Ok here goes … I don’t normally post discussion topics on the blog. I’m much more about providing lots of inspiration and gorgeous wedding imagery for you to be inspired by!
But I’ve been thinking now for a few days about this and I really wanted to see what everyone else thought.
This week the voting started for the Wedding Ideas Magazine Awards. As a stationery designer I would love to be nominated for an award. It would really make me feel like all the hard work had been worth it and I’m not going to lie an award nomination would probably really improve business!
So I put a couple of messages on twitter about the voting and a link to the address. I also put a message on facebook and I emailed all my past clients to ask them if they would consider voting for me.
But as far as I was concerned this was where it stopped.
Something in my conscious really feels that badgering too many times for people to vote for me is wrong .. and too be honest do I really want to win an award when people have voted for me because I’ve been on a massive marketing campaign and not because they love my work?
Then the emails and messages started. Since the voting began I have received several emails and twitter messages from people in the industry who I firmly respect and love their work, asking me for their vote. I am neither their client or have ever worked with them directly but I do think they’re great.
These people are obviously on a big campaign in order to secure as many votes as possible … and, honestly, part of me can’t blame them! Part of me thinks why shouldn’t I be trying my hardest to get as many votes as possible to secure the sort of publicity for the business that this would bring.
So what do I do?
I’ve been left feeling completely torn on this subject and would really love to see if anyone else has any views on it.
Nikki x
Hi Nikki,
I understand totally where you are coming from on this, personally I have never considered putting myself up for an award as I am a bit nervous of getting too much work as a result and letting people down! but on twitter I have received several requests from twitter followers some of them I have got to know very well on twitter and we chat most days – but I have never seen any of their products in real life and have no idea what their customers think of their work, so I consider myself not in a position where I can vote for them, however much I like and repect them on twitter. therefore as a matter of course I ignore all such requests, if I lose followers as aresult so be it!
Angela
Hi Nikki,
Over the last couple of days, my LinkedIn inbox has been filled with request for votes. Now as someone who edits a wedding business blog, clearly, I'm not their client so I won't be voting. I know Wedding Ideas have changed the process from last year – where they attracted a lot of criticism – but I think it's a shame if awards are devalued by turning into a Facebook/Twitter popularity contest.
Thanks for posting this by the way.
Thanks guys!
Angela … I'm pretty sure in most instances you don't have to 'put yourself up for an award' but I could be wrong. I do agree I've had to ignore twitter requests as well and feel bad about it ….as I can't vote for everyone! You're only allowed to vote once.
Alison … I've had the same thing with my Linked In Inbox.
I'm so glad that you've blogged this subject Nikki. I think it's great to advertise the fact that you've been nominated for an award, but I just don't want to hear it six times a day!
I myself am up for that same award and I have put it on Facebook and Twitter once. I might mention it once again between now and when voting closes, but that's all.
I certainly won't be asking specific people directly for their vote, I think that's a bit rude.
xxx
That seems the way to go Rebecca … I shall follow your lead! x
Hi Nikki. Great topic. Personally I would find it really irritating to be constantly asked for a vote,it should be up to individuals if they want to vote and if so, who for if there are some awards.
If a business,which is what it is at the end of the day wants to market it
once or twice a day I think that could be seen as reasonable, but bombarding your timeline or fb with it is a bit much and can make people feel uncomfortable.
Advertise you have been nominated,as yes, that is worth mentioning of course,but too much can surely only turn people off?
Mel
x
Thanks Mel .. great points x
Hi lovely, This is such an interesting topic and got me really thinking. I've just won an award and did the usual fb and twitter posting asking for votes, however most of the votes came from couples who logged onto Hitched and liked the look of my work – which I'm so proud of and chuffed to bits about – nothing beats that feeling of winning something that is actually voted for by the client.
Forgot some of these…Xxx
I agree with Rebecca and Mel – it gets a bit much when you're asked directly to vote for someone. I want people to vote for me because they like my work and not because I've asked. xxx
Thanks for this post Nikki, it is a really interesting and controversial subject. Like Angela, I normally steer well clear of awards processes. For me, I really don't like being judged like that. It does feel like a popularity contest and as lovely as it would be to win, I couldn't hack the pressure. If my clients are happy, I am happy and I have always felt that having time to spend promoting yourself really helps the result but for me, there just aren't enough hours in the day for this.
I was a bit annoyed a few months ago about the Perfect Wedding awards as a certain well known company absolutely bombarded their followers with private twitter messages about voting. They ended up winning several awards, including a peoples' choice one, which is fantastic for them and I do love their work, but for me, their campaign put me off voting for them. In fact, I unfollowed them as I really didn't appreciate the invasion, especially from a company that I had had no interaction with at all, except to follow them on Twitter.
I also always wonder how small companies with limited capacity can win (although I'm sure there are fantastic exceptions to this). There are only so many wedding cakes I can create and despite working at full capacity, my client list is quite small, especially compared to those with a team of helpers. If the award is just based on number of votes, I'd stand no chance.
Congratulations to Bush Floral Design on your Hitched win, your flowers looked absolutely stunning. I think that competition had a slightly different feel to it due to the judging panel having a really pivotal role.
Beth x
D'oh! Look how huge my post is! I try to keep it short but still end up saying twice as much as everyone else. Sorry everyone! :S x
Thanks so much Beth .. totally with you on how small companies can get the recognition they deserve with such small client lists. Perhaps we just have to except we need to become much bigger companies to stand a chance.
Thanks Beth for your lovely comment xx
Thanks so much for this post, it really hit a cord with me this week! I myself have been nominated in these awards, but having only been going for a few months (and being a one-man-band operation)I'm never going to triumph based on popularity alone, even if I do badger peep's on Twitter and FB 24/7 – Simply not enough people know about me! I just have to hope that by being nominated I may reach a wider audience and of course it's a great story to tell to my Nanna! xxx
Hi Nikki,
yes I have been bombarded too and I don't even know these people or worked with them. Maybe a couple who I do respect and know. I went to the wedding ideas awards last year and for me without being awful it was a bit of a farce. Some of the lovely smaller companies like Lucy Ledger was nominated but the bigger companies took all the accolades. Don't get me wrong I am all for having awards for great service, great products etc but they should be won because all the couples who know them voted for them. This is only my opinion and I hope I don't upset anyone. I totally agree with Beth that smaller companies can only get so many votes so can't hope to compete on amount of votes.
Perhaps we should have awards for just those companies whose capacity is not on a large scale. I work with so many smaller companies who are just brilliant and deserve awards especially for their go the further mile attitude and great service and quality. We should think of a way of recognising those.
Thank you so much for the comments …
Paper-me-happy … congratulations on being nominated. I totally understand how you feel, its very tough for small companies.
Julie … Its such a shame when it turns into a farce like that. How are people who handmake everything and can only take on so many clients a year compete! I was so glad that Lucy managed to get into the nominations. Totally agree with you that perhaps their should be some awards for smaller companies that handmake everything x
Hi, Nikki, thankyou for pointing me to this post. I have been bombarded with requests from people I don't know asking me to vote for them. Surely the customers should be voting, not cliques on Twitter etc. As others have said if you are a small company you won't have as many votes which makes the whole thing a bit of a farce.
I agree with Angela
'I have never seen any of their products in real life and have no idea what their customers think of their work, so I consider myself not in a position where I can vote for them'
My award is the testimonial I receive from my bride after she receives her wedding veil.
Thanks Ann … I think that has been the general consensus. I'm glad there are plenty of people out there who are on my side … as some have taken my points in totally the wrong way.
I wasn't out to offend anyone just ask peoples opinions as I was unsure what to do for the best myself.
Thanks for the post Nikki, just catching up this weekend! As you know I'm nominated as well this year, I've done the same where I've posted up on twitter and facebook and then done an email to my clients to see if they'll vote. To be honest there's nothing more that you can do than that! I'm reminding people to vote but I don't in any way expect people to vote that haven't used my service. Many twitter and fb friends have so I'm glad I can let them know.
It's always a difficult one with us smaller companies against the big guns. I was shocked to be shortlisted last year with Lucy and the others, but in all honesty we had no chance against a bigger company with many employees!
I think these awards are always going to have some controversy around them as people agree with some bits and not others. We shall see – I hear if you're shortlisted this year you have to answer some questions and then the judges select the winner. Not sure how answering questions is going to help us either!!!
xx
Thanks so much for the comment Sophie! I really appreciate that most people I know have taken the post in the spirit it was intended.
I had no idea about that last bit with regards to the questions being answered. I wonder what the questions will be!?