does, business awards can enable you to develop existing client relationships, enter new markets and secure new client contracts.
2. Employee Motivation
Winning a business award recognises and celebrates the hard work and achievements of your employees. As a direct result, the success of winning an award can assist in increasing workplace motivation along with boosting employee morale.
Being nominated for an award turns employees’ focus to the success of the company they work for, bringing an accomplished and proud feeling that comes with being part of something great. Ensure your employees receive the recognition they have earned. Host a staff meeting, lunch or dinner to celebrate the success of the business, and highlight the work your employees have put into the business in order to be awarded such an achievement. Celebrating every employee and business victory, be it big or small, is always recommended.
In VROOM’s case, we were lucky enough to bring all of our involved employees along to a glam awards dinner hosted by the DMAs in The Clayton Hotel. If this is an option for your agency or brand, it is an opportunity to celebrate, while also providing a number of networking opportunities for your business.
3. Credibility
Winning an award for the success of your business provides an authority over your ability to bring the same success to future clients. Awards validate your business. In all walks of life, potential clients and consumers like to see a business’s ability to showcase their award-winning skills and talents.
Winning a business award automatically makes your business an industry leader in that sector. It shows that your business went up against the best of the best in the industry, and came out on top as first choice. It showcases distinction, superiority, high performance, and ultimately makes your business more credible. Winning a business award is an excellent way of differentiating you from your competitors while sending out positive messages to potential clients.
A business award gives potential clients confidence in your skill set prior to engaging in a discussion. For existing clients, it reinforces their choice to come on board. Endorsement from a reputable third party is invaluable to your reputation and brand credibility.
4. Stand Out From Your Competitors
Standing out from the competitor crowd is something that every business, big or small, hopes to achieve. Receiving a business award is an excellent way of helping your business achieve this step forward. Due to awards being assessed by an independent third party, they provide an undisputed, bias-free and genuine comparison between you and your business’s competitors.
It also provides you with an opportunity to see where your business is in comparison to the success of others. Just the application process alone can provide you with an assessment of where your business stands in comparison to the standard of your competitors. The majority of award applications will provide criteria for measuring what the best in the industry will look like. This can assist you in identifying how well your business is doing in comparison to the highest standard, and can also highlight any areas of improvement you may have.
When considering a business award application, think about how your business can stand out from the crowd. Whether it be through creativity, strategy, innovation or client growth, this can assist your business in furthering its ability to achieve great things.
5. Client Retention
Entering and winning business awards is a great step toward developing a consistent and loyal client base. Your achievements demonstrate to your existing clients that your business is at the height of industry success. This in turn reinforces their choices for working with your business in the first place.
It builds upon your business’s brand loyalty, as clients are more likely to remain working with businesses who are perceived to be successful and doing well. Awards ceremonies offer your business the opportunity to solidify existing client relationships. If your business has won one or more awards, it is proof that your expertise and skill are worth continuing to work with.
In conclusion, entering business awards has endless benefits for your business. Whether it be identifying areas of improvement in the application process, or winning an award and showcasing your value to clients and businesses alike, from experience, we highly recommend it!
