Why Your Brand Needs an Awards Strategy

Let me tell you something. You walk into a competitor's office, and there it is. The trophy case. Gleaming. Polished. Mocking you. Meanwhile, your office has what? A dusty plant and a motivational poster about teamwork.

Here's the thing nobody wants to admit. Those trophies didn't just materialize. Someone sat down, filled out forms, wrote compelling narratives, and paid submission fees. They played the game. And you? You were too busy convincing yourself that awards are self-serving to notice you were getting left behind.

THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH ABOUT INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

An intentional awards program within your marketing and communications function isn't vanity. It's strategy. Done right, an awards program may deliver measurable returns by building brand credibility, amplifying your story, strengthening stakeholder relationships and increasing media visibility.

Every Top Energy Developer logo on a sales one-pager started with a submission. Every Best Places to Work seal on a careers site began as a line on a spreadsheet. Someone did the work. Why shouldn't that someone be you?

BUILD AN AWARDS PROGRAM THAT WORKS

Most organizations fail before they even start because no CEO wants to approve every $350 application individually. Include awards in your annual marketing budget. It's easily scalable based on the number of submissions you plan to make.

The research phase is often the most time-consuming step. And the most important. Combine smart online research with conversations across your C-suite, operations and business development teams. Which awards actually matter to your stakeholders? Which of your competitors' wins made you jealous last year? Which professional groups you belong to offer credible recognition? A few focused Slack or Teams messages can uncover big opportunities.

Every successful awards program starts with a spreadsheet. Include fields for:

• Award name
• Submission fee
• Deadline
• Announcement date
• Priority level

That spreadsheet becomes your roadmap for execution and a conversation starter with leadership about ROI.

When developing submissions, draft a compelling narrative aligned with why the award exists. For trade associations, emphasize best practices that others can learn from. For media-run awards, understand that recognition fuels their editorial content. Build time for executive feedback but keep momentum moving. A comprehensive PR strategy means knowing when good enough is good enough.

WHAT AWARDS JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR

Most judges want a good story. What was the challenge? How was it overcome? Can you provide the metrics that substantiate both? Look for good characters in your submission. Maybe it's an employee that became a changemaker in her field or a customer who dramatically illustrates your unique value proposition.

Award programs run by trade associations often gather and promote best practices in the sector. Check the organization's mission statement and show how your submission supports their values. Media organizations sometimes use awards features as sponsorship opportunities and look for submissions with compelling video and photos they can share across channels.

Some awards programs are purely for-profit ventures without ties to an industry or audience. While these might boost credibility they can often be de-prioritized in favor of others that have more clout with your target audiences.

MAKE YOUR WINS WORK HARDER

Winning an award is not the end of the strategy. It is the catalyst for growth. A common mistake brands make is announcing the win and moving on. A smart brand embeds the victory into its entire communications ecosystem.

For owned media, immediately integrate the award logo into sales decks and investor presentations. Update executive bios and LinkedIn profiles. Create a dedicated Awards page on your website and embed the logo in email signatures company-wide.

For earned media, do not rely solely on the initial press release. Use the award as the hook for future pitches. Did you win a national trade award? Make sure your local press knows. Winning a major industry award can spur interest from event organizers for speaking slots.

For shared media, your employees are your most trusted messengers. Create easily shareable assets like pre-written posts and celebratory team photos. Tag the award organization and any partners involved to extend your reach.

For paid media, incorporate the award logo into retargeting ads. Run a short focused campaign immediately following the announcement to capitalize on the news cycle.

STOP WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES

There's a misconception that public recognition just happens. In reality it takes strategy, persistence and polish. Awards are proof points of credibility that may strengthen your brand and open doors.

Now go get that trophy. Soon you'll be the one making visitors to your lobby jealous.

Contact Winsome Marketing to build an awards strategy that actually wins.