Awards & Visibility

Why showing up in the right rooms matters.

Awards & Visibility

This week’s Sunday School is landing on a Monday – because life was full, things got busy, and sometimes you just don’t get to everything on time. And that’s okay.

But the theme I want to talk about today is perfectly timed for the start of a new week: how awards and sponsorships can transform your visibility, credibility and momentum.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know awards have been running through my content (and my diary!) for months now. And with good reason – they’ve played a powerful part in growing I am Emily Marketing.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog about using awards strategically. That blog was picked up by my local council, shared in their newsletter, and they later invited me to speak at a business event about my success with awards.

From winning Solopreneur of the Year 2024/25 locally, to making front-page news, to then going national and picking up Best Solopreneur at the Best Businesswoman Awards and Silver for Best Creative Business, awards have opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

But this week, I want to talk about the other side of awards: sponsoring them.

Why I sponsor awards

I’ve sponsored the Essex Wedding Awards for several years now. This event is special – the team put on brilliant evenings every year, but this year’s was genuinely their best yet. The energy, the celebration, the people… it all just felt right.

Sponsoring puts you in a completely different position:

✔ Your logo is everywhere

✔ Your name is tied to excellence and recognition

✔ You’re front-of-mind for a whole industry

✔ You’re visible at every touchpoint

✔ And most importantly – you’re in the room

This year, my logo appeared on screen, in emails, on the programme and on every table through a VIP leaflet for my new membership. A perfect, natural marketing moment – not forced, not salesy, just aligned.

I also had the chance to deliver a short speech, connecting with a room full of committed business owners.

Again, visibility. Connection. Positioning.

And then there’s the networking – florists, cake makers, venues, photographers… all people who are already serious about marketing themselves, because they’ve put themselves forward for an award.

These are the rooms you want to be in.

Sponsorship doesn’t have to be big

People often think sponsorship means huge budgets and big glitzy events. It doesn’t.

Here are a few places you can sponsor right now:

– Your local football or netball team

– A small business award or independent award event

– A local council business showcase

– A community event

– A charity fundraiser

– A network group

– A business expo

– A category within a larger awards ceremony

– A school or youth organisation

– Your coworking space or local hub

There are so many ways to show up through sponsorship — and they all build visibility, trust, and recognition in your community.

And the awards you can enter? Endless.

Industry-specific… general… local… regional… national…There’s something for every business, every niche and every stage of growth.

You don’t need to win – you just need to show up.Finalist status alone can transform perception.

Trust me. It works.

Why this all matters

Awards and sponsorships aren’t vanity. They’re strategy.

They help you:

– Stand out in a crowded market

– Build credibility

– Increase visibility

– Strengthen your brand story

– Show leadership

– And position yourself exactly where your future clients are looking

Showing up in the right rooms is how you grow – sustainably, confidently and with purpose.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether awards or sponsorship are “worth it”…My answer?

Absolutely — but only when you do it with intention.

Not for the trophy, but for the visibility that surrounds it.