Applying for and winning PR awards is a great way to get eyes on your PR firm and interest from new clients. When you win a public relations and communications award, there are several strategies that your firm can use to announce its award win and leverage that win in the best way possible. With strategic thinking and savvy marketing and media, a PR award can be transformative for your firm.
Awards such as the Stellar Business Awards and the 2025 PR Week Awards recognize the best in the public relations field from 2024 and into 2025. These competitions dive deep into how innovative or impactful a firm is within the PR industry, as well as how firms showcase creativity, great strategies, and measurable success in the field of public relations.
Letting people know about your PR awards in 2025
Winning a business award is a significant achievement for any company, but PR companies are especially well-positioned to make the most of a PR award win. Firms should leverage multiple channels to effectively communicate a win to potential clients, their target audience, and the market at large.
Social media is among the most critical tools in a PR firm’s organizational marketing toolbelt. You can use your various social media accounts to announce your win, explain what the win means, and engage with your audience with visuals, videos, and other content. Your social media team can use relevant hashtags or keywords to entice people to like and follow your content, expanding your reach and building brand loyalty for your PR firm.
Another way to shout your win from the rafters is through your website and other online marketing materials, such as newsletters and blog posts. Make sure that you place a logo or laurel for your win on your website as soon as you receive it. Additionally, update your “About Us” section to reflect your win, and draw up a newsletter for your email list to inform them of the award.
Public relations professionals know all about press releases, and a press release is a great way to spread the word about your PR award win. Distribute the press release to media outlets and increase brand awareness through feature articles related to the press release.
By being strategic about proclaiming your award win, you can garner more attention for your PR firm and increase your clientele.
Why public relations awards are important
We’ve talked about how to tell everyone about your public relations award win, but does your team understand why winning PR awards is important and what these awards celebrate?
Award programs such as the Anvil Awards or the Stevie Awards are a great way to build credibility and trust within the public relations industry. Award-winning firms are considered the top of their field, and PR experts and awards showcase creative initiatives and stellar media relations. Purpose-driven leaders in the award-winning firm can position themselves as thought leaders, further expanding their influence. Awards for PR agencies can also highlight specialty niche strengths, such as top women in PR, marketing excellence awards, or diversity awards.
Additionally, applying for and winning awards is a great way to attract new talent and motivate existing teams in the organization. Winning an award for PR creativity or strategy can be just the acknowledgment that hard-working publicists and strategists need to keep knocking it out of the park for your firm. Be sure to make an effort to celebrate your team’s win, recognize benchmarks that were met, and celebrate the best members of your team, as this recognition can resonate with your team and let them know their outstanding work is appreciated.
Furthermore, PR awards are a great way to differentiate your organization from competitors. Top talent in the PR space will see your award-winning firm as a top place to work, strengthening your team with their knowledge. The PR industry is highly competitive, and awards can not only help firms stand out above the rest by highlighting their unique approaches and award-worthy innovation, but potential clients are also more likely to trust your firm if PR awards have recognized your above-average work.
Lastly, public relations awards recognize outstanding service and position firms as the gold standard in the field of PR. By winning awards, your firm is more likely to gain invites to top industry events and B2B networking opportunities. Not only does this help place your firm in the realm of industry authorities, but it can help you grow your firm through connections with other high-profile PR organizations.
Public relations awards: A powerful tool for PR campaigns in 2025
PR awards are far from simple accolades; they are powerful tools that validate excellence and innovation. Winning PR awards can elevate a firm’s reputation as an industry leader, motivate existing employees, and entice top talent to consider your firm.
When a PR award is won, getting the word out is paramount. Through social media, traditional media such as press releases and feature stories, and online marketing, public relations firms can let their audience and the communications industry know they are a winning team to partner with and a force to be reckoned with in the wider PR industry.