Are Awards Worth the Effort?

Hi,

Agencies often debate whether awards are worth the effort. Is it just for the big agencies? Do clients really care?

But, when approached strategically, awards can:

• Strengthen your association with the brands you work with.
• Elevate your client's profile (and your standing inside their business).
• Build credibility that supports both client retention and new business.
• Put you on the radar of prospects and investors who might not have considered you otherwise.

And here's something many agencies overlook: you don't always need to win. Being shortlisted can be just as powerful if it still aligns you with your client and gives you visibility in industry rankings.

Action to take this week

Review your current client portfolio and ask:

• Which pieces of work would stand up to external scrutiny?
• Do these align with where we want the agency to grow (sector, geography, client type)?
• Are we measuring impact in a way that would strengthen an award entry?

Pick one 'hero' piece and map out which awards it could realistically be entered into over the next 6-12 months. If you don't have measurable results yet, hold fire until you do. Credibility is everything.

If you're thinking of building (or refreshing) your awards strategy, I've just dropped a podcast episode that dives deeper into why awards matter, how to approach submissions, and where to start looking for the right opportunities.

Until next time,

Jo x