It feels good to win an award, to be recognized for your hard work. But besides that warm, fuzzy feeling, can awards actually benefit your company, business or organization?
The truth is that winning awards is hugely beneficial to any business—and in order to win, you have to throw your hat in the ring with a top-notch nomination.
For those of you who may not be convinced, stick with us for a moment. Awards are more than just a shiny paperweight to clutter up your desk or add to a bookshelf. Here are a few reasons why nominating someone at your company (or a company campaign) could prove far more valuable than you might have expected:
1. Awards lend credibility.
Whether you’re an agency, business or individual contractor, being able to tack on the designation “award-winning” does wonders for your reputation as a trusted and successful partner. It’s one thing for an organization to declare its own excellence; it’s another thing entirely to have an objective third party say it for you. Win a campaign award, and your company can boast award-winning work. Have a team member or executive win an award, and you’ve got an award-winning team.
2. Awards help attract talent.
When you’re looking to grow your business or your team, attracting and recruiting top talent is important. When your company boasts award-winning work or award-winning team members and executives, it solidifies you as a competitive, top-notch place to work, inspiring more interest from those seeking to join your team. Plus, when a company takes the time to nominate a member of its team, it demonstrates intentional investment in its people—an indication of a positive workplace environment.
3. Awards provide an excellent PR opportunity.
Winning an award is a newsworthy accomplishment! Once you’ve won an award, it’s a perfect opportunity to draft up a press release and alert the media. Make sure you qualify the significance of the award. This kind of earned media coverage may not directly translate into new customer acquisition, but it does provide brand awareness, which can play a role in furthering your company’s growth and reputation.
4. Awards build team morale.
It feels good to be recognized for your work; often that kind of boost is just what teams need. Whether winning an individual award or an award for a successful internal or external campaign, that kind of acknowledgment is hugely validating. It can increase team morale, create cause for celebration, provide a deeper sense of fulfillment and spark a renewed passion for projects and goals.
There are a variety of awards programs out there – local, regional, national and even international. Some are industry-specific, some are not. Some are large, some are small. Unfortunately, more often than not, it costs to submit nominations, and that can add up quickly. However, there are awards programs out there that provide opportunities for submission at no cost at all!
The American Marketing Association – Birmingham chapter’s annual Magic City Marketing Awards provides a free way to nominate individuals and campaigns and recognizes excellence in marketing in Birmingham, Ala., and its surrounding areas. Agencies, in-house marketing departments, freelancers and consultants alike may enter, and AMA membership is not required for submission. Categories include:
- Marketer of the Year
- Young Professional Marketer of the Year
- Marketing Student of the Year
- Forbes McKay Award – Lifetime Achievement in Marketing
- Campaign of the Year (internal or external)
Don’t miss the opportunity to benefit from award recognition!
If you haven’t already, submit your nomination online today at www.amabirmingham.org/awards. Submissions close at midnight on March 31. Email awards@amabirmingham.org with questions.