Inevitably, you’ve been in this situation-here’s an incredible opportunity for your company to be highlighted in an industry award, and the deadline to submit is coming up.  The major problem is time.  How in the world will you get the submission done (with edits from the team and fact gathering  that will be needed-along with your day to day tasks;  is it possible to submit in time)?

Industry awards play a major role in generating recognition and status within almost every industry, and thousands of companies enter them regularly, even more so in this economy.  The value of an industry award truly lets your company stand above the rest and keeps your name in the public eye, but who has the time to write these timely submissions?  In some cases, submissions entail intensely detailed questionnaires which may involve the response of various parties (from opinions of future visions to company financial figures).

The trend to outsource the writing of industry award submissions is increasing due to time constraints and continuous industry demands.  Here are a few tips to consider when looking for help with your industry award program:

1. Hire an expert in the space-Some might say they are “experts”-but are they?  Make sure you hire someone who knows your industry and the various publications that put on the awards your company is interested in.
2. Why? To make sure the award is relevant. Make sure you and they jointly understand why you are submitting for this award. This is especially important if the industry award is ‘local’- say in New Zealand – from an awarding organisation that is well regarded  in New Zealand and amongst local industry peers and partners. Local news and recognition is great, but to get maximum value from your efforts,  it pays to check whether the award is likely to have the same impact and gravitas in the overseas market(s) – say in the USA –  with potential buyers and partners you want to approach. Only an industry expert who understands that overseas market and your local environment, with experience in submitting awards in different geographies to get the attention of specific audiences can help you make that call. So check this out early in the process!
3. Have they had successes in the past for other companies? References and past company award wins are a good sign that true experts know how to help you.  Ask for published wins from other companies.
4. Can they help submit your customers to awards as well? The benefits of recognizing and cultivating customer references profoundly increase your company’s value. Customer awards also demonstrate that your customers have a vested interest in the success and value of your solution.
5. Confidentiality The expert that you hire to help with your industry award submissions should sign an NDA and work directly with your Marketing and/or PR team to get the job done.  Think of them as an extension of your day to day team.

You know that it’s important for your company to enter these awards, and in many cases, its part of your job requirement.  Just remember that there are solutions out there to help you off-load this labor intensive task, and still get the recognition you deserve.

Heidi Olson TNT Communication, Inc.

Marketing and public relations for high growth companies