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small business awards 2019

9 Small Business Awards Worth the Application Efforts!

Apply to These 9 Small Business Awards to help your Company Stand Out!

When you own a small business, being recognized for your hard work is very gratifying. After all, every single day you strive to serve customers and clients, and to have a positive impact on your community.

Awards for business help recognize local companies for a job well done. Whether you’re new to the industry, or have a long history of commitment to helping the economy grow, there are plenty of benefits to receiving small business awards.

In this article, we take a look at 9 awards that you can apply for in order to give your business the recognition it deserves. Keep reading for a list of awards that can help take your industry exposure to the next level.

1. Ernst & Young: Entrepreneur of the Year

Ernst & Young is widely acknowledged as one of the more important awards in business. This award recognizes top entrepreneurs in a wide range of categories for business leaders across the country. 

2. The Stevies: American Business Awards

These awards for U.S. based businesses are divided into ten categories with subcategories that include both for-profit and non-profit companies of all sizes. The Stevies present Company of the Year awards in 34 industry categories, with a special emphasis on innovation.

3. Thrillist

Winning a spot among the Thrillist awards list provides enviable exposure in the business community. There’s no statue or significant prize money for winners, but winning will provide the level of publicity every company dreams of. This award is best suited to restaurants, shopping venues, and other retailers.

4. NAVOBA: Vetrepreneur of the Year

This award was created to support veteran owned businesses across the country. Companies of all sizes are encouraged to apply.

5. San Francisco World Spirits Competition

If you’re in the business of distilling spirits, this award can help you rise to the top of the industry. It also provides the chance to help improve placement of your bottles on store shelves.

6. The Veggie Awards

The Veggies are dedicated to vegan and sustainable business practices. This award is a great way to gain exposure for businesses focuses on helping people eat healthier and thus live better lives.

7. People & Planet Green Business Award

This award honors companies for environmentally-friendly business practices. There are multiple categories, and the winner in each categories receives a check for $5,000.

8. MVMT 50: The Innovator Awards

This annual award recognizes people of color who are making an impact on entrepreneurship. Winners gain press recognition and the opportunity to expand their professional network.

9. Enterprising Women of the Year Awards

These awards recognize the entrepreneurial spirit in young women. Hosted by The Enterprising Women Foundation, the spotlight is shined on women and girls who work hard to stand out as business leaders within their communities.

Top Awards for Business

In order to succeed and flourish in a competitive marketplace, small businesses need all the help they can get. That’s why awards for business are so important. This list of awards you can apply for gives you the chance to attract the kind of recognition that can help your business grow.

Click here to see 7 strategies to increase brand trust for your company.

Promote Business by Encouraging Your Employees to be Brand Ambassadors

Employee satisfaction is important and links to customer satisfaction. Not only do satisfied and happy employees make for more productive workers, making a better contribution to the company, they can also act as spokespeople for your company. Happy employees are eager to promote business and this could lead to new clients and even sales as well as small business awards. 

Here are several practical ways your employees can help your business and potentially ensure the company gets the recognition it deserves.

Merchandise 

Merchandise is crucial to promotion. Getting your employees to drink from employee mugs at home or wear key rings with the company logo can get people asking questions about your business. It also is a tangible way to promote business. 

Merchandise is a nice way of rewarding employees and makes them feel more included and part of the team. Here are some items that your employees might be interested in:

  • Water bottles. These are environmentally friendly and give off the right message about your company’s eco credentials. But they also mean exposure to members of the public. Think about how many people will see your employees drinking from your company branded bottle on the bus, walking down the street or at a restaurant. These visual impressions can help promote your business.
  • Phone covers. Everybody has a smartphone these days and people also break them very easily. A well-made phone cover, in several different designs and colors with the company logo embossed, can be a popular item among the staff that is both useful and attractive. 

Social Media 

With Facebook averaging over 2.3 Billion users, a company’s social media platform is more important than ever to promote business. Imagine the outreach of not just one central account but potentially hundreds of genuine social media accounts all promoting your company on a daily basis.

Encourage your employees to tweet about the company or post a photo on Instagram or Facebook, tagging the company’s official account in posts and sharing the company logo. Also feel free to talk to your company employees about strategic posting. 

Give employees some advice on how they can help promote business and perhaps even arrange a group session with the person in your office responsible for social media. 

Networking 

Networking is the way the business and employees build connections with customers but it can also be the way employees can make connections of their own that can be valuable in their long term careers. Supporting your employees in this way promotes business by showing that your company is a caring employer.

Arranging networking events outside of work time can, therefore, be a very valuable process. Be sure to offer incentives such as free drinks or even a buffet meal to ensure a laid back event that is not too formal. 

Your Employees Are the Best Way to Promote Business 

If you want to ensure your business is reaching out to new customers and growing at a pace you are happy with, then look to the people who work at your business.

Your employees are your organization’s lifeblood who experience the company on a day-to-day business. If they like and enjoy working for the company then, with the right guidance, they will be one of the best ways to promote business, online and in-person. 

If you’re interested in our best-in-business awards contact us to find out more.