BUSINESS AWARDS
Why your business should aim for awards success in 2024
What does it mean to collect an award ? Is there genuine value in being an award-winning business , or is it simply corporate vanity ? Do customers actually care ?
Ben Veal is the Founder of Second Mountain Comms , a purpose-driven consultancy that launched in the height of the 2020 pandemic .
Over the last four years , Ben ’ s small business — based at Wiltshire ’ s Glove Factory Studios — has won no less than eight industry awards , including the highly-prestigious national honour of ‘ Independent PR Practitioner of the Year ’ at the CIPR ’ s Excellence Awards .
Speaking with TBE , Ben shares three reasons why writing compelling award entries and telling stories that resonate with judges is a key step that many businesses should be taking in 2024 .
AWARDS RECOGNITION OPENS DOORS “ There ’ s much more to being an award finalist or winner than picking up the trophy and smiling for the camera on the night . Awards can open many lucrative doors from a marketing , PR , new business , earned media and recruitment perspective .
Becoming an award-winner undoubtedly boosts public perception , at a time when trading conditions are hugely competitive . Marketed in the right way to your customer base , award wins can lead to increased sales , a heightened profile and enhanced credibility . And perhaps most importantly , awards play a huge role in the attraction and retention of top talent — after all , who wouldn ’ t be proud to be professionally aligned with an award-winning business ?”
AWARD WINS ARE MEANINGFUL “ Most awards are hotly-contested and highly sought-after . That ’ s what makes winning one so special , but also what puts many firms off actually entering !
The companies that regularly take centre stage at awards ceremonies are the ones that recognise the long-term , bigger picture value that comes from investing their time and energy in a strong entry — and how meaningful a big win is in terms of firmly demonstrating corporate values .”
UNLOCK FANTASTIC NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES “ Winning an award is only part of the appeal of entering — arguably the greatest benefit of all is the rich , diverse networking opportunities that arise at awards events .
Most awards attract a hugely-rounded attendee list , many of whom could end up being future clients or invaluable contacts for you in the future . Often , it is the unexpected conversations that take place at the awards ceremonies themselves that can prove to be most advantageous in the long run — and at the end of the day , you ’ ve got to be in it to win it !”
SUPERCHARGE YOUR 2024 AWARD ENTRIES Second Mountain ’ s brand new award entry writing service aims to directly help local businesses to showcase their successes , shine brightly and gain prestigious awards recognition this year .
Visit www . secondmountaincomms . co . uk to find out more , discuss your awards ambitions and climb high in 2024 .
“ It ’ s so important to stop and celebrate the work we do — but as a small practice , finding time to put together a thoughtful submission is not always easy . Ben did a fantastic job helping us and took the stress out of it , leading to us winning an award which has been a great boost to our business .”
Klas Hyllen Architecture
26 www . tbeswindonandwilts . co . uk