Marketers can learn a lot from Leonardo DiCaprio and Peyton Manning.
And I don't just mean because one of them is maybe the biggest movie star in Hollywood, and the other is perhaps the most famous pitchman in the United States, appearing in television commercials for everything from Papa John's Pizza and Nationwide Insurance to DirecTV and Nike.
Both of them are proof positive that awards matter. In DiCaprio's case, we'll find out in the coming weeks if he can finally secure an Academy Award and take his place among the great actors of his generation. In the case of Manning, a second Super Bowl win would help cement his legacy as one of the greatest football players in history.
While it's all well and good to talk about doing your best and trying your hardest, the reality is that awards matter, whether you're an NFL quarterback, an A-list actor, or a Canadian marketing agency.
So why is it that businesses, large or small, don't make winning awards and recognition for their work a priority? The value that an award win can have on your business, your reputation, and your career is huge, and those who don't think they're worth their weight in gold are missing out on the big picture.
In my last article I talked about how your own employees can act as your biggest brand advocates. To that end, awards for the work your business or agency is producing are a great way to get your employees excited and proud of the organization that they work for.
Let's face it, everyone wants to be, or work for, a winner.
Celebrating those wins with your teams provides tremendous opportunities for culture building and celebrating the hard work teams put in day in and day out. These celebrations don't have to be extravagant, but even a company e-mail to communicate a win and thank the teams for their work can go a long way towards building a positive and proud company culture – key ingredients for an engaged workforce.
For any business, award wins are a stamp of approval from the industry that can lead to earned media coverage and the networking potential of award ceremonies, providing a calling card for potential new clients.
Just like making your employees proud of the company they work for, awards make customers proud of the partner they've chosen to work with, and at the same time can encourage businesses that aren't yet on your customer list to wish they were.
It's not good enough to just be good at what you do. To be successful it's important for others to see you as being good at what you do. Creating, executing, and running strong campaigns takes a lot of work and effort from numerous stakeholders and employees, and to not have that work recognized and celebrated is a waste and a missed opportunity.
After countless hours perfecting your project, why wouldn't you want to try and get it the recognition it deserves? Submitting for awards that you think your work has earned shows pride in what your team has produced. When it comes to client/agency relationships, it's all about trust. Winning awards and earning recognition for the work your team is doing can strengthen those relationships and reinforce their trust in your work.
From the impact on culture to new business leads, awards are more than just a piece of hardware. They are an important part of growing, improving, and staying at the forefront of your industry. The time and effort that are needed to put together and submit the awards is well worth it when you get the recognition that is deserved from a team's hard work. They keep us pushing the envelope and thinking in bold and strategic ways. They are a great way to keep us striving to be the best.
If Manning and the Denver Broncos can figure out a way to beat the Carolina Panthers next weekend, and DiCaprio is finally recognized for his work in The Revenant, those awards will have a profound impact on their legacies.
Why should yours be any different?