You see people entering awards, you’ve considered entering yourself. Perhaps you’ve been nominated? So what’s stopping you going for it? Even if you don’t win, there are masses of benefits to putting that entry together!
So what’s the point?
It’s a chance to evaluate your business
I know you’re meant to have a business plan, you’re meant to keep it up to date, but lots of business owners don’t. (If you’d like us to help you to put your business plan together, find out here how we can help).
The award application will ask for a lot of detailed information, which you can only provide if you really dig deep. You’ll have to sit back and seriously think about how your business has made a difference, and provide evidence for this. This could be client satisfaction, growth, innovation, whatever the award application asks for.
It makes you accountable to someone else
See above – it’s much more powerful to be held accountable to someone other than yourself, and helps you to see your business and your achievements in a new light. This can only be positive.
It improves team motivation!
Entering awards is huge for your team – they work for a potentially award-winning business, right? Even putting the award application together gives them the message that you’re all award-worthy, it’s a #winwin
And if you’re a finalist or you win?
Even more huge for team motivation
See above – what more can I say? Your team work for an award-winning business, they will all be super proud, and it is great for team-building, motivation, team happiness.
It’ll improve your reputation hugely
Being a finalist is a tiny step away from being an award winner. To be a finalist out of all the other entrants is phenomenal! Shout about it!
You’ll gain recognition in your industry and in your local area
Word gets around you know.
It’s amazing for PR
Think of all that free advertising – social media leading up to the event, at the event, after the event. The award organisers will also be promoting you, and should be shouting about their finalists and award winners. Write a blog, write lots of blogs, share them far and wide! Here’s a blog we wrote on how using online apps enables us to deliver award-winning client care.
It’ll create more work!
It will indeed, we’ve got work from simply being finalists and meeting people at the awards party. By improving your reputation, gaining recognition and working on your PR, people will want to work with you!
It will create more opportunities
All sorts of opportunities could open up once you start entering awards. You may be asked to speak, or even to judge the awards. You may be asked to contribute to online or printed articles. We’re super proud that we’ve won client care awards over the last couple of years, and this year Sharon has been asked to judge for both of these awards. The Practice Excellence Awards, and the Herefordshire Business Awards.
SO WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?
Excuse me for shouting but just go for it! And for help on writing your application, have a look at my blog How to write a winning award application in 5 easy steps.How to write a winning award application in 5 easy steps.
The Herefordshire Business Awards are now open for applications! Go go go! You can apply online here.
Sharon
Kinder Pocock are an approachable cloud-savvy firm of accountants based in Herefordshire but supporting businesses on the move.
We specialise in Security/Technology, Design and Indie Hospitality businesses.
01432 273400
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