Living and working on events Hollywood for years when starting her own business our publisher certainly got a tremendous taste of the fan fair that awards of any kind hold. The publisher of Adore Magazine (Kat Minks) recalls her first event worked on was actually an award show/ film festival that lasted several days.
There is no doubt that when it comes to receiving an award the excitement and anticipation can be fulfilling and built upon to establish notoriety. Often consumers look at a business being awarded bigger and better than a single review because awards signify stability, professionalism, and that you actually know what you're doing or talking about. So how do make that happen for yourself and your business?
Over the years publications have come out with their own awards for small businesses. Sometimes it’s driven by editor’s choice, votes by readers, a judge panel, or reviews. Adore Magazine has been lucky to be nominated now two years in a row for a local award by The Twin Cities Collective and Publisher Kat Minks has won several awards for events and styling. Most recently from The Knot, Best Of Awards. Previous awards won include (ILEA) International Live Events Association , Thumbtack Best of and more!
So why is being nominated or winning an award important to a business ? If you have a small, creative, or event business how should you be leveraging the power of nominations and winning all types of awards?
Let us break it down for you.
First… Mindset
When you are taking clients and doing jobs throughout the year. Whether you are a maker, an event planner, or work with clients be thinking “How would I potentially be able to leverage this project to produce more clients for me?” The answer is submitting the project for an award for your business or utilizing it to showcase your business in an award show.
Over the course of the year make sure you are asking your clients and customers to write reviews on Google, Facebook, and any relevant directory listing such as (The Knot, Wedding Wire, Angie’s List, Thumbtack, etc…
Research what’s coming
Mark you calendar at the beginning of the year of the awards that you would like to submit to. It’s easy to miss submission deadlines if you forgetter don’t know what’s coming up.
Local and National Awards / Grant Contests
Where to look for the right ones for you.
When you are looking into awards to submit your business for start locally. Many associations related to what you do and what your business provides allows non- members to be nominated. Sometimes the submission process requires a lengthy description of a particular event or your business along with a submission fee to have apparel of judges review the information.
photo of Kat Minks accepting Best Wedding Event Planning Under $50,000 and Best Design under $25,000 award with Nicole French from ILEA.
Ideas for event related businesses: Local ideas The Knot /Wedding Wire, ILEA, MPI, NACE, your state’s bridal magazine and online directory.
Ideas for Creatives and Makers and Boutiques : Twin Cities Collective, MSP Magazine, Thumbtack, News Stations, etc… Check with your state’s local magazine that often lists happenings. The Boutique Awards, Amara Interior Blog Awards, Mar Com Marketing Awards, Blogosphere Awards.
Grants : The Fed Ex Business Grant Contest. Search for grant contests for small businesses as there are a plethora related to gender, race, religion, and more.
Submitting Tips
If being up for an award requires you to package adn write something about your business, how do you do that?
*Make sure that when you are putting photos together of work if necessary that you make a photo collage so you can fit more images into the submission as well as show details. I know for event planning awards some require receipts from events to show you stayed within a certain budget.
*When describing your business (or project) make sure you write about what inspired the project.
*Include names of affiliates for the project.
If there's an opportunity for best group effort award absolutely add that on too!
Promote
Part of the reason organizations have awards is to promote their site, business or a sponsor’s product.
Make sure that once you are nominated you are promoting the awards for your own vote as well as others you may know. Get your fellow business owners involved in nominations as well.
Currently Adore Magazine is nominated for Best Publication. We would be honored to have your vote by going to this link and placing it under “Best Publication” category. Winners are announced on Dec 15th 2020! If you know or want to check out other category nominees we encourage you to do so and plan to take part for your own business next year.
For all things inspiration in celebration and lifestyle check out print or digital copies of Adore Magazine in our Shop as well as checking out the specialty services of our publisher, Kat Minks Design when it comes to consulting for events or business. Right now every purchase of Adore Magazine on Adore's web site enters you into a drawing to receive a custom Adore Bracelet by a featured designer in the magazine Jenny Bader of Jenica Jewelry.
