Most small business owners in the UK focus their energy on sales, service delivery, and keeping the books balanced. Few stop to consider entering business awards, often assuming they’re only for big corporates or household names.
In reality, entering awards can be one of the most cost-effective and high-impact marketing strategies available to a small company. Whether you win, get shortlisted, or simply take part, the benefits go far beyond the trophy shelf.
Let’s explore why awards matter, how to find the right ones for your business, and how to put together a winning entry.
Raising brand awareness
Awards generate publicity. Many award programmes, from local Chambers of Commerce to national organisations, promote finalists through press releases, interviews, and social media campaigns.
For example:
- Local business awards often attract regional press coverage.
- Sector-specific awards can lead to mentions in trade publications.
- Major awards like the UK Business Awards or The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards can bring national exposure.
You can leverage this exposure by posting updates about your journey, such as “we’ve entered!”, “we’ve been shortlisted!”, “we’re heading to the finals!” – creating a steady stream of positive content for your followers.
Employee morale and retention
Recognition matters to your team as much as to your customers. Entering awards demonstrates that you value excellence and innovation, qualities that boost staff pride and loyalty. If your business is nominated, it’s a collective achievement. If you win, celebrate as a team. Public recognition can help with:
- Motivation: staff see their work being appreciated beyond the company walls.
- Recruitment: potential employees are drawn to businesses known for success and strong culture.
- Retention: employees who feel part of a respected, growing brand are less likely to leave.
Customer and supplier confidence
Awards create reassurance for customers and suppliers alike. Clients feel validated in choosing you, and suppliers are often proud to be associated with a recognised business. Adding award logos to your email footer, website, or invoices subtly reinforces your professionalism and trustworthiness.
Networking and partnerships
Award events bring together like-minded business owners, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. You might meet a future supplier, partner, or even investor at a gala dinner or finalist reception. These events are also opportunities to benchmark your performance against similar businesses and learn from others’ best practices.
Free marketing and PR opportunities
PR agencies often charge thousands to secure the kind of coverage that an award can deliver. Even local awards can provide:
- Mentions in newspapers, business magazines, or online news outlets.
- Opportunities to appear in podcasts or interviews.
- Fresh content for your social media feeds and newsletters.
- Something tangible to talk about, and something your clients can share too.
Benchmarking your business
The process of preparing an award entry is itself valuable. It forces you to analyse your business objectively:
- What makes you unique?
- What have you achieved in the past year?
- Where are your weaknesses, and what can you improve?
This kind of self-assessment is rarely done in day-to-day business life but can reveal insights that help refine strategy, improve systems, and focus on growth areas.
How to find the right awards to enter
There are hundreds of awards available in the UK: national, regional, sector-specific, and specialist categories (such as sustainability, innovation, or customer service). Here’s how to discover the ones most relevant to you:
- Start local
Local Chambers of Commerce, business federations, and councils often run annual awards. These are great for first-time award seekers. Entry fees are modest, and the judging panels tend to favour community engagement and entrepreneurial spirit.
- Explore industry-specific awards
Every industry has its own recognition programmes. Examples include:
- The Construction Awards of Excellence (for construction trades)
- The British Accountancy Awards (for professional services)
- The Great British Entrepreneur Awards (for startups and founders)
- The UK Customer Experience Awards (for service-led businesses)
Industry bodies, trade associations, and sector magazines are good places to look.
- Check national award programmes
For broader visibility, have a look at national-level competitions such as:
- The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards
- The National Business Awards
- The SME National Business Awards
These tend to have multiple categories (growth, innovation, sustainability, leadership, etc.), making them accessible to many types of business.
- Search online directories
Take a look at websites such as:
- co.uk
- Awards Intelligence
- Boost Awards
These directories categorise awards by sector, region, and company size – something that could save you hours of research.
- Ask your network
Peers in your industry may know which awards are most respected in your field and where previous clients have succeeded.
How to prepare a winning application
- Choose categories carefully
Don’t just enter every category. Pick those where you can genuinely demonstrate excellence, whether it’s growth, innovation, leadership, sustainability, or customer service. Also look at the judging criteria closely and make sure your business ticks the right boxes.
- Tell a story
Judges read hundreds of entries; facts and figures matter, but stories resonate. Describe the journey: where the business started, the challenges faced, and how you overcame them. Bring your people into the story: leadership vision, team effort, and company culture. Include measurable results: revenue growth, customer satisfaction scores, or community impact. Structure your submission like this:
- Context: who you are and what problem you solve.
- Action: what you did to stand out.
- Results: tangible outcomes with data and testimonials.
- Support with evidence
- Judges love data – it proves your story.
- Growth statistics (turnover, profit, client base).
- Testimonials or client case studies.
- Press coverage or social proof (Google reviews, Trustpilot ratings).
- Awards, certifications, or accreditations already achieved.
- Use visuals if allowed such as graphs, infographics, or images of your team in action.
- Stick to the word count – don’t “waffle”!
Most awards have strict limits. If it says 1,000 words, stay within it. Clarity and conciseness are rewarded, and judges won’t have time to read “filler”.
- Get an external review
Ask a trusted advisor or mentor (EBA, for instance!) to review your submission. They can help spot jargon, clarify your achievements, and check that you’ve hit all judging criteria.
- Prepare for the interview or presentation stage
If shortlisted, you may need to present your case to a panel. Practice delivering your story confidently, anticipate questions around data and future plans and keep the tone professional but passionate – enthusiasm counts!
After the awards: maximising the benefit
Win or lose, don’t stop at the awards night.
Promote your participation
Post on LinkedIn, your website, and newsletters: “We’ve been shortlisted for the XYZ Awards!” This reinforces credibility.
Celebrate internally
Thank your team and make sure everyone knows they contributed. Consider a team event or small bonus for morale.
Leverage publicity
If you win, shout about it! Issue a press release, contact local media, and update your marketing materials. Even if you don’t win, mention the nomination: “Finalist” still carries weight.
Reflect and improve
Use judges’ feedback to identify strengths and weaknesses. You can refine your strategy for next year’s awards or simply use the insights to improve your business operations.
Final thoughts
Entering awards isn’t just about vanity or trophies. It’s about growth, recognition, and professional development. The actual process of putting an entry together, as a team, helps clarify your achievements and future goals, whilst the outcome (win or lose) raises your brand’s visibility and credibility.
For small business owners, the investment of time in preparing award submissions often delivers a return far greater than the cost. You’ll boost staff morale, attract new customers, and open doors to partnerships and publicity that can accelerate your business journey.
So, if you’ve never entered before, make this the year you start! Choose one or two awards that align with your business values and go for it.
You might be surprised at how much your business has to celebrate!
