Written by Chelle Peterson, Director of Community Operations
As you might know, The Post was recently named The Readers’ Choice Best Coworking Space in Tucson by the Arizona Daily Star.
And beyond just the fact that it’s a huge honor, I think it was also a really valuable asset to our business.
So, I thought I’d share my two cents on why small business awards can be a great thing for businesses of all kinds as well as a few lessons we learned about how to submit your applications and improve your odds of winning.
Why Small Business Awards Matter
In my opinion, small business awards are super valuable. For one, they help solidify and validate your business and they can also help boost morale and give you something to celebrate.
Winning an award, or even being short-listed for one, can act like a third-party endorsement for your business, proving to potential customers that whatever it is you offer is of high quality.
You can even use it as part of your sales pitches.
It also provides you with a form of free marketing, since you can share the news widely.
Where to Find Small Business Awards in Arizona
When you’re looking for small business awards to submit for, I’d recommend looking at places like:
- The Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce
- The Tucson Metro Chamber
- The Arizona Chamber of Commerce
- The Metropolitan Pima Alliance
But that’s not an exhaustive list. There are a ton of niche business awards out there too, so make sure you do your own industry-specific research.
Tips for Knocking Your Submission Out of the Park
When we were in the submission process for the Best Coworking Space award, we learned a number of valuable lessons.
Be Timely with Submissions
It can be pretty easy to fall behind the eight ball and miss deadlines when it comes to award submissions, so make sure you stay on top of it.
Find Someone to Nominate You If Necessary
Many awards require for someone to nominate you, so try to find someone who will do it on your behalf if need be. Sometimes, you can nominate yourself, but that’s not a sure thing.
Advocate for Yourself
Always remember that, in the award submission process, you have to be your own biggest advocate. That means asking questions, searching for information, following up, spreading the word to your stakeholders, and getting people to vote for you if you need to.
Get Creative in Asking People to Vote
On that note, for a lot of business awards, winning is based on votes. So, do everything you can to get people involved in the voting process:
- Bug people as much as possible
- Use social media
- Print cards, flyers, and pamphlets and share them (we printed business cards and left them all over The Post–they were impossible to miss!
- Leverage your email list
- Remind people how important it is to you
- Tap into customers and stakeholders
Be Part of Your Community
People love to support businesses that give back or do good in the community. Do everything you can do to contribute to your community, from contributing to charity to engaging with fellow professionals.
Share Your Personal Story
Don’t be afraid to share your story. It’s important. Be transparent and honest. People connect with your story more than they connect with just what you do.
As a small business owner, anything you can do to help elevate your profile and put your company in front of your target audience is worthwhile. And small business awards are a great way to do that.
So, find the ones that suit you best, submit your business, and go to bat for yourself. If you’ve got questions about business awards, feel free to connect with me personally! I’d be happy to help in any way I can.
And if you’re interested in learning more about the supportive professional community we have at The Post, get in touch with us today. Our team is available to speak with you.