Jennifer Lawrence, Matthew McConaughey and You – Winning Business Awards

Welcome to Famous in Your Field! Here’s your free weekly tip to boost your fame factor. (Be sure to sign up in the box on the right to get on the VIP list for free tips and training, delivered straight to your inbox.) 

“And the Oscar goes to…”

Industry, professional and local awards are often compared to that gold bald guy. While being named one of “40 Under 40” doesn’t guarantee your own Wikipedia page, winning a business award could pack a big punch for your reputation.

Let’s look at a few of the benefits:

1. Stand out status.

When you win an award, you automatically have cache. Cred that you can use for the next, well, forever.

“Award-winning owner…”

“Award-winning author”…

“Award winner speaker…”

Doesn’t one of those sound good with your name after it?

2. Exclusive membership.

Once you win, you become part of a special group: winners of that award. You now have something in common, a reason to network. And being mentioned on the same stage as big names in your industry can boost your own reputation.

3. Power up your PR.

Winning an award (or just being nominated) comes with PR and media opportunities. Local newspapers, television, magazines and websites all devote ink to award winners.

Beyond the publication’s readers, you’ll grow your Google footprint, making you that much easier to find online. Plus, print coverage will boost your name recognition offline.

Linking to the coverage from your own website ups your SEO, too.

Wondering where you can find some of these award opportunities?

Simple research will uncover a stream of award opportunities to pursue.

For any award, it’s a good idea to evaluate the effort to submit a entry against the value of winning – all awards are not created equal!

Here are a few ideas to get your research started:

Look locally

Check your hometown newspaper, Chamber of Commerce, community organizations and networking groups for local award competitions. Being voted “Best Tax Preparer in Ann Arbor” could net you more recognition (and business) than landing a prestigious national award that means nothing to your clients.

Google “Awards” + “your industry”; “awards + your city”; “Best of + your city.”

The practice of putting together a winning award submittal will help hone your process, making is easier to submit for additional awards.

Regional

Regional business publications sponsor awards for high achievers, business growth and best places to work.

Search the publications and their websites to find the awards and use a spreadsheet to keep track of important dates. (Most awards are announced three to six months in advance of the deadline.)

Special interest or trade publications

Review your industry magazines and their websites to find industry awards. Best of all, when you’ve got one of those under your belt, you’ve achieved national recognition. “Named one of the top 150 coaches in the world” has a pretty sweet sound, don’t you agree?

Your colleagues, partners and competitors

Don’t forget to look in your network for award opportunities! A great place to look for awards is on the LinkedIn profiles of your connections.

Your fame boosting assignment:

Use one or two of these tips to find an award that you’ll pursue. We know that you’re a rising star – let the world know it, too!