Tips to Win a Business Award

The Technology Association of Georgia's annual Excalibur Awards celebrate Georgia businesses that use technology in innovative and creative ways. The competition is open to businesses of all sizes.

Why do businesses compete for Excalibur Awards? Because the award is a de facto endorsement from TAG, Georgia's leading community technology network, connecting IT professionals with each other and the companies that employ them since 1997.

In fact, entering a business awards competition should always be viewed as type of PR campaign. As with any PR campaign, the payoff will be increased visibility. The organization sponsoring the awards is also viewing them as a PR opportunity so there will be opportunities for synergy here.

Company candidates must set their objectives beforehand. What will winning this competition do for the company? Some awards underscore a company's integrity, while others may cement a company's reputation as the expert in its field.

Companies should only enter business award competitions sponsored by agencies or other businesses whose brand values and business goals are close to their own. There is a fair amount of work involved in preparing the application. If the award doesn't measurably enhance the company candidate's reputation in some way, then it's not worth applying for.

Read the application very carefully, making particular note of timelines. If you have access to previous winners or judges, it's a good idea to arrange a brief, informal interview with them. Excalibur Award contestants, for example, have access to past Excalibur winners and judges through the online community technology center TAGthink as well as through the many TAG societies.

Remember that modesty is seldom a virtue in a business context. This is particularly the case when you are in contention for a business award.

For more hints about winning business awards, join the online brainstorming sessions at http://www.tagthink.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG):

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 14,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG society. TAG's mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia's technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia's technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state's economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG's charitable arm) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at www.TAGthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.