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Why your PR plan should definitely include award entry

November 19, 2018/Rachel Hargrave
We’ve already covered the fact that no two PR plans will look the same but there are a few activities which we think should feature in any strategy, regardless of business size or type.

One of these is most definitely awards-entry – perhaps not an activity which is immediately associated with PR but, approached correctly, is a fabulous way to help you achieve your business goals!

For some, the driving factors are unique; part of a personal development plan or business plan, but for most it is simply a result of significant success and is a natural step to having achievements recognised and celebrated in the wider community.

Whatever the route taken to award entry, we know that those who take part (never mind those who actually win) find it to be a very positive and truly valuable experience.  For the purposes of brevity, we thought we would highlight just 5 of the reasons why entering business awards makes PR sense:

  1. It allows you to see how you compare to your peers – As soon as you submit your award entry your details are winging their way to an awards judge who will compare and score them against your competitors within your chosen category. Rather than being a daunting experience, this is an amazing opportunity to see how your activities compare to those of other businesses – in other words, having your achievements independently verified.
  2. It is a great way to attract new clients and prospects – It’s commonly recognised that award winners tend to experience a flurry of interest from new prospective clients (after all, everyone wants to deal with the most successful companies), but even award-nominated businesses see a significant spike in engagement. The mere use of award-related key words across social media and PPC (pay-per-click) really can open up new opportunities from hitherto disinterested parties.
  3. It cements, or indeed improves, employee morale – Who doesn’t want to work for a successful company? How better to get the word out there than to win or be shortlisted for a prestigious award?  Being part of a hard-working team goes part-way to instilling a sense of pride amongst employees but being part of an award-winning team takes that pride to a different level; and at a time when wage increases are not always a financial possibility, recognition of achievement can be a great way to reward those who have worked towards the success of the company.
  4. It opens up valuable and exclusive networking opportunities – The value of business networking has long been understood, but networking at an awards event amongst like-minded, ambitious business people who have undergone the same submission process as you introduces an instant commonality which makes for easy conversation. As you stand in a room full of interesting new contacts, you know (and of course they know) that you have earned your place at the table – a rare situation where your reputation very definitely precedes you.
  5. You have worked hard and deserve to be recognised – Great achievement in our business or personal lives seldom comes without hard work, long hours and a degree of sacrifice. Rather than leave you wondering if your efforts have been enough to allow you to rise amongst your peers, award entry will help you evaluate your actions and hopefully see them justly rewarded.

At RDZ we have seen a significant increase in the number of clients who see award entry as an essential part of their strategy to grow. So much so that we now have a sister company, The Awards People (www.theawardspeople.co.uk), who concentrate solely on giving clients the support and tools required to get their stories of achievement out there, and to maximise on the many opportunities which present themselves throughout the award process.

To find out more please contact rachel.hargrave@rdz-pr.co.uk or rachel@theawardspeople.co.uk !

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Rachel Hargrave

Rachel has over 30 years of local, regional, national and international communications experience and expertise across a wide variety of clients including FTSE 100 companies, SMEs, micro businesses and start-ups. She also has extensive charity, Not-For-Profit and Community Interest Company experience and happily offers clients working in these areas a 50% discount on all RDZ PR rates.

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Trusha Lakhani, MD, Great Business Matters t/a Trusha Lakhani

Rachel Hargrave is one of the best PR experts that I have met. She not only understands the best awards for her clients but also how to make the most of the opportunity for the client’s personality. Put simply Rachel gets people. She understands her clients and their goals and is with you all the way. I highly recommend Rachel Hargrave and The Awards people and RDZ PR.

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Mark Esho MBE, Easy Internet Services, Easy Internet Solutions, Dreme, Access Rating CIC

Thanks for all the hard work you put into the PR work for our companies and subsequently the business award submissions. You made the whole process stress-free, and the quality of the submissions have resulted in the receipt of multiple business awards. Great work, Rachel.