Awards are not just for actors, musicians and celebrities – awards can help establish a business as a clear leader in an industry. This is especially true in the tech industry. Awards research and submission should be an integral part of any public relations strategy. If your organization is not actively submitting to industry-specific awards, you may be missing out.

In article, “Does Winning an Award Matter to Brand Trust and Purchase Intention? Evidence from Franklin Templeton Investments,” the researchers viewed brand awareness as “the extent which investors can recognize or know that Franklin Templeton Investments has ever won an award.” They studied whether or not winning an award had any significant impact on the company’s brand identity. The results showed that winning an award does elevate brand awareness – and brand awareness has a significantly positive impact on brand image, brand trust and perceived quality.

 

Awards submission should be an integral part of every public relations and marketing strategy. The benefits are numerous. Here are some ways that awards can enhance a company’s reputation and boost its visibility:

Awards build credibility and trust

When your company wins or is even nominated for an award, its successes are highlighted by a third-party. An award win means that organization chose your brand above the rest. They see the value in your company and that instantly elevates your brand. In an ever-increasing competitive market, this can set your business apart and enhance brand credibility with potential customers. If you win an award that your competitor did not win, that sets you apart immediately. It means you have something that they don’t have.

Awards increase brand visibility

When an organization announces their award winners, they usually publish press releases, newsletters and a series of social media posts to make this announcement. They will also put the news on their website. This will result in media coverage and increased mentions in industry publications – without you having to pay for advertising. An award win will automatically boost visibility. When potential customers are searching for solutions, all of this visibility will help your name stand out above the rest.

Awards strengthen reputations with clients, potential clients and stakeholders

When your company’s name is attached to a prestigious award, that means you are recognized as a leader in your particular industry. This creates a feeling of trust with people that already work with you and those that are thinking about working with you. Clients will feel confident in their choice of your company over competitors. Reputation means everything in today’s competitive marketplace and having your name attached to an industry award will increase trust in your brand.

Awards attract new talent and boost morale with existing team members

When a company wins an award – every single person on the team is the winner of that award. This makes employees feel that their hard work and dedication is respected and rewarded. This will improve morale across the entire organization. Sometimes the awards are announced and given in person at an event and that gives your team an opportunity to be recognized on stage. An award win will also help recruit new and qualified candidates for open positions. When a potential hire is researching your organization, that award win will help you stand out. An award win shouts “This company is a great place to work!”

Awards assist with marketing and sales efforts

An award win can be used in all of your sales and marketing materials. When putting together a business presentation for a potential client, you can include your award as a way to show your value. A win can also be shared on all social media channels to further boost visibility. This will offer a unique selling point for your organization and will help to set your organization apart from the rest in your industry. You can even put out your own press release to announce your win, which adds another layer of visibility. When you are an award winner – this is your chance to shine!

Awards can provide a unique thought leadership position

When your company is nominated for and wins an award, this will instantly elevate your organization’s standing in the industry. People will think of you as experts and innovators in the industry. This can also lead to invitations to speak at conferences and events, participate in panel discussions and even write by-lined articles that pertain to your industry.Thought leadership opportunities are an effective way to boost your brand.

Awards boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Award programs often publish their winners on their websites, online press releases and on social media. Then often include backlinks to your website. This provides an immediate increase in your website’s search engine rankings and a way to drive traffic to your website, without having to invest a bunch of money into it.

Here at Smart Connections PR, we are firm believers in the importance of awards submissions and the added value that they add to an organization. In 2024, we submitted dozens of awards for our clients and were able to secure dozens of wins, including such prestigious awards as Cloud Computing Magazine’s Product of the Year, TechTarget Product of the Year, The Stevie Awards, Will Reed’s Top 100 Class, The Netty Awards, The Storries and many more.

When crafting and implementing a successful public relations strategy, awards research and submission should be an important part of this strategic initiative. If you want to increase your organization’s visibility, credibility and sales/marketing efforts, awards submission is an effective way to accomplish that. This can be a time-consuming process though – the research to find the awards and the writing of the submissions – but that is where we come in!

Smart Connections PR has decades of experience and relationships with award granting organizations that can help position your company as a strong leader in the tech sector. If you want to be a winner, contact us today to get started and soon you will hear your name called when they say, “And the award goes to…”