Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, delves into the role of awards in marketing strategies.
Caution, the following information may dramatically improve your chances of winning an award but only if you use it.
The reason I say this is because I absolutely KNOW that awards are on umpteen marketing new year’s resolutions lists but all too often, come the mid-point of the year (now), nothing has been done! Why is this? Awards are one of the least used tactics in marketing and PR and I find this really interesting.
Seriously, who doesn’t fancy some industry recognition? Local, regional or even national profile? What about a motivated workforce that is proud to be a part of your success? Nevermind the major leverage an award win can give to the rest of your marketing – if you harness the dark arts of PR!
So why don’t more people enter awards? I suspect the main reason is time. However, you need to consider these as a major part of your marketing and PR campaign, not an afterthought. Sure, there is a bit of science to it and some art (the creative bit) but basically it comes down to reading the criteria CAREFULLY and then making it as easy as possible for the judges to consider your case.
Now is NOT the time for florid prose! Although…there is a place for this (warning, secret sauce alert). Ssssshhhh…it is right at the start. This is the bit the judges read first and tends to be the part they will read out IF you get to the final and you are waiting there, glass of wine in hand, as the names are read out.
So, if yours sounds like this: “We were established in 2002 to provide added value services to the Widget industry. Our commitment to SOMETHING or OTHER bland and jargon heavy issue and our inevitable PASSION (because nobody is going to say ‘APATHY’) for innovation is what lies at the heart of our success.” Stop. It. Right. NOW!
Can you imagine a judge reading that and thinking “whoa, we’ve got a live one! Let me get a coffee and settle in, there’s gold dust here.” You want this bit to sound like they are about to announce the best thing since sliced bread!
Try this: “20 years ago we discovered a problem. Not just a wrinkle. Not an inconvenience. We had unearthed one of the biggest issues to ever face our industry. If it could be overcome (and we thought it could), it would save Widget manufacturers across the globe millions in costs, whilst also massively reducing the impact on our environment. So, we got to work. Two decades on…we did what follows below and it changed EVERYTHING!”
Do you see the difference? You’d at least read the next para or two! You actually WANT to know what they did. Like all good marketing, awards are all about storytelling. Our clients see entering awards as part of their wider marketing strategy – they see the ROI. It is a fantastic way to gain objective third-party endorsement (a major goal of PR), great coverage and one of the best ways to foster employee and company relationships. People proudly point to articles in the press and say: “I work there.” Other highly-skilled people start thinking “maybe I should work there?”
So, start to think about what awards you might enter. They might be local, regional, national or industry based but you can bet that once you integrate them into your marketing, the effects can really make a difference. P.S. I am on the judging panel for “The Bricks” this year…you know how to get my attention now!
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the June issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
