How To Make The Most Of Trade Association Accolades

CEDIA has revealed the details of their 2017 Awards, which acknowledge best-in-class products and technology professionals. These awards are great for more than just the bragging rights—they’re also a fantastic opportunity for you to promote your company through public relations and marketing campaigns. To learn more about these awards and how you can best leverage them, read on.

About The CEDIA Awards

This year, the awards presentation will be held in San Diego, California in September. There are three main categories of awards that you might want to consider applying for:

Projects

Recognizes top-quality performance in the design, installation, and management of projects ranging across home cinemas, lighting control, showrooms, marine and aircraft, total integrated homes, and more.
Cost: Free to enter.
Entry Deadline: Friday, May 12, 2017.

Products

Recognizes the best software and hardware manufacturers in the industry.
Cost: $300 per entry
Entry Deadline: Wednesday, July 12, 2017.

Individual Recognition

Recognizes individual professionals who have made significant contributions to the AV and automation industry. The awards include Lifetime Achievement, CEDIA Fellows, Young Professional of the Year, and Manufacturer Representative of the Year.

Why Enter?

Yes, putting together all of the information for the submission may seem like a tedious and time-consuming process, but from a marketing and public relations perspective, it’s definitely worth it—even if you don’t win.

First, let’s talk about the advantages straight from CEDIA if you do become a finalist or winner for a category. Your company will receive:

• Coverage in industry-related press such as CEPro and Twice
• Premium listings on the CEDIA Finder Service
• Recognition in CEDIA’s communication and outreach to trades and mainstream press
• Featured placement in the CEDIA Awards Yearbook

Just as importantly, you’ll have the ability to claim that award on your website, print collateral, social media, and more. It can be listed among credentials on your website’s Company or About Us page, for example, to lend more credibility to your name for potential clients and referral sources.

And then there’s another advantage to this process that is beneficial even for integrators who don’t make the finalist list: you’ve put together a goldmine of marketing collateral. The photography, project summary, and other information are incredibly useful within the lead generation process.

SEE ALSO: How to Earn Press with Your Winning Projects

You can publish the details on your website as a case study to showcase your company’s capabilities. You can submit it to press publications to increase your company’s presence and branding online. You can include it in print materials to give to potential clients during the sales process. This is the type of information that people want when they’re researching companies.

The Award Submission Process

The process to apply for the CEDIA Awards will depend on which category you’re seeking to win, but generally speaking, you will need to compile photography, documentation, and information about the project or product. Many of the categories have specific essay questions that you will need to address, such as what the performance objective was or any technical challenges you faced.

The CEDIA Awards website has an online submission portal where you can enter all of the required information.

If you would like guidance or assistance in putting together your award submissions, please give us a call at 877.334.1144 or click the live chat window at the bottom of the page. You can also learn more about our award submission, copywriting, and press release services here.