I don’t mean to be so glib. Congratulations on the award. That’s fantastic. But let’s look at this from a marketing perspective.

 

Here are some ways to get the most out of awards. Go here if you’re also interested in how to make sure you’re considered for hot industry awards.

 

Not all awards are created equally. Small regional awards may not get much recognition. But national recognition, awards for corporate growth and even awards from well know industry partners can generate a lot of visibility for you. The release should highlight why you won the award and what’s exciting about your company. If a well known partner gave you the award, make sure that’s prominent in the release. The pick up from that can make all the difference, especially if they are publicly traded and you aren’t.

 

If you have an ongoing PR strategy, you will see additional value from awards. For example, Q2 Marketing recently had clients featured three times in media, influenced greatly as a result of the awards they won and (this is important) the publicity we did around the awards. One of those features was in Inc. Magazine. Each was part of an ongoing media strategy that coupled press releases, award programs and media pitching.

 

If you have won awards for being a great place to work, that should be part of your recruitment message. Awards for corporate excellence, sound management, etc., should be rolled into your sales and marketing materials. Sometimes companies choose to incorporate the logos of a major award they have won on their web site, or even their business card. 

 

Add any and all award wins to your online media room. This is the easy one.