Want to know how to get awards for your business? If you do, then good for you. Awards give businesses a big boost.
Read on for a step-by-step guide that explains how the process works, why applying is worth the effort, and what judges are looking for in a winning application.
Understanding business awards for small businesses
Prestigious business awards aim to uncover the best teams and professionals, highlighting their business excellence and giving them a ringing endorsement that propels them into the future. In the process, they also celebrate the entire profession or industry and help chart a new course for further evolutions. That’s why awards organizations play a key role in the world of business.
These programs also support small businesses, startups, and major corporations in important ways.
The benefits of winning business awards: media exposure and business growth
First and foremost, research shows that customers associate award-winning businesses with high quality and superior legitimacy. Honors serve as a positive “signal” that people rely on as a shorthand to cut through the noise of today’s crowded marketplace. Winning an award establishes your business as a legitimate contender, at the very least, if not the best business of its type around. In this way, business awards provide social proof, build credibility, promote customer trust, and do wonders for a company’s reputation.
Importantly, studies also show that businesses that emerge victorious from these competitions see greater customer demand. This is partly due to the increased publicity that champions receive, which translates into heightened brand awareness among key consumer demographics.
Another study associates award winners with much higher levels of performance and productivity, as well as higher share prices for publicly traded companies. This is partly because the recognition and appreciation current employees receive as members of an award-winning organization motivates them to dedicate themselves anew to future business wins. It’s also partly due to the fact that the companies that win often implement improvement plans throughout their organizations.
In this way, just vying for awards makes for better businesses. Obtaining accolades of this sort not only celebrates a company’s success but also opens new doors to future success.
Selecting the right small business awards and award categories
For most small businesses, starting small and local is the most sensible approach. After grabbing the title from your local Chamber of Commerce, you can set your sights higher and move on to statewide, regional, or even national competitions.
If you don’t have a nearby Chamber of Commerce or its awards program doesn’t offer a relevant category, don’t despair. A Google search should connect you to myriad potential contests to enter.
In addition, many of the most prestigious award programs sponsor a plethora of award categories. For instance, the Stevie Awards have separate competitions for various regions of the world. Their American Business Awards alone have dozens of industry-specific awards in multiple categories, from digital marketing and transformative leadership to corporate social responsibility and company culture.
As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration also honors entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the 50 states. Many local publications also hold annual contests in which readers or viewers vote for their favorite honorees.
Other competitions focus on excellent customer service, the best workplaces, the fastest-growing private companies, young entrepreneurs, or minority-owned businesses. The trick is to find the prizes that would impress your target audience most and give your establishment a competitive edge. Those are the ones that should direct your own improvement plans and that you should nominate yourself and your team for on an ongoing basis.
How to get awards for your business: Assembling the strongest submission possible
For most business recognition programs, nominations are accepted and winners are announced according to a strict timeline. For this reason, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the key dates and deadlines that govern the contests in which you would like to participate.
Many competitions open their submission windows in the fall and close them in December, with earlier entrants enjoying reduced application fees. That said, some operations stay open year-round, announcing winners on a rolling basis.
It’s also a good idea not to rush the application process. Start well in advance of any deadlines and dedicate sufficient time to crafting a persuasive application. This is a lot of work, so make sure to carve out time specifically to concentrate on this task.
The reason applying can be a lot of work is that judges don’t just believe a business leader’s assertions about their business’s greatness. They aim to honor the best, so they require evidence to support those claims. Awards are judged according to pre-set criteria, and the evaluators will prioritize businesses that can show the superiority of their own approach to business.
For an idea of what you’re up against, check out the previous winners and study their award announcements. Keep in mind that awards honor excellence, and a company wins only when it outshines its rivals. Take the process seriously and dedicate ample time and energy to focusing on awards submissions.
Best practices for dossiers include citing impressive statistics, sharing illustrative testimonials from clients, and pointing to your glowing reviews or ratings on relevant industry websites. To make these even more impactful, weave them into a compelling narrative about your company’s mission and founding.
Small business owners and entrepreneurs: Celebrate your team with an award win in 2025
Get recognized! Bring yourself and your team to the attention of more potential clients. Generate increased engagement in your community and industry.
Awards can help your business gain recognition and grow. Now’s the time to start taking action! Nominate your business for awards in 2025.
