Why bother with Awards Season? Waste of time or an essential business tool?

Insights from Anne-Marie Sparrow, Cube PR Founder and Managing Director and Judge of CHPA Self-Care Awards, CPRA Golden Target Awards and Prime Awards.

Like the ‘best in show’ wine star rating that greets us on the Dan Murphy’s shelves – I have in the past been a bit of a cynic on the need to enter industry awards – and their merit. But acting as a judge across three industry awards over many years – I do believe they should be an essential activity on every business or agencies marketing calendar.  It’s less about ‘chest beating or grandstanding’ – more about benchmarking and striving for differentiation in an increasingly cluttered and competitive landscape.

Here are my three reasons to why bother?

1. Market benchmarking: While not everyone enters and, many great initiatives may never reach a judging panel, a significant number in any market do participate giving excellent insight into standards being set.  By entering your best work – you get an immediate gauge on how you’re tracking! A finalist – and you are up with the current high performers. A winner and you are setting the benchmark! A great accolade to celebrate.
2. Striving for excellence: A consciousness of award opportunities creates a culture within any business of achieving excellence – building campaigns or products that will be up there with the best and gain recognition. Having the award calendar present in any business – not only motivates a team to strive for excellence – but also allows it to clearly see what’s possible. And by attending the awards ceremony – whether you are a finalist or not – gives a great sense of what is being achieved – the innovation and quality that’s out there.
3. Marketing signal: Whether it’s a ‘best in show’ gold star in Dan Murphy’s, or an outstanding product testimonial– rating by others really matters. We know as an agency, formal referrals and recommendations remain the gold standard with business development – but checks and balances that can rate a business quickly are increasingly significant.  If being a finalist in an award means someone will check-out your product or business a bit more – then it’s a win!  They may not purchase now – but I believe many will recognise you are out there working hard and succeeding!  That’s a WIN.

So don’t dismiss them – give award entries some serious consideration. But my final tip – as a judge – is to make sure you schedule time to prepare and set yourself up entering a quality award.  If you are going to throw your hat in the ring – do it with intent and put your best foot forward! Literally aim for the STARS!