For small businesses, one of the biggest challenges of gaining relevance is building authority.
While you can do this through quality content, great products, and intelligent networking, you have a leg up on marketing if you’ve won any industry awards.
Industry awards send the clear message that you are a quality service provider. Use them to spread the word about your company and attract new customers to your business.
If you’ve recently won an award and are trying to figure out how to leverage it in your marketing, this post contains our best tips and tricks on the topic.
How Industry Awards Benefit Small Businesses
Industry awards do many things for small businesses. They help outsiders and competition recognize the business as a formidable force and also emphasize the fact that it is doing an excellent job.
This has a widespread ripple effect, influencing the way the business markets itself, target customers and relates to its industry.
Beyond that, industry awards also help to build relevance and authority. This inspires increased consumer trust and deference, boosting sales both in the short- and long-term.
All of this means that any company who has won an award has a fantastic marketing tactic ready to be leveraged.
How to Leverage Industry Awards in Your Marketing Strategy: 6 Tips
If you’ve recently won an award, and you want to use it for your marketing benefit, follow these six tips:
- Write a press release about the award.
Press releases are a unique and under-utilized form of content designed to spread the word about public changes. It is the perfect first step in spreading the news about your recent industry award.
If your press release is picked up by relevant news outlets, the word can spread far and wide. This will help lead to an increase in customers and sales down the road.
- Add a blurb about the award to your website.
When a new client is evaluating your business, one of the first places they’re going to stop is your site. Because of this, it’s smart to advertise your recent award on your website.
Consider writing a blog post about the award and “sticking” it to the top of your page. Alternatively, searching for an icon you can add to your page that showcases you are the recipient of the award.
- Publish news about the award to your social media accounts.
Social media is a perfect place to make the news of your big award public. After you’ve published your press release, share it to your social accounts. Consider also sharing the link to the organization that issued the award.
To make your posts more interesting for your customers, add a photo or two of the award acceptance. Be sure to respond to any comments, likes, or shares the posts receive.
- Use the award’s follow-up celebrations as fodder for your social channels
Customers love inside peaks into the companies they work with. Using the post-award celebration as material for your social accounts is a great way to build camaraderie within your team, while also bringing your customers into the celebration with you.
Consider posting live-stream videos to platforms or sharing some candid photos of your celebrations to your social accounts. This not only allows your customers to share in your joy, but you’ll also get to carry news of the award over into more content.
- Reach out to press in your industry.
One of the best ways to spread the news about your award is to proactively go in search of the media. Reporters for local journals and publications are great sources, as are bloggers and influencers that work in your industry. When these people publish the news of your award, you’ll likely see a spike in traffic and a broader reach than you would on your own.
- Send out an email blast.
An email blast is an effective way to let your customers know about your achievement and to thank them for their involvement. Right after receiving the award, send out an email to your subscriber list containing the details of the award and the issuing agency.
It’s a good idea to also include several photos of you and accepting the award and your team celebrating. At the end of the email, encourage your followers to share the news with their friends.
Winning an Award Means it’s Time to Shine
Winning an industry award is exciting for any company, and businesses who have recently had the honor of accepting one can make this work for their marketing. From press releases to social updates, there are dozens of ways for small businesses to use industry awards to their advantage.
If you’re looking for the right company to help you leverage your award in your marketing strategy, contact Thrive Internet Marketing. We specialize in digital marketing service, and we’re here to help you make the most of your achievements today.
