There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing your client pick up a shiny, prestigious award they deserve for an initiative or project they’ve poured their hearts and souls into. And knowing that you made that happen with your award entry is genuinely one of the most rewarding things in PR. But why should awards form part of your overall strategy?

Let’s set the scene…

You’re sitting at your desk at 10am on a Monday morning when you get the news your client has been shortlisted for a prestigious business award. Your first port of call is to draft up a press release and a couple of social posts to inform your client’s wider network of this wonderful success. In the words of Robert De Niro, “If you’re nominated, you’ve already won.”

1. Brand Visibility and SEO

By the end of the week, the press release has secured ten pieces of high-quality trade coverage across high domain authority sites, with back links to your client’s website. Your social media posts have hundreds of shares, like and comments, which attracts more users to your profile, and instantly the brand is more visible and recognisable to more people in new, untapped demographics.

Word-of-mouth is still hugely influential in driving business growth, so it’s important that you have something built into your client’s campaign that will leave people talking positively.

2. Endorsement and Prestige

It’s the night of the awards, and your client takes home the prize. That recognition can then act as an endorsement for their business, building confidence in your client’s brand (and your own, as a kick-ass PR agency, with incredible story-telling skills). In a competitive business world, reputation and credibility are everything, and a nomination or win demonstrates an achievement that can positively impact your client’s brand image.

3. Great for Team Morale

Finally, for both clients and PR teams, award wins are a huge boost in morale. Knowing that your award entry has been a cut above the rest, showcases the incredible work your client has achieved and, ultimately, brings a lot of joy to that team, is hugely rewarding.

At Eden, we have submitted countless award entries as part of our PR strategies, promoting our clients’ dedication to charitable giving, social value and wellbeing, through to the expertise they hold within their own industry. Whether an individual or group award, knowing you helped a business achieved something goes a long way to building that relationship.

Eden has built awards into many of its campaigns over the years and has seen a number of clients take home big prizes as a result. Here are a few examples:

• Neville Trust Group of Companies took home two prizes at the 2024 Bedfordshire SME Business Awards, including Business of the Year Gold and Apprentice Employer of the Year Silver. In 2025, the company has been shortlisted for a further two awards at this event and won the award for Best Small Employer of Apprentices at the inaugural Luton Apprenticeship Awards.
• In 2023, A.W. Lymn, The Family Funeral Service, took home the Family Business Award at The Business Desk East Midlands Business Matters.