When you are nominated for an award, such as a Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award presented by MNP, the end goal is to win. Even if you don’t win, there are many perks to the application and nomination process. Here are 6 ways a Business Excellence Award is good for your business.
Winner of the President’s Award in 2020, Bryce Herman speaks to the media team at The Noble Pig in 2020. Photo Credit Kathleen Fisher Photography
Exposure
Brand exposure makes you more recognizable to new consumers and garners brand recognition in consumers. The Business Excellence Awards will expose you to new people, industries, and niche markets. Even if you don’t take home the hardware, the nomination process is an eye-opening experience to remind local entrepreneurs how much talent and tenacity our region has.
The Business Excellence Awards are freshly polished as eager finalists wait to see if they would take home the trophy in 2019. Photo Credit Kim Anderson Photography
Increase your Credibility
Awards build credibility quickly in a smart and effective way. A Business Excellence Award nomination helps your business stand out from the competition. Nominations can position your business as a leader in your industry. Trust and credibility are crucial in commerce and these are elevated by the endorsement of your peers. Award recognition communicates to your target market that you are the real deal and worthy of their business.
Executive Director, Acacia Pangilinan, mingles with guests and nominees at the Nominees Breakfast in 2019. Photo Credit Kim Anderson Photography
Networking
Why do you need to network for your small business? Simple. The more people you meet, the more people there are in the world that knows you and your business. The entire award process, from nomination to the awards night, is one of the best networking opportunities of the year. ‘It’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know’ rings especially true as a growing small business. Use these types of networking opportunities to form relationships with others in related fields that will help you find new clients and allow you to form partnerships with other businesses. Remember, each person you network with at any of the Business Excellence Awards’ events also has their own network that you can tap into, and soon you will have a network for them to tap into in exchange.
Dr. Cindy Nagel’s, Horizon Dental, Finalist Portrait for the 33rd Annual Business Excellence Awards. She was a finalist in five award categories.
Photo Credit Kim Anderson Photography
Increased Confidence
Being recognized as one of the best is a great confidence booster for your business AND for you personally. It can make you confident in the choices you’ve made that have gotten you to where you are, and that always feels good.
Regular networking pushes you to talk to people you don’t know, and if this makes you uncomfortable – trust us, it gets easier. With a little practice, networking boosts your confidence and becomes more enjoyable. Confidence is important as a business owner as your business growth relies on the connections you are building and the more confident you become, the easier the connections will become.
Jessy Sra, Senior Manager of MNP, speaks to a crowd at the 33rd Annual Business Excellence Awards Nominees Breakfast in 2019. Photo Credit Kim Anderson Photography
Inspiration
Something or someone inspired you to become a business owner, and something or someone will keep inspiring you to stay a business owner. The motivational stories of other entrepreneurs nominated for awards make small business owners feel like they’re not on this journey alone. The stories you hear and the people you meet just might give you a new idea that allows you to reimagine your business; they’re also a great reminder that new success could be just around the corner. You may even find yourself revitalized by talking about your business during the nomination process and chatting with other entrepreneurs. You will find yourself naturally inspired by like-minded people with drive and passion like yours.
33rd Annual Business Excellence Awards in 2019. Photo Credit Kim Anderson Photography
Innovation
If the application and nomination process seems intense to you, just remember how innovative the process can be. Writing and talking in such depths about your business allows you to look at it from every angle and you’ll gain invaluable insights. Unpacking your business like this will always identify areas of improvement, diversity, growth, and innovation.