Friday Feature: How to Become an Award Winning Company

Part 3: Winning an Award

Congratulations! Your company has won an award. Now what? First things first – you have to let people know that you are the best. As we said in Part 1, awards can help strengthen your brand and present your company as a major player. With this win, you can start telling current and potential customers just how noteworthy your company and products are.

A press release is a perfect way to do just this. Make sure that your release is carefully crafted to ensure that all news communicated is “on message” and targeted to create the greatest possible media exposure. Next, ensure that you are sending the release to the correct contacts. You want to make sure that you receive maximum coverage in your industry’s most influential media outlets.

After you’ve sent out your release, you also want to make sure to post it on your website. This allows additional coverage for those who may not have seen the release, but are doing research on your company.

So what’s next? Start the process all over again. After all, awards show your customers, current and future, that you have the killer combination of a quality product from a quality company.

Friday Feature: How to Become an Award Winning Company

Part 2: Applying for an Award

Assuming you’ve tracked and selected the appropriate awards to enter into, it’s now time to work on your submission. Most award submissions require a lengthy abstract or description of your company as well as your product and its background. When writing these, it’s important to:

Make sure your abstract is on-target.
Pay close attention to the award categories and the type of products that they call for. If the award calls for an enterprise product, don’t pitch your consumer-facing product, and vice versa. While this seems like obvious advice, it’s easy for some to try and force a connection in order to enter their product for as many categories as possible.

Showcase your product’s originality.
Your product is unique—that’s why you’re entering it for an award in the first place! Clearly describe all the innovation in the development and creation that went into your product or service, as well as any interesting features that make it so award-worthy.

Provide compelling case studies.
Has your service gained a Tier 1 carrier as a customer? Have you partnered with any companies in order to create or distribute your product? Put it together as a case study for your submission, along with testimonials if available. Case studies and testimonials truly strengthen your case for why your product deserves an award.

Next week, Part 3: Winning an Award

Friday Feature: How to Become an Award Winning Company

Part 1: How to Find the Right Award

Being a successful company is good—however, being a successful, award winning company is even better. Awards show your customers, current and future, that you have a quality product. Through awards, your brand can also be strengthened and your company can be viewed as a major player in the business.
The first step to becoming an award winning company is to find relevant awards that are right for your company. You have to determine what kind of awards would impress your target audience. One way to do this is to research what trade publications your audience is reading. Find out if those publications offer any awards that fit your services and/or product.
Events are another way to seek out significant awards for your company. Search for events that your audience is sure to attend and then find out if they offer any relevant awards. Again, awards can help enhance your brand and improve recognition with your target audience.

Next week- Part 2: Applying for an Award