Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, shows you how to make the most of award losses.
Earlier this year I made a confession. I’m a loser. In fact, I’m technically a serial loser because what I’m about to admit to has happened before.
I made it to the national final of the Enterprise Nation Awards and once again, I did not prevail. In fact, this is becoming a bit of a habit, I have made it before and lost then too.
What a loser! Why would I ever admit to this? Simple, it is because I get frustrated by what I predict will happen this week at this publication’s annual “Bricks” awards – of which I am one of the judges.
NB: they will be a few weeks gone by the time you read this so see if I’m correct about the below.
You see, I know that there will be plenty of people reading this column that would quietly hide this “failure.” They don’t want to be seen as “losers” or “runners-up” or perhaps more accurately, not winners.
That’s how a lot of people see awards. It is a risk/reward question to some. In fact, some people are so paranoid about this “risk” that they won’t even blog about making a final or a shortlist ahead of the big event in case people “find out we didn’t win.”
Take a look at “The Bricks” this year. As a judge of one of the categories, I always take a close interest in what the entrants get up to pre and post awards. Being harsh, most of them don’t get up to much whatsoever. Why? Fear of failure? Lack of confidence? Lack of resource? All of the above?
NEWSFLASH – most people don’t actually follow your every move, noting what you post about your goals, ambitions, wins and losses. Oh, and by the way you made the final!
Take a look at my case. There are thousands of PR consultants out there in the UK and I made the top 5. In the country. Does that mean there are people better than me? Yep. Does it mean I’m better than most? Yep!
On the way to the final, I posted on social media, blogged and ran webinars mentioning the fact that I was in the final. Do you think that some of that might have been noticed? You betcha.
I’m “confessing” to my failure here right now. More awareness of my loss. Am I a masochist? No, I’m a marketer. Often mistaken!
Now, will SOME people go “oh well, Greg’s only in the Top 5 in the UK, probably not worth speaking to.” Well, SOME might. In fact, you might (boo hiss!). Or you and many more people might think “I’ve been meaning to speak to him” or “our PR is pants, this guy must be half decent.”
So, loathe as I am to say that it is the taking part that counts, sometimes, it is. So long as you do something with it.
Yours inconsolably better than most,
Top 5 PR consultant in the UK.
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 October edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
