5 tips for finding the right awards program for your campaign

As your company or client’s public relations or marketing expert, raising their profile is your job.

Among the usual deliverables of garnering earned media, drafting and placing bylined articles and managing social media, submitting and winning industry and trade awards remains one of the most visible ways to help your client to raise their profile as an emerging leader.

Here are some tips for finding the right awards program for your client:

Your marketing budget will ultimately determine which awards you can target, because the most prestigious awards are often the most expensive. The submission cost is a barrier to entry to limit submissions for only the most serious of award applicants.

Research the past award winners. Does your client seem like a fit among last year’s winners? If not, don’t worry. It’s possible the judges simply haven’t reviewed a nominee like your client and might consider selecting someone completely unexpected. Don’t be afraid to punch above your client’s weight.

Don’t be discouraged if your client doesn’t donate enough money or isn’t on as many boards as another CEO. Not everyone can donate $1 million per year, and no judge would dock points for nominees being wealthier than others. What is most important is why your boss supports what they support.