In this episode, Susan tackles the provocative question of if awards are actually a 'fix'. Drawing from her extensive experience as a judge for various beauty industry awards, she emphasizes the rigorous process behind award selection and the importance of distinguishing genuine awards from marketing gimmicks. Susan encourages listeners to view the award application process as an opportunity for self-reflection and celebration of business achievements. KEY TAKEAWAYS Not all awards are legitimate; it's important to differentiate between genuine awards and those that are merely marketing tools. Consider whether you feel deserving of the award based on your efforts and achievements. Filling out an award application can serve as a valuable exercise in self-reflection for your business. It encourages you to highlight your accomplishments and recognize the progress you've made. Decide whether to keep your award application private or to share it with clients and stakeholders. Sharing can elevate your business's status and create excitement around your participation. The judging of awards involves a significant commitment of time and effort, including thorough reviews of applications, deliberation calls, and sometimes site visits. This process ensures that deserving businesses are recognized. If you become a finalist or win an award, prepare a press release and a list of contacts to share the news. This proactive approach helps maintain visibility and leverage the recognition for your business, even if you only reach the finalist stage. BEST MOMENTS "Awards, are they a fix? And normally, I think when I get something as abrupt as that, I think the person sending the question in does think that they are a fix." "If you haven't entered awards or you haven't judged before, you don't realize how much work goes into it." "It's a great process to actually fill in an application form for an award because it really makes you look at your business from a different angle." "If you do become a finalist, that's great because then you can really, really go to town, tell everyone." "Make sure that at every point you've got a press release because it becomes old news very, very quickly." HOST BIO Susan Routledge is a distinguished figure in the beauty industry with over 38 years of experience. As a multi-award-winning salon owner and international business consultant, she's recognized among the top UK industry influencers for her passion and dedication. Known for her down-to-earth, light-hearted approach, Susan is an international speaker and established awards judge. She founded the exclusive Beauty Directors Club, a global membership community for salon, clinic, and spa owners, offering business resources and multi-expert advice. Susan also created the online "Salon Success Freedom" program to help beauty businesses thrive. Susan founded and has grown her clinic of 36 years in Co. Durham into the largest independent beauty salon in Northeast England. She is the creator of the trademarked STABLE business formula and author of "The Little Book of Client Retention" and the world's No. 1 bestsellers "Bea And the Best" 1 and 2. She serves on the Professional Board for BABTAC, helping to represent and raise industry standards, and on the advisory board for the prestigious PHAB Service Stars. Susan's expertise continues to shape and elevate the beauty industry worldwide. USEFUL LINKS https://susanroutledge.com https://www.instagram.com/susan_routledge/ SPONSOR https://www.phorest.com/

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