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Chapter 47—Awards

Awards can be very effective B2B marketing tools, because
they provide third party credibility: someone else thinks you’ve
done well. They also give you a chance to toot your own horn
to prospects and customers—or at least communicate that
someone else is tooting it for you.

There are all kinds of awards for B2B companies. Some
are within a single industry, and others are across multiple
industries.There are awards to recognize innovation, exporting,
HR, sustainability, growth, and many other accomplishments.

Like any marketing tactic, obtaining awards takes resources,
namely time: time to research opportunities, time to complete
the applications, and time to promote the wins. Remember
that application processes (and potentially fees) will vary, so
be sure to read the fine print.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of awards:

1. Research award opportunities. Develop a list of potential
award opportunities; begin with reputable industry
associations, popular trade publications, and conferences
as they often have awards programs. Look for awards that
align with your strategic initiatives or value proposition (for
example, if you’re an architectural firm, look for awards
that honour and showcase excellence in design, or if
your firm prides itself on its ability to design and develop
innovative products, identify awards within your industry
that honour and feature innovation).

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd