I work with an advertising agency that doesn't believe in entering their work in awards competitions. 

Here's the reason. The CEO believes the goal should always be to create advertising that grows his clients' businesses. NOT to create work to win awards.

He wants that to be perfectly clear to everyone he employs.

And you know what, that makes perfect sense to me. If I were one of his clients I certainly would want the team creating my ads to be solely focused on growing my business.

So in his case, I support his decision not to enter awards competitions.

On the other hand, as a marketer, I also believe that awards can be great marketing tools.

Winning an award means your work has been judged superior. It provides a third party endorsement of your product or service.

Let's face it. You can say anything you want about your own products and services. And hopefully most marketers have integrity and don't make big claims their products and services can't support.

But in the end, it's still your opinion ... it's still YOU talking about your own stuff.

A Great Credibility Builder

An award is someone else's opinion that your stuff is good. And that can be worth a lot, depending on the award and the judges.

Plus, when you win an award, you have an opportunity to merchandise that award - to use it to market your products and services.

And A Great Way To Get Press Coverage

For example, you can issue a press release announcing the award. This can be worth thousands of dollars in media exposure ... that's free marketing!

Or you can add copy and the award logo to your website or your sales materials. This adds credibility.

You could even use the award as a reason to host a special promotion for your customers, to thank them for helping you win.

So I encourage you to look around your industry. Find out what awards competitions recognize products or services in your category of business.

And seriously consider entering.

You won't always win ... but when you do, you can use it to generate some great marketing exposure.

Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is a marketing veteran with 20 years in the business. After 13 years in the advertising and marketing agency business, Debbie founded DLC Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting and coaching business. Her goal? To give entrepreneurs and small business owners affordable access to the same high-level strategic marketing and advertising expertise that typically only large companies with big budgets can afford.

Debbie's commitment to making marketing expertise accessible to small business also led her to pursue speaking engagements and teaching. She has spoken at meetings and conventions across the United States and in Canada. She also is on the faculty of Wellcoaches Corporation, where she teaches wellness coach trainees around the world how to successfully market their new coaching practices.

Debbie has written and self-published two marketing workbooks, "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide" and "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide for Your Fitness Business" which have sold copies worldwide. Her advice is also featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's "How to Start a Personal Training Business," part of the magazine's Business Start-Up Series. And she is a contributor to the San Diego Business Journal.

Debbie created The 10stepmarketing™ System to provide small business owners, coaches, consultants and other independent professionals with all the tools they need to market themselves.

This simple, step-by-step system, features an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that walks business owners through every step they need to take to develop and implement their own marketing plan designed to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

On a more personal note, Debbie LaChusa is a fraternal twin. In 2004 she launched Twin Connections, a web site that celebrates the unique and mysterious bond shared by twins. She collects twin stories and hopes to compile them into a book.