Put Yourself Out There

Those who deserve recognition are the least likely to seek it.Over the years, I’ve noticed something about our industry.

Words by Chris Cook

The best operators are usually the last to raise their hands. They’re busy running their stores, taking care of customers, completing installations and managing employees. Most are also their own toughest critics. Ask them how things are going, and instead of telling you what they’re doing right, they’ll tell you what they still need to improve.So I ask them, “Why haven’t you nominated yourself for an industry award?” And I hear,“I don’t know if I’m ready for that.” But how will you know if you don’t participate? The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards recognizes the people and businesses working every day to make themselves and our industry better. There’s value in simply going through the process.

Take a Good Look at Your Business

When you participate, you have to stop and look at what you’ve accomplished. What makes your business different? What did you improve this year? What challenges did you overcome? What kind of experience are you giving your customers?Those are questions posed during the Industry Awards process, but they’re also questions every owner should be asking. The problem is that we don’t always have time to ask them. We’re focused on today’s jobs, this month’s numbers, finding employees and taking care of the next customer through the door. It’s easy to spend all your time working in the business and not enough time looking at the business. The awards process makes you do that. You may discover things that make you proud. You may also discover a few things you need to work on. There’s value in both.

Recognition is Worth Something

There’s a real business benefit to being recognized. If you’re named as one of the Top in the industry, tell your customers about it. Put it on your website. Share it on social media. Display it in your showroom. Include it in your email marketing. The same goes for your people. If one of your technicians or salespeople is recognized among the best in the industry, celebrate it. Customers don’t always understand what separates a great specialty retailer from an average one. They may not know about your training, your installation standards or everything you do behind the scenes. Industry recognition helps tell that story. It gives you third-party validation of something you’re already telling them: We take what we do seriously. That recognition matters inside the building, too. When your business, or someone on your team, is recognized, your employees share init. That helps you keep good people, and it helps you attract new ones.

You Don’t Have to Win

There can only be one winner in each category. But everyone who participates has a chance to learn something. Look at the other retailers who get recognized. Read the coverage of their businesses in this magazine. Look at their showrooms when you get the chance. Listen to how other owners talk about their companies. You’re going to see things that make you think, “That’s a good idea. We should be doing that.” That’s a win.

You may also go through your own submission and realize how far you’ve come. That’s a win, too.

Nominate Someone Else

Here’s the part I’d ask you to think hardest about. The people I described at the start of this column, the ones too busy and too self-critical to put their own name forward, are not going to nominate themselves. Waiting for them to do it means they never get recognized. So do it for them. Think about the technician who has been with you twelve years and trains everyone who walks in the door. Think about another shop that does clean, careful work and never says a word about it. Nominating someone takes a few minutes. For the person on the receiving end, it can mean a great deal. Sometimes people just need someone else to say, “I see what you’re doing, and it deserves to be recognized.”

Put Yourself Out There

I know some people are uncomfortable nominating themselves. They feel like they’re saying, “I’m the best.” That’s not what you’re saying. You’re saying, “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m willing to put it out there.” Don’t ask yourself whether you think you can win. Ask yourself, is what I’m doing worth being proud of? If the answer is yes, put yourself out there. Nominations for this year’s Mobile Electronics Industry Awards close September 9.  Visit MEIndustryAwards.com for categories, qualifications and the nomination process.

“Don’t ask yourself whether you think you can win. Ask yourself, is what I’m doing worth being proud of?”