Awards - why bother?

I'm part of a team about the leave for a glitzy night of award presentations. Why bother?

I've never entered any of my work for awards, but others have, and sometimes it's done pretty well. I've had to scamper on stage for the necessary team photo a few times. And it felt good.

This anticipation is quite exciting. In around three hours, my team will know whether we've won a CIPR #insidestory award for Wow magazine (which has already won several other awards) or been named Agency of the Year.

I guess you enter awards for the marketing value, the team building opportunities and for building credibility. But you're only ever measured against the other people who've chosen to enter the award. There are lots of others, doing the job well, who never bother.

So, is it worth entering for awards? Putting yourself through the stress of submitting an entry, awaiting news of the shortlist and then the event itself. I'm still not convinced. Ask me later this evening when we've won. Or not.

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Hilary Seabrook - writer, podcaster, musician

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