If that's a big yes, then you deserve to be recognised. The Awards of Excellence always seem to roll around far too quickly and every year is a frantic dash to the finish line with businesses scrambling for photographers and attempting to find their inner creative flair so their nominations stand out from the crowd.
In the final days, a nomination is uploaded every minute! Thankfully this year, we've launched a brand new super speccy (sic) platform to keep up with the madness and growth of this wonderful program that underpins many of our platforms including magazines, media and the gala events that bring industry together.
Getting involved in your industry awards program should never be underestimated. In fact, it should form part of your annual marketing strategy. Awards shine a spotlight on your business and showcase that you’re the real deal. They can also help to build your reputation in the market, giving you a competitive edge and build trust in your products and services.
But even more importantly, they deliver powerful 3rd party endorsement giving credibility to your business. It's a bit like staring at a wall of wine in Dan Murphy's (yip, had to get a wine reference in!). It can be a little overwhelming making the right choice or maybe you're just time poor or don't have the inclination to ask for advice. Don't you find you reach for the brands that stand out with visible endorsements?
In the daily chaos of running a business, it's also a great opportunity to reflect on your business strategy and clarify your goals for the future. We often don't make (or have) the time to look back as we're too focused on the daily grind. Businesses that go through the awards process, find that reflection can be insightful helping to set marketing and project plans for the future.
When things get busy, celebrating success can sometimes fall by the wayside but it’s a great way to keep your team engaged and motivated. Awards are undoubtedly a positive way to recognise hard work, boost morale and to simply say thank you. So often I hear businesses reluctant to put their people forward for awards. I get it, they're valuable and you don't want to share them or risk losing them to a competitor but what if you don't celebrate them?? What if they don't feel valued and recognised? Being recognised strengthens a team’s morale which shines through in interactions with each other and with clients. Creating and promoting a high morale culture is a great asset when attracting talented employees to your business and cements loyalty within your teams.
Yes, it's true there's a bit involved in an award submission. They take time and a healthy dose of effort to craft a nomination that is worthy. But I can assure you that the perks are worth the time and money invested.
If you're new to all of this and feeling a little overwhelmed with creating award-worthy submissions, here's some tips;
Engage a marketing professional or someone with creative flair to help with your nominations. It will save you time and will ensure your content is on point!
Ensure you've got good quality images that illustrate your story. Even better, take it to the next level and include videography. This will provide scale, detail and enable judges to experience your project through an immersive lens.
Include testimonials - they are an impactful way to humanise your brand, product, or service with authentic perspectives that build trust and credibility.
Get an industry peer or colleague to proof-read your submission to ensure its on-brand and addresses the question points. You're competing against other businesses so it's important to take the time to make sure your entry stands out for all the right reasons.
Don't overthink it! There's a category for everyone! Plus, there's a feel-good factor in being part of something that celebrates success!
Start your nominations today - Head to spasaawards.com.au