Cheat sheet: How to turn a business award into new customers

There’s a reason wine makers include awards on their bottles, why studios campaign for stars to win an Oscar and why publishers put forward authors for ‘book of the year’. Sales. 

So why do awards influence consumers to buy, and how can you maximise mileage if you are fortunate enough to win?

Fast track to trust

In a crowded market where you need to get creative to attract and retain customers, awards can provide a healthy return on investment (ROI). 

Most significantly, awards are a form of social proof. They signal to prospective customers that you can be trusted — that an external party has vetted you, compared you to others, and determined you have the goods.

Think of it as a form of trust currency, where you fast track credibility in the eyes of your market. When customers are comparing you to alternatives, having an award will go a long way to getting you over the line. All things equal, you’ll be seen as the safest option.

Aside from social proof, there are other business benefits of awards, too.

Broader business benefits

Entering an award means you will have to document what you’ve done. While this might seem a pain at the time, you’ll never regret going through the process. You’ll also end up using these materials in many ways, like case studies on your website and in client proposals, teasers in social media, staff induction materials and stories you can weave into your business’ folklore. 

The process will also help you identify aspects of your business that you can improve and/or replicate.

Plus, being involved gives you opportunities to network with other business leaders, opening connections within and across industries.

How to leverage your award

If you win an award, be sure to wring every ounce of value out of it. That means promoting it to prospective and existing customers in the right way.

Five tips for turning a trophy into brand trust

1. Websites, signage, and promotional materials

   Showcase your award by displaying an icon on your website home page, shop window, paperwork (such as invoices) and relevant promotional materials.

   Like a sticker on a wine bottle, the award’s image sends a subconscious signal to your customer that you are well regarded.

   There’s no need to go into detail about the award itself — the image will do enough.

2. Something fresh to talk about

   Design a content plan around your award because it’s something new to talk about with past, current, and prospective customers.  Look at it from as many different angles as possible.

   For example, you might interview the client you worked with, write about how the project came to be, share your experience of the award judging process, and reflect on what you learnt about yourselves and other award recipients. 

   You should also look for opportunities to be interviewed as an award winner — podcasts and media outlets are always hungry for content from people who have created a winning formula! 

3. Get the tone right

   It’s easy to seem conceited when talking about something you have just won, so to avoid doing so, you need to get the tone of your content right.  

   When it comes to talking about your victory, remember this rule: it’s not about you, it’s about you in service of someone. In other words, you won because you did something in service of your client or your staff.

   It’s subtle, but you want to elevate others rather than be seen to laud yourself. That means you shouldn’t talk about how proud you are of your business, or “how excited you are to share” news about you.

   Instead, be thrilled that your client’s project has been recognised. Express how proud you are of the work you were able to create for your client, or how proud you are of your staff for the problem they recognised and resolved.

   While you may be the victor, make others the hero. Your humility will attract prospective clients who want to be heroed by you as well.

4. Two-year shelf life

   Like prawns, awards are best when they’re fresh. The shelf-life of your award will depend on your industry, but two years is a sensible rule of thumb. Year one you are newly crowned and year two you are the immediate past winner.

   Promoting your award longer than that risks people questioning why you haven’t won more recently. “If you were so good then”, they’ll wonder, “why aren’t you now?”

   We’ve all walked by a pizza shop celebrating their “pizza of the year 2003” — it’s not a good look, so wind down your award promotion before it makes you look out of touch and desperate.

5. Celebrate with your team

   Lastly, use winning an award to celebrate your team and the work they contribute to your business. While awards should never take the place of you telling them yourself how you value them, it’s always nice to have someone external acknowledge them too.