Chamber Insider Blog

4 Tips to Elevate Your Brand as a Small Business Award Finalist

Congratulations on being named a Finalist for the Loudoun Small Business Awards!  What a great and well deserved honor.  Here’s four tips to strike while the iron is hot and make sure your audience knows about this major milestone for your business.   

1)      People’s Choice Award Voting (Closes today at 5pm!)– You’re up for a second award.  Awesome!  Don’t stop there. The People’s Choice online voting is a great way to tell your audience that you’re a finalist and they can be directly involved in making you a winner.  Allow your customers to share in your success by sharing the People’s Choice online voting link on all your social media properties, marketing emails, and your blog.

2)      Industry Press Release– When in doubt, send a press release.  Every industry has a reporter, blogger, or an association covering the industry, and they need your help!  They need daily, weekly, and monthly content and you need your story told.  This partnership is a win/win.  Share your story and elevate your profile in the marketplace. 

3)      Reserved Table at the Awards – For your top customers and fans, actually attending the event with you is a great way to recognize and reward some of your biggest fans, customers, and team members for their contributions to your success.  For roughly $100 a person, you can invite them to share in this experience from the fancy dresses (or tuxes) to dinner to the excitement of the awards announcements there’s no better way to build loyalty among those you value most.   

4)      Advertising in the Event Program – On November 4th you will be surrounded by the “best of the best” small businesses in Loudoun County.  An advertisement in the program elevates your status as company among Loudoun’s elite and gives you yet another opportunity to communicate your unique value to this exclusive audience.  

5)      Bonus Tip! Blog Post– Reprint your own press release as a blog post.  Every once-in-a-while it is acceptable to post great news about your company among the other tips, tricks, and stories you share through your blog.  One of the major advantages of a blog is what is called the long tail. In short, news or a product will continue to have a long life outside of its initial release and remain relevant for specific searches.  News of your awards and recognitions can continue to elevate your brand to potential customers up to 1 year after the recognition was made. 

Have fun using these tips to show off your company and build a greater audience for your brand.  We look forward to celebrating with you on November 4th!  

Posted by Director of Membership & Brand Strategy, Grafton deButts, gdebutts@loudounchamber.org