Awards are a powerful way to boost your credibility as an entrepreneur, raise your profile and increase media interest.

Winning or being shortlisted for an award is a great PR hook. It builds your credibility with journalists, helps you stand out from the crowd, and opens the door to new opportunities, including partnerships and investment.

There are so many different awards you can enter, but here are five of the top awards to help you build your authority and credibility:

• The Great British Entrepreneur Awards: This award is highly respected in the UK startup and SME space, shining a light on founders across multiple sectors and stages of business. Finalists will often get featured in Startups.co.uk and The Times.
• Startups Awards: Run by Startups.co.uk, these awards celebrate the best early-stage and high-growth startups in the UK, with categories for innovation, purpose and scale. Winners are often profiled in The Telegraph, City A.M. and TechRound.
• British Business Awards: This is a go-to award for SME credibility. Judges look for passion and progress, not necessarily headline-grabbing revenue. It’s perfect for founders building steadily and looking to stand out within their sector.
• Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies: If you have a startup with a disruptive model or novel tech, this is a strong global platform to be seen as a thought leader and innovation pioneer. It can result in international exposure, particularly in the US.
• everywoman Entrepreneur Awards: This award recognises exceptional female founders who are making an impact across industries. It’s perfect for purpose-led, socially conscious businesses. Winners will also receive mentoring and media training.

Being shortlisted or winning one of these awards is an impactful way to boost your visibility. You can use a press release to announce your success and pitch the news to relevant journalists in your industry. Offering expert comments or interviews on topics related to your area of expertise is a great way to capitalise on the momentum.

Positioning yourself as an ‘award-winning’ thought leader will also elevate your authority and can open the door to new opportunities, including speaking engagements, panel discussions and further PR.