It’s business award season … and you’ve won an award. Do you sit back, put your feet up and bask in glory of being a winner?
Sorry folks this is where the hard works starts. This is where you use your win, to not only position yourself as a leader and innovator in your field, but to turn your win into a highly effective sales tool.
Awards are proven to improve your sales turnover by up to 40 percent … but only if you use some of the communications opportunities at your disposal to make this happen.
The judges have done you a massive favour… so don’t waste this fantastic opportunity.
Here are SIX key things you should be doing.
Tip 1 – Let everyone know
It’s incredible how many companies don’t tell their customers, suppliers, staff, stakeholders or service users about their win. Don’t be one of them. Let them know via your newsletter or by email. Even brief your sales team to inform existing and prospective clients.
For potential customers teetering on the edge of making a decision, knowing you are an award winner could just be the thing that clinches the deal.
Tip 2 – Get your win up in lights on your website and social sites
Ensure everyone coming to your website knows that you’re an award winner. Upload the award logo to your HOME page then link this back to the ‘news’ or ‘blog’ page where visitors can get the full low-down on your win.
Also include the award logo on your social sites (and where algorithms are likely to penalise links back to your website) you may prefer to link to a stand-alone article on your actual social site.
Remember by adding an award logo to your website and social sites signals instant credibility to visitors who may not know you or your business.
Tip 3 – Share the good news with your social followers
Post information about your win on your social media channels. Let your connections know why you won the award and why the win is important to your organisation.
Make sure you include a tonne of photos from the award ceremony (if its online make sure you access screen shots) and be sure to tag relevant people (including the award organisers) in your post. This way they will get notified about your post and are more likely to share it with their followers, taking your win to a much broader audience.
Tip 4 – Tell the media
Send a media release to your local and industry media. If you are sending out a release, make sure to include information about the award, the reason why you won it, what winning means to your organisation and ideally secure a quote from the organisers.
However be aware that a win on its own may not send journalists into a feeding frenzy so do think of a strong angle. Is what you are doing truly innovative, different and ground-breaking? Make sure you include this in the information you provide them with. While the media may not run a story immediately, they will certainly keep you in mind for another time … and a potentially a longer story. Also send them an image of you from the ceremony (or a screenshot should the ceremony be online).
BIG TIP: If you do manage to secure media coverage, make sure you share it on your social media and tag all the right people.
Tip 5 – Announce your win on all relevant materials
Don’t see winning an award as a one-hit wonder. Include the award logo or add the words “Award-Winning” to all your marketing materials, client documentation, tender documents and quotes, company brochures, booth signage at exhibitions and trade shows.
Also include in your website bio, ‘about’ page, business cards and social profiles … in other words, any written materials you have to promote your business.
Tip 6 – Update your email signature
And don’t forget your email signature. This is one piece of marketing real estate that often gets overlooked. Communicate your business’s award-winning status by adding a line under your email signature. This could be as simple as: ‘Winner of the 2020 B3000+ Innovation Award’.
You may even wish to add the award logo to your email signature.
Remember, winning an award takes effort beyond the time and energy you put into your award submission. You wouldn’t win if you didn’t truly earn it so do make sure you reap the full benefit of your win in the months or years after.
Also remember to thank your team and the people in your organisations who contributed in some way to your win!
Parker Public Relations provides public relations, thought leadership and personal branding. These services are delivered via coaching as well as a done-for-you service.
