Business awards can sometimes feel like little more than marketing exercises – but for many electrical contractors and tradie businesses, they can also create valuable opportunities for credibility, exposure and growth.
The key is understanding which awards are worth entering, what judges are actually looking for, and how businesses can use awards strategically rather than treating them as a one-off exercise.
Business awards generally recognise achievements such as:
Some awards focus heavily on industry recognition, while others are more geared towards brand exposure and marketing opportunities.
Tye Hillam, business mentor at Stryv, says businesses should first look at whether the award aligns with their goals and industry.
“The first thing I’d look at is alignment. Not all awards are equal and not all of them are relevant to their business.
“Some awards are more about brand exposure and others are more about credibility within your industry.
“At a local level, chambers of commerce often have more opportunities than people realise. You’ll usually have your obvious category, like trades, but then there are broader categories like customer service or small business where you can also be competitive.”
Annette Densham, Awards Specialist and Storyteller from Award Winning Entries, says businesses should assess whether they can clearly demonstrate measurable progress.
“It comes down to one question: can you prove you’ve moved the needle?
“Awards aren’t bragging rights; they’re evidence of progress.
“If you can point to real growth, innovation, and impact, you’re ready.”
Both experts say strong submissions rely heavily on evidence rather than broad claims.
Tye says: “Judges aren’t looking for who sounds the most impressive. They’re looking for who can clearly back up what they’ve done and the impact it’s had.
“The strongest submissions I’ve seen tend to be very direct. They answer the question and sub-questions in full, they use specific examples and where possible they include measurable outcomes using hard figures.
“Where possible, they include links or attach documents that also back-up their claims.
“Most entries tell us what they do. The better ones show us what changed as a result.”
Annette agrees that storytelling supported by evidence is critical.
“Judges want to see evidence, not beliefs or feelings or concepts.
“But solid facts wrapped in a story that takes them on a journey through your growth and success – aka outcomes.
“When writing your submission, show the problem, the actions taken, and the results.
“Don’t say, ‘We have really good customer service.’ Tell the judges WHY and HOW you provide good customer service and back up every claim with proof.”
Tye says tradie businesses often underestimate the strength of their own work and results.
“Tradie businesses actually have a big advantage here, they just don’t always realise it.
“They’re very hands-on, so they usually have real, tangible outcomes they can talk about.
“The key is to go one level deeper. Instead of general statements, show what the situation was before, what you did and what the result was.
“Even simple things like before and after photos, or a specific customer scenario, can make a big difference.
“If you can tie that back to a broader outcome, like time saved, cost savings or improved reliability, it becomes much more compelling.”
Annette says many tradie businesses already hold strong evidence of success without recognising it.
“Before and after photos, client reviews and testimonials, safety records, repeat business rates, finishing ahead of schedule, waste reduction efforts, apprentices trained and revenue growth all tell a story of a growing and successful tradie business.
“These aren’t just part of doing the job, they’re evidence of a business doing well.”
Tye says one of the most common mistakes is failing to answer the actual questions properly.
“It sounds obvious, but a lot of submissions drift into general business descriptions and word-salads instead of addressing what’s being asked.
“Statements like ‘we provide excellent service’ don’t carry much weight unless they’re backed up.
“Most businesses don’t win on their first attempt, but what they do get is insight into where their business is strong and where they’re not.
“That can be incredibly valuable.
“If you treat it as a feedback loop, you can use it to improve the business itself, not just the submission.
“And the earlier you start entering, the sooner you start improving.”
Annette says rushed or generic submissions are another common issue.
“Relying on AI to tell your story: Many entries cut and paste responses straight from AI, forgetting to remove the prompts or failing to add specific details so the answer could fit any business.
“Leaving the entry until the last minute and then rushing to get it done.
“Making vague or generic statements and not giving enough detail so the judges can see the full picture.
“Not including support information like testimonials, growth statistics and numbers and other data that builds a solid case.”
Both experts say businesses often fail to maximise the value of being shortlisted or winning.
Tye says: “Being shortlisted or winning isn’t just a one-off announcement. It’s something you can keep using.
“You can build it into your website, sales conversations, email signatures and campaigns, social posts and social proof.
“It can also help attract better staff, and is a good opportunity internally to recognise your team.”
Annette agrees that businesses should not hesitate to promote award recognition.
“Don’t keep it a secret thinking people will see it as bragging.
“Awards are a credibility tool, and making the finals or winning is good for your reputation.
“It’s a subtle way to say, ‘We’re proud of our business and we do good work.’
“Share the award logo on your vehicle, office, website, social media profiles, and email signature.
“If you have a newsletter, tell your customers/clients about your win: explain why you won and thank them for their support.
“When creating quotes or proposals, add the logo to the document.
“Share with local media – they love sharing local win stories.”
They can be, particularly when they align with business goals, industry positioning and growth strategies.
Judges generally look for measurable outcomes, evidence, strong examples and clearly demonstrated impact.
Using before-and-after examples, customer outcomes, testimonials and measurable business improvements can strengthen entries.
Common mistakes include vague claims, poor evidence, rushed submissions and failing to answer the questions directly.
Award recognition can support marketing, recruitment, credibility and customer trust long after the event itself.
Business awards are not simply about collecting trophies.
For electrical contractors, a strong award submission can help sharpen business thinking, improve credibility and create valuable marketing and recruitment opportunities.
The businesses that gain the most value from awards are usually the ones that approach them strategically, back up their claims with evidence, and continue leveraging recognition long after the awards night ends.
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