This post is contributed by Margie Zable Fisher, president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, which specializes in e-commerce and product P.R. and publicity. Her company offers free publicity opportunities and tips here.

You won a company award. Congratulations! While you obviously put work into winning the award, the most important work you’ll do is publicizing the award, ultimately leading to increased sales.

Examples of Awards

eCommerce companies and the products they sell are eligible for all kinds of awards. I use the term “award” loosely, as someone can claim a spot on the Inc. 500 as well as being chosen as a top product by a magazine as an award.

Remember, these awards may not come with a fancy dinner, plaque or money, but they are still incredibly useful for your sales efforts. Here are some examples of awards:

Inc. 500 / 5000 – the fastest growing private companies
New product awards given at trade shows – such as the National Stationery Show Best Product Awards
New product awards from associations, such as the sofi™ Awards from the Specialty Foods Association
New product awards from the media – such as Family Circle’s Best New Cleaning Products and Good Housekeeping’s Seal of Approval products

Sharing the News

Most people are happy to hear good news, and would be delighted to hear that you have won an award. At the minimum, you’ll want to do the following:

Share the award information on social media – not once, but several or even many times, over the course of weeks or even months. Change the message and/or image slightly. Even include awards in social media headers. Here are some examples from ShipStation stain remover customer Stain Rx^®:

Facebook Post:

Twitter Post:

Pinterest Post:

Facebook Header:

Send out a newsletter including the award news
Include the award on your Web site’s home page, and your Press Page. You can use an image or images as well.

Include the award win on product page listings – on your Web site, Amazon and other sales channels. Credibility sells.

Advanced Tactics

Send out a press release through PR Web or other services. For a couple hundred dollars, your release will be sent to thousands of media outlets. Spend the extra money to include keywords and video, which will aid in your SEO and sales efforts.
Offer a giveaway or discount on the award-winning product. It’s a great way to celebrate your win, and share the love with customers and prospects.
Use the award win in ads, especially those on social media. The credibility of winning a prestigious award can mean the difference between clicking on an ad and ignoring it.

Final Thoughts

Winning an award is a big event. Celebrate, and keep the party going. Your award just might reap sales for you now, and in many years to come.

This post is contributed by Margie Zable Fisher, president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, which specializes in e-commerce and product P.R. and publicity. Sign up for her free, award-winning public relations newsletter.