You’ve done the hard yards, but now the real work begins. How do you effectively communicate your win? Having a post-nomination plan is crucial to capitalise on your success. Consider yourself a hard worker, albeit a silent achiever?
It’s time to make your business known as a leader in your field. Here are four actionable PR strategies that can help you on your way to attaining lifelong success.
1. Be a Guest on a Podcast
If you’re a leader who’s confident in your voice, making a guest appearance on a carefully selected podcast can be a high-impact move. It gives you a chance to share your story in your own words, opening your brand up to a new audience.
A writer at CEO Magazine even claims that podcasting is the trifecta in your branding toolkit – equipping you with a PR agency, a content marketing team, and a networking driver.
Be strategic about which podcast you appear on. You want a podcast with an audience similar to your business target market. Put on your detective hat and research on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the Podcast App. Filter by relevance to your industry. Hone in on the host – do you share similar values? The right host has the power to lend credibility to your brand.
Once you’ve narrowed down your podcast options, check their website for contact details. If details are challenging to find, you can search for the producer's name on LinkedIn or look for contact information on platforms like Lusha or Podchaser.
Your pitch can be a simple email that includes a brief introduction of yourself and your business, an outline of your desire to be a podcast guest, and an explanation of why you believe you are a good fit – what’s in it for them?
Be warned, this can be a time-consuming endeavour. PR can be a numbers game; Don’t be disheartened if you don’t receive a response. You might have to reach out to a dozen or more podcasts. The more targeted and intentional your pitch, the greater your chance of receiving a response.
2. Go Digital: Share on Social
Cost-effective and low-effort, an organic social media strategy that crafts a story around your award win can help build brand credibility, rapport with your community, and even catch the attention of journalists.
Maybe you’re already a frequent publisher in the online space, or it’s a totally new medium for you, but you’re eager to reach an untapped audience, in which case, conducting market research can help you get started.
It’s tempting to try to post on every platform, but a focused approach is more effective. Prioritise the 1-2 platforms where your audience is most engaged and spends the most time scrolling.
With Instagram and Tik Tok you have the ability to pin the announcement to the top of your profile while the awards are running to give it extra visibility.
Posts on social media are three times more likely to receive positive engagement when accompanied by text, such as an infographic or news headline. Tools like Canva offer many design templates to get you started; you just need to fill in the blanks. Consider scheduling a few posts in advance.
If you’re short on time, uploading to Instagram Stories is an easy way to offer real-time updates without the careful curation of a feed post. Tagging close stakeholders or organisations increases the likelihood of shares, which in turn grows your following. It also helps you stay relevant to your current followers by consistently sharing your stories before they expire after 24 hours.
Reap the benefits of a strong social media presence, long-after awards season. Simply sharing your journey and connecting with clients can generate valuable leads that’ll support your business’s overall growth. Think of your nomination as a conversation starter – and social as the stage where that conversation can grow.
3. Go Direct: Send an Email
Don’t underestimate your EDM (Electronic Direct Mail) list. It’s one of the most direct and effective ways to share your award nomination. The advantage? These readers are already warm leads. They’ve opted in. They already know and trust your brand.
Unlike social media, email gives you room to expand on your story. You can add detail, link to supporting content, and even offer a promo or limited-time incentive to spark engagement.
For even more impact, consider streamlining your business communications by integrating direct messaging services like ClickSend with the business apps you’re already using (no coding required).
However, there is a caveat. You need to get to the point, fast. Today’s inboxes are crowded, and readers can tune out quickly if they don’t see value up front, right from the subject line; lead with the news (“We’ve been nominated!”), then add a supporting backstory, before closing with a clear call-to-action.
Embedding buttons to direct contacts to a relevant webpage, or even your social media channels, where they can “follow along”, is a seamless approach and prevents readers from feeling pressured or like they’re being sold something. You always want to come back to: what’s in it for them?
Done well, email is your backstage pass to a high-intent audience. Keep it personal, keep it purposeful – and remember to follow up after the fact to bring your story full circle.
4. Take the Old-School Route: Media Pitching
Getting your award nomination featured in the media can be a powerful credibility builder, but it requires more than just good news. Journalists receive dozens of pitches a day. To stand out, you’ll need to give them a strong reason to care.
Winning (or even being nominated for) an award isn’t always newsworthy on its own. But it can be part of a compelling story if you position it in the right context. What pain point is your business helping to solve? What makes your journey unique or timely? Are you bringing something new to the table in terms of innovation, impact, or community value?
If you’re not familiar with media outreach, don’t worry – a pitch doesn’t need to be fancy. Think of it like a mini press release.
To find the right journalists, look for those who’ve written about your industry, small business stories, or local features. Platforms like LinkedIn or Muck Rack can help are a great starting point.
If you don’t hear back right away, don’t panic. Media lead times can vary, and follow-ups are perfectly acceptable. The more tailored and relevant your pitch, the better your chances of getting picked up.
Whether this PR strategy is a one-off highlight or part of a long-term visibility plan, the key is intentional storytelling. A well-chosen PR mix won’t just celebrate your success, it will strengthen your relationships, prolong the buzz, and plant the seed for ongoing success.
Chanel Belej
Chanel is a marketing expert with a soft spot for travel. She has a knack for living like a tourist in her home city of Sydney. Meanwhile, she leads the voice of Breville on social – inspiring a global audience to enjoy the luxury of crafting coffee at home.
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
