Winning or being nominated for awards for your shop can bring many benefits. The publicity surrounding such events can help to raise the profile of your store and in turn bring in more customers and revenue.

An oft forgotten marketing skill is to be able to shout about your store’s successes. Have you been nominated for an award? Have you organised a village event? Has your store raised money for charity? If so then don’t be afraid to tell everybody about it. Get in touch with your local newspaper and with the trade press about spreading word of your success.

Why not try putting together a press release about what you’re doing and what you’ve achieved?

And of course, don’t forget to use social media to highlight all your in-store activities.

Marketing yourself and your business is a valuable skill that every business owner should learn.

For inspiration here are some examples from this years IAA finalists.

The Top Independent News and Convenience Stores Announced in Bloomberg Business Week

Store owner Jas wins place among the top 100 convenience store entrepreneurs in the UK in Liverpool Echo Online

One Finalist – Andrew Newton of Nisa Local in Cradley – has been syndicated across 14 titles in the West Midlands!  The story featured in The Bromsgrove Advertiser, Cotswold Journal, Droitwich Advertiser, Dudley News, Evesham Journal, Halesowen News, Hereford Times, Kidderminster Shuttle, Ledbury Reporter, Ludlow Advertiser, Malvern Gazette, Stourbridge News, Tewkesbury Ad Mag and the Worcester News!