The document discusses strategies for businesses to win industry awards. It notes that winning awards boosts staff morale, generates sales, and establishes a business as a leader, increasing profitability. It recommends that businesses be flexible and able to adapt, be bold in trimming back ineffective strategies, stay up-to-date on trends, be innovative in developing new ideas, and prepare well in advance when applying for awards. Following these strategies can significantly improve business results even if an award is not won.

1. Personal Branding
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How to Win Awards... Grow Your Business
By Jon-Michail
Telstra Business Awards
Does your business have strategies in place to constantly review your business activities? If yours are as
dynamic and efficient as possible, there are no barriers to gaining that all-important industry recognition
- winning industry awards.
Think about what an award will do for your business. It will have a huge impact on staff morale,
generate sales and establish your business as an industry leader, all of which mean increased
profitability.
SMEs stand to gain the most from setting aside the time to apply and then be award-ready. If you have a
strong business identity and a continuing drive for excellence you will already be a contender with the
possibility of becoming an award winning enterprise.
For further information on this handout and the consulting
and coaching programs available please contact: Page 1 of 2
Image Group International
Asia Pacific Head Office
T: (+61 3) 9824 0420
E: info@imagegroup.com.au
www.imagegroup.com.au
©2012

2. Over the last five years, over twenty clients of Image Group International have received awards for
business excellence in numerous industry awards. They know what it takes to win. As well as having
great product and performance, they constantly use a proven range of strategies to boost and
strengthen their business capabilities. As award winner Leonna Rose says, “Business Awards helps to
improve your image and differentiate you. My advice is to make it part of your annual plans and
strategise what aspects will make you worthy to win the award”.
Be flexible. This means adapting to the current and future conditions. Understand when to hunker
down in difficult periods and when to grab the opportunities as they start reappearing.
Be ready to change gear if necessary, or to explore a different path. If you can quickly adjust your
business capability towards a new market, your profitability will respond. That in itself is a sure-fire way
to increase your chance in the awards game.
Be bold. Get rid of things that are not working and are holding you back. Move forward with strategies
that are new and enterprising. By trimming the excesses, you will increase profitability. Who has the
talent and enterprise in your team? Who has the skills to move you forward? Who or what added to
your successes over the last few months? Nurture and develop those people and processes because
they will take you forward, rather than a team which has been remained relatively static.
Be up-to-the-minute. How do you and your managers know what current consumer thinking is? How do
you identify changing trends? Are you up with current trends in your field? The answer is to learn from
your competitors and your customer base. If your competitor is an award winner, so much the better.
Remember, nothing succeeds like success, so use that to advantage. But don’t copy them; collaborate
with them.
Be innovative. There’s nothing more aggravating than seeing a competitor come up with a great idea
that you should have had. If you have a thorough understanding of your business’s unique strengths and
the way it works, your great ideas will arrive. Your job is to nurture them, develop them and then
present them to your clients. Result? Increased profitability. That’s how you will stand out from your
competitors and how the award judges will notice you.
Daniel Dahm, 2011 Telstra Business Award Winner in a recent interview said "ensure you allocate the
right resources to the process. It’s important that if you believe you should win an award, you put the
right amount of time into best presenting your case to the judges. Speak to others who have entered
similar awards. From personal experience, talking with others who have won or entered previously can
help illuminate the process and give you the confidence to put your best foot forward”.
Be ready. Think about the business awards you would like to enter and get ready now. It’s a long
process; not one that begins with the entry form but one that has months of forward thinking and hard
work behind it. An industry award will significantly improve your business results. Even if you don’t
make it this time round, the process will immeasurably improve your processes and products. Try it.
Whatever the result, you’re going to be a winner.
Image Group International offers the ‘How to Enter and Win Awards’ course as a part of the Monetising
Your Corporate Brand™ Coaching Program.
For further information on this handout and the consulting
and coaching programs available please contact: Page 2 of 2
Image Group International
Asia Pacific Head Office
T: (+61 3) 9824 0420
E: info@imagegroup.com.au
www.imagegroup.com.au
©2012