Nomination Promotion: How to Promote an Award Nomination

Getting nominated for an award or similar recognition can lead to a boost of confidence. It can also be a huge benefit to your business. For that reason, nomination promotion is important when you are up for an award. So look for ways to gain support for your efforts.

Some of the top Small Business Influencer Awards winners and nominees and other experts have shared their secrets for nomination promotion. Read on for some tips to help you promote your own award nominations and similar recognitions.

Email Your Contacts for Nomination Promotion

When seeking support for an award nomination, you can start by reaching out to people you know would love to help. Business growth and marketing strategist Kelly McCormick told Small Business Trends that she recommends reaching out to your personal and professional contacts first. Just send a quick but personal email letting them know about the contest and how to vote, if necessary.

Send It Out to Your Subscribers

You can also reach out to those who have supported your business in other ways. If you have a list of email subscribers who have done business with you in the past, consider sending out a quick update including information about your award or nomination and instructions for voting if they choose to do so.

Include a Link in Your Signature

While you don’t have to email every single person in your contacts list specifically to tell them about your nomination or ask for their vote, it doesn’t mean you can’t let them know in a more subtle way.

Business writer and expert Gwen Moran, co-author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Plans” said she uses her email signature line to highlight a few of her awards or nominations. This lets the people you email know about your strengths. But it can also encourage them to vote in a current awards promotion if applicable.

Post on Social Networks

Social networks can also be a great place to gain support for your award nomination. McCormick suggests sticking with the social networks that you’re most active on. Keep it simple with just a link and a short explanation of the award and/or how to vote. You don’t need to bombard people with requests. But the people who follow you on those platforms likely do so for a reason. So they may be likely to vote for you or your business.

Ask Relevant Influencers for Help

You can also leverage social media to gain the support of some relevant influencers in your industry.

McCormick says, “Reach out to social media influencers that you’ve built relationships with. Ask if they would be willing to share your voting page link within their networks.”

After You’ve Been Recognized

Include Your Team in Updates

Whether you’re being recognized for accomplishments as a business or as an individual, it’s important to recognize the people who helped you get there. Your team is more likely to support you in all endeavors when they feel appreciated and like their work is being recognized as well.

Jack Bienko, Deputy for Entrepreneurship Education at the Small Business Administration, said in a phone interview with Small Business Trends, “I’m a big fan of talking to your team about things internally. It can have a big impact on morale and enthusiasm when you recognize people and their work. People work so hard, so giving pats on the back or acknowledging them with authentic appreciation can go a long way.”

Keep Clients in the Loop

Likewise, your regular clients have a huge impact on the success of your business. So keep them apprised of all the accomplishments and achievements you’ve made during your communication with them.

Add Awards to Your Bios

Moran also recommends adding awards or recognitions to your bios on your website and marketing materials, especially when using those materials to go after new clients. She said having those awards listed can not only help you raise awareness, but it can also show potential clients that a third party has approved of your abilities.

Use Them to Boost Credibility

No matter how you choose to share your awards or nominations, it’s important that you do so. Sharing that type of information can not only help you gain needed support, but it can also improve your reputation and credibility within your industry. And positioning awards as credibility-builders can help you feel like you’re not just bragging or over-promoting your accomplishments.

Moran said of the Small Business Influencer Awards, “It’s a third-party endorsement that tells people I’ve been recognized for my work, especially because it’s chosen by such high-profile judges.”

Include Actual Signage

In addition to all of the online methods for sharing your accomplishments, you can also consider using actual signage to keep customers informed. Bienko said that his barber shop often puts stickers or small badges from awards it has won in the window of the shop. It’s a small token, but it lets customers who visit your location know about your awards and accomplishments.

Genuinely Thank People

When people do support your efforts, it’s important that you show some appreciation. Genuinely thank people who have voted for you or congratulated you. It shows that you’re humble and really thankful for all of the people who helped you get where you are.

Trophy Photo via Shutterstock

This article, "Nomination Promotion: How to Promote an Award Nomination" was first published on Small Business Trends