Let’s address the trophy-shaped elephant in the room. Some channel businesses think industry awards are a waste of time, with prizes going to the big players over everyone else. I think they’re missing a trick.
The business case for awards is strong. Research by Best Business Awards reveals SBMs can see a 63% increase in income and 39% boost in sales growth on the back of an award win.
Then there’s the industry recognition, increased brand awareness, and validation that persuades prospects to choose your business over the competition – 82% of B2B decision-makers are influenced by awards.
In a channel built on relationships, award ceremonies are an excellent way to network and discuss deals. And let’s not overlook the important morale boost a win delivers for your team, celebrating their success and validating their hard work.
Rethinking objections
Despite these benefits, there’s still resistance in the channel to entering awards. Why?
Some see awards as a superficial back-slapping exercise. But this ignores the bigger picture. Of course, you want to shout about your success, but what really matters is the third-party validation that comes with a win. This reinforces your credibility and reduces perceived risks for partners and clients. In a highly competitive market, it’s a great chance to reduce buyer friction and prove the value you deliver.
Then there’s scepticism about fairness. As a previous judge for the Comms Dealer awards, I can tell you that we assign marks on merit, not on favouritism. Success is about swaying an impartial judge by demonstrating your achievements and impact. It’s really that simple.
I’ve heard business leaders say they want to enter but don’t have the time. If you’re overstretched, streamline the process by outsourcing entry submissions. Instead of seeing entries as an extra task, see them as a continuation of the work you’re already doing building case studies for successful projects. Build a narrative around the metrics and outcomes you’re already tracking and that judges will want to see.
Don’t treat a win like a one-off expense; create an entire content strategy around it, amplifying your success across case studies, social media, and sales conversations. Whether you win or not, writing a submission is a useful process in itself, forcing you to distil your achievements into a compelling story. Repurpose this as a persuasive pitch to investors and stakeholders.
Choosing the right awards
How do you decide which awards to enter in the first place? Don’t take a scatter-gun approach. Instead, start with your business goals – are you aiming to boost credibility, attract new partners, or reinforce your expertise in a specific sector? Pick awards that fit into your growth strategy.
Then do your research: check deadlines, analyse competitor wins, evaluate which categories best highlight your strengths, review past winners and judges, and look at potential media and PR opportunities.
Proving ROI
There are several ways to assess the return on winning an award. Track enquiries, website visits, and sales conversations to see if a win leads to more inbound leads. Measure engagement on your social posts. Monitor approaches for sponsorships or collaborations on the back of a win. Use the win in proposals and pitch decks, then see if deals close faster or if prospects mention the award when they’re evaluating your offering. Compare your performance against competitors who haven’t won similar awards – are you getting invited to more RFPs or events?
While you can measure the immediate ROI of an award win, don't overlook the importance of long-term brand-building. Studies show that fame, trust, and authority lead to stronger pricing and profit compared to short-term activation tactics. An industry award reinforces brand strength, category leadership, and commercial resilience – all powerful drivers of business growth.
It’s time to reframe awards from just another marketing activity into something bigger – a way to prove you belong at the top of your industry, and to shape the channel’s future. Tell your story and show the world what makes you different. It feels good to be up there on the stage, surrounded by your peers, looking out at the crestfallen competition as you walk off with the trophy. But the secret to making awards worthwhile is what you do next.