Did you know that companies that win industry awards experience up to a 37% increase in sales?¹ Winning an award isn’t just about adding another trophy to your shelf—it’s about standing out in a crowded market, gaining third-party validation, and building trust with potential clients. If you're not actively submitting your business for awards, you're leaving credibility, visibility, and revenue on the table.
So, how do you craft a winning award submission? And more importantly, how do you leverage those wins for maximum impact? This guide will walk you through the entire process—from selecting the right awards to crafting a compelling submission and using your wins to boost your brand.
Awards act as third-party endorsements, reinforcing your credibility and differentiating you from competitors. A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that small businesses that win awards experience a 63% increase in revenue and a 39% boost in employee morale.² The impact goes beyond prestige—awards influence purchasing decisions, attract new clients, and strengthen brand authority. In fact, 82% of business leaders say that award recognition plays a role in their decision-making process.³
Many award programs offer built-in publicity through press releases, social media mentions, and event promotions, amplifying your brand’s visibility. Securing a nomination or a win can lead to media features, increased website traffic, and a stronger presence in the industry. Our client, TPG Architecture, for example, has successfully leveraged award wins to gain editorial opportunities—securing dedicated project features as a direct result of award submissions.
Programs like the Architizer A+ Product Awards, Interior Design’s Best of Year Awards, Metropolis Planet Positive Awards, ENR Award of Excellence, and CoreNet Global Awards provide significant industry recognition and media exposure, often showcasing winning projects to global audiences. The ability to leverage such prestigious honors in marketing and sales efforts makes them a critical component of a firm’s growth strategy.
Beyond external recognition, award wins boost employee morale. Employees take pride in working for an award-winning company, which can lead to increased engagement and retention. Businesses with strong recognition programs experience 31% lower turnover rates than those without.⁴ Showcasing your achievements also helps attract top-tier talent, positioning your firm as an industry leader where high performers want to work.
Awards aren’t just for display—they can be used as powerful marketing assets. One of our architecture clients integrates award seals directly into their proposals, reinforcing design excellence when presenting to clients. Their leadership teams have also leveraged project awards to strengthen individual recognition and secure accolades such as RDI’s Legion of Honor award and Connect CRE's Women in Real Estate Award, which look for a portfolio rich with award-winning projects.
Beyond company-wide recognition, awards that highlight individual professionals—such as 40 Under 40 Awards and Commercial Observer’s Top Young Professionals—can help elevate key team members, positioning them as rising leaders in the industry. These accolades not only boost credibility internally but also enhance visibility within the sector, making firms more attractive to potential clients and top talent. Recognizing individual achievements reinforces a firm’s commitment to leadership development and industry impact.
At UpSpring, we take awards as seriously as we do media relations. Each of our clients has a dedicated, heavily researched strategy for hitting their award goals—refined year over year. For our client TPG Architecture, we reduced the total number of award submissions by roughly half by reprioritizing our approach, while nearly doubling the selection rate from 31% in 2023 to 59% in 2024. By strategically assessing past wins, price, and competition, we ensure our clients' submissions are both cost-effective and highly successful.
The key to maximizing these benefits is a thoughtful, strategic approach to award submissions. By selecting the right awards, crafting compelling entries, and actively leveraging your wins, you can turn recognition into real business results. Let’s explore how to do just that.
Awards aren’t just for display—they can be used as powerful marketing assets. One of our architecture clients integrates award seals directly into their proposals, reinforcing design excellence when presenting to clients. Their leadership teams have also leveraged project awards to strengthen individual recognition and secure accolades such as RDI’s Legion of Honor award and Connect CRE's Women in Real Estate Award, which look for a portfolio rich with award-winning projects.
Beyond company-wide recognition, awards that highlight individual professionals—such as 40 Under 40 Awards and Commercial Observer’s Top Young Professionals—can help elevate key team members, positioning them as rising leaders in the industry. These accolades not only boost credibility internally but also enhance visibility within the sector, making firms more attractive to potential clients and top talent. Recognizing individual achievements reinforces a firm’s commitment to leadership development and industry impact.
At UpSpring, we take awards as seriously as we do media relations. Each of our clients has a dedicated, heavily researched strategy for hitting their award goals—refined year over year. For our client TPG Architecture, we reduced the total number of award submissions by roughly half by reprioritizing our approach, while nearly doubling the selection rate from 31% in 2023 to 59% in 2024. By strategically assessing past wins, price, and competition, we ensure our clients' submissions are both cost-effective and highly successful.
The key to maximizing these benefits is a thoughtful, strategic approach to award submissions. By selecting the right awards, crafting compelling entries, and actively leveraging your wins, you can turn recognition into real business results. Let’s explore how to do just that.
Before you start filling out applications, it's essential to be strategic about which awards you pursue. Not all awards are created equal, and choosing the right ones can make the difference between meaningful recognition and wasted effort. The key is to focus on opportunities that align with your industry, business goals, and brand positioning.
Pro Tip: Research past winners to assess your chances. If previous winners are similar in size and scope to your company, it's a good fit. Also, evaluate the jury—check their bios, LinkedIn activity, and past work to anticipate what they might gravitate toward.
Once you’ve identified the right awards, the real challenge begins—crafting a submission that stands out from the competition. Judges review dozens, sometimes hundreds, of applications, so yours needs to be compelling, well-structured, and backed by evidence.
Pro Tip: If confidentiality is a concern, research which programs accommodate this. Some, like Fast Company, do not.
Even the best companies sometimes miss out on awards due to simple but avoidable mistakes. Understanding these pitfalls in advance can help ensure your submission doesn’t fall flat.
Winning an award is just the beginning—what you do next determines how much value you get from your achievement. Awards can provide long-term benefits, but only if you actively promote and integrate them into your marketing and sales strategy.
Winning an award is just the beginning—what you do next determines how much value you get from your achievement. To truly capitalize on your recognition, integrate it into your broader marketing, sales, and PR strategy.
By taking a strategic approach to post-award promotion, you ensure that each win contributes to your broader business growth and visibility.
At UpSpring, we don’t just submit awards—we create a winning strategy. Our approach is deeply rooted in research, industry insights, and data-driven decision-making. We analyze past successes, competition, costs, and overall impact to craft a highly targeted submission strategy for each client. Our process includes:
We approach awards with the same level of strategic thinking as media relations, ensuring every entry contributes to your overall brand and business growth.
[1]British Quality Foundation study, as reported by Best Business Awards
[2] U.S. Chamber of Commerce Study on Award-Winning Businesses
[3] Business Leader Survey on Award Influence
[4] Employee Recognition and Retention Study
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