We’re the best marketing podcast of 2025 according to Vivian-Chelsea Publications. And this week we’re diving into the TRUTH about “Best Of” awards.
This week on the S.O.B. (Small Owned Business) Marketing podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain and discussing the reality of these “Best Of” awards. We talk about the appeal of these recognitions, their potential impact on sales, as well as the underlying motivations and costs associated with them.
This week’s Marketing HOT TAKE: do you think “Best Of” awards are more effective for service based businesses, or do they boost all businesses equally? Let us know in the comments if you’re Team Service Based or Team Business!
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00:00 Welcome to our Marketing Cult! Please Leave Us a Review
01:40 The Appeal of “Best Of” Awards
12:31 Driving Sales and Business Impact
20:54 The Reality Behind “Best Of” Awards
33:47 TLDL; The Truth About “Best Of” Awards
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Vivian: Great, if you get recognized in one of these categories, it's almost like 75% of the responsibility in taking full advantage of this is on you as the small business owner.
Chelsea: 100%, yeah.
*Intro* Chelsea: Hey everyone and welcome to the S.O.B. Marketing podcast. Where we celebrate to S.O.B. you are, and if you haven't figured it out yet - we mean Small Owned Business, we don't mean S.O.B...
Vivian: Listen, we know that as a small business owner you are working hard on the daily to keep your business fully operational while trying to promote it. And while some days it may feel like the business is owning you, if we're being honest with each other I bet you would admit that you wouldn't give up the insanity for anything.
Chelsea: Our commitment here at the S.O.B. Marketing podcast is to give you the real talk, what works when it comes to advertising, marketing, and promoting your business. And then what doesn't really work.
Vivian: And Chelsea and I promise to always keep the conversation real.
*Beginning of Episode*
Chelsea: Hey everybody and welcome back to the S.O.B. Marketing Podcast. S.O.B. as in Small Owned Business. We would never call you guys names. Before we get started, just a heads up, we do something a little different here. We have a TLDL section. Too long, didn't listen. So if you are strapped for time, we totally get that. Go to that chapter and Vivian or I will summarize this entire episode.
But when you get the chance, go back and listen to this entire episode because this is going to be a good one. Make sure you follow us if you're not following. Follow or subscribe, whatever it is on whichever platform you're on. Vivian, what are we talking about today?
Vivian: All right. So today's discussion is going to be centered around something I know every one of you small business owners loves and every marketer kind of despises. It is these "best of" recognitions. You guys know which ones I'm talking about, the ones where the local newspaper contacts you and says, "hey, by the way, you're in the running to be best of spa, best restaurant". Today, we're going to dive deep into what are these recognitions, the purpose of them, and then also just kind of, our beef. I don't want to say we got a whole lot of it. We got a little bit of beef with them. What you can be doing just to take full advantage if you are participating.
Chelsea: Yes. So Vivian, our marketing hot take for this episode. You know me, I always bring the hot take. I personally, and this is my personal opinion. My professional opinion.
Vivian: No. Remember, it's your personal not humble opinion.
Chelsea: Personal, not humble opinion but right opinion. I feel like "Best Of" awards are most useful for service based businesses. So I, because when you're looking for like a spa. I feel like you care a little more that they have accolades, but if you're shopping for a dress or something like that, even if you're shopping small, which we should all be shopping small y'all. But if you're looking for a product, I feel like that's not as significant because you're not having an experience, you know?
Vivian: Interesting take. I don't know that I necessarily agree with that because I will say - Let's take a business like a boutique. Do you consider them service or product based?
Chelsea: Product based.
Vivian: Okay. Product based. But yet if I am looking for a dress and there's a boutique in my community that I love and I know they carry the best dresses, the nicest ones in town, then I'm going to go to that particular boutique. An award like this, the "best of" award could help them stand out amongst competing boutiques in the area. So I don't necessarily think that it's better or it works best with a service-based business. I think it could help to just shine a light on all businesses, whether they're product or service-based.
Chelsea: Fine. So y'all tell us in the comments section, are you team service or I guess team product or not team product.
Vivian: Team business.
Chelsea: Team business. Business overall or team service.
Vivian: So team service is going to be, you agree with Chelsea and you think that these best of recognitions are more important if you're a service-based business or work better for service-based businesses because they're going through that experience. Or if you're with me and just think that it helps all businesses.
To give you guys a little road map of how the discussion is going to be laid out today, we're to cover three main things. We're going to cover the appeal of these "best of" recognition awards, then talk about whether or not they actually drive sales or business to your business and then the reality of it.
So these are just key points that we want to make so that we have a full-fledged discussion around the topic.
Chelsea: Haven't we had this discussion where you say flush and I say flesh?
Vivian: I think so, but I'm almost certain flesh is not correct.
Chelsea: Flesh is correct. Flesh out a conversation. I'm right. Anyways, let's start with appeal. Why are "Best Of" awards appealing? They can be helpful with increasing visibility, building trust, it's great PR, it's enhanced brand awareness, and you get a competitive advantage. I won an award and you didn't.
Vivian: The other appeal is how customers perceive these best of recognitions. We all want to be named best burger place in town because...
Chelsea: I sure do.
Vivian: Yeah, we know that our customers are going to be for one, they're prideful if they love coming to our restaurant already. They're like, my gosh, the place that I love got named best of. But also for potential customers, people that haven't come in. The thought process being it's going to drive them, it's going to push them over the edge to come in and try our burger because we have that stake in the ground. Stake as in S-T-A-K-E, not S-T-E-A-K.
Chelsea: Yeah, we're a burger place, not a steak place. What I was going to say is this is a great time to remember your community and your brand evangelists. Because one, they're going to be the ones to help you win this award because it's all voting based, right? Just like Vivian said, it's that pride that I'm a part of this community and my community was named best of. When you have built a brand that's so strong that people are invested in what's going on, when you win an award, it's kind of like they win the award too. You know, it feels good.
Vivian: That's so funny you say that, it's true though. I mean, think of it this way. You go to a dentist you love. If they get recognized as best dentist by the local community newspaper, you're likely to say in conversation with someone, "yeah, my dentist got the best of", right? He's best dentist in this area. The other thing though, when you're talking about that pride Chelsea is I do want to bring up Ego versus ROI. I think while we're talking about why it's appealing for us to compete in this type of award. Why we want to have our name in the hat, why we want to ask our community to vote on this stuff. There's a clear distinction between whether you're doing it for ego or for an actual ROI. I can tell you that over the years, I've seen this kind of shift where some of the businesses that maybe at the beginning were strictly doing it because they wanted to drive more customers in. It's now over the years kind of turned into a, "well, I've been voted best of these last two, three years and I want to keep it". So it's less about if they're doing it for the growth, as much as it's them doing it for their ego or pride. I'm not saying that, not judging, right or wrong. I'm just saying, I do think that's something where if you haven't participated or if you have participated in the past, just keep that in the back of your mind. Check in with yourself. Why am I doing this? Is it more so because it makes me feel good or is it because I do think it's an important marketing initiative that can help get me more exposure or draw more interest in from potential customers?
Chelsea: I love that. I love that you said exposure because I want to bring up a point. Not all "Best Of" awards are created equal. Everyone and their mama hosts a "Best Of" awards. I mean, I can think of four different ones in the Low Country right now, off the top of my head.
Vivian: I just want to encourage you guys to keep listening to this conversation until the end where we talk about the reality of these "Best Of" awards, because we're going to talk about what is the driving mechanism towards this? Okay. It's really not to spotlight all the really, really great businesses in our area. I know, I know you guys are probably - that rubs you the wrong way, but it's the truth. It's a business. All right. So we're to talk about that later on.
Chelsea: Yeah, and definitely listen to this entire conversation so you can hear my beef. The problems I have. As I was saying, a lot of magazines and newspapers and all of that. A lot of them do their own version of "Best Of" awards. That's great. Are you relevant in that magazine? Is that magazine even relevant? What kind of target audience do they have? Is this something that's circulated around your area that your target audience is even going to see?
That's really important because if you're going to invest time and potentially money into winning this award and it's a small magazine that no one reads, like I'm sorry if you're a magazine owner.
Vivian: That no one reads.
Chelsea: That no one reads. But the reality is you're a small business trying to grow. Don't focus on these awards if you're not going to get in front of the right people.
Vivian: Yeah, it's very interesting and I do like that you mentioned or touched on the fact that it does seem like everyone and their mama has one of these "best of" recognition.
Chelsea: Yeah, well, I can give you an example. I'm not going to use any names, but this business. I was talking with this business owner and she was telling me, yeah, this magazine reached out to me and said I won the "best of" award in their magazine. If I wanted a plaque, it'd be $300. And if I wanted a spotlight in the magazine, then I'd have to pay, I don't remember how much it was.
Vivian: It's usually expensive.
Chelsea: Exactly. She's like, I've never even heard of this magazine. I didn't know they had a "Best Of" awards. I mean, I guess I won it, but yeah.
Vivian: All right. Well, let's move on to then talking about the bigger issue, which is as a small business owner, just like with any other marketing initiative or channel that you're using to promote your business, you want to actually know that it is driving sales or business. So let's have that conversation, Chelsea, because I think this is the part where when you and I had talked about covering this as a topic, our big thing is you can buy into or get caught up in the, I don't want to be left out. I want my name to appear on this, but you guys like Chelsea was just saying, what if it doesn't matter to your audience? What if your target audience just is unaware of the publication, it doesn't hold too much weight in their eyes.
Chelsea: Yeah, Vivian, I think "Best Of" awards are a lot less visual than people think they are. At least in my experience, and I would love if you're a small business that has won a "best of" award, please in the comments, tell us your experience. Did it drive a bunch of new sales? Like what happened? Did you feel good about it? Or did you feel like, you know what, this didn't really impact my business. I really, want to know your specific experience because Vivian and I are coming at this from a marketer standpoint.
Vivian: Yes, and I think the thing that's kind of tainted me a little bit, to be honest, is I've had experience with different markets, right? So not just the community that we live in, but in other markets where it's the same thing. It's the same gimmick where people are reaching out saying, you won best of this, best of that, by the way, here's your bill or here's how you can advertise. But sticking with the, is it driving business your way? One of the things that I do think is extremely important that people don't talk enough about is, great, if you get recognized in one of these categories, it's almost like 75% of the responsibility in taking full advantage of this is on you as the small business owner.
Chelsea: 100%, yeah.
Vivian: Yeah, so here's the thing. Think of it this way. As a consumer, as an everyday human being just walking around this world...
Chelsea: Is that what we are?
Vivian: I mean, we're not, but there are everyday human beings out there.
Chelsea: Okay, yeah, we're aliens. Don't tell anyone.
Vivian: Exactly. When you're walking around, have you ever said to yourself, let me pick up the physical magazine that list out all of the best, the people that have won this award. I have never sought these out.
Chelsea: Now I've done that before. When I moved to Columbia, when I was in college.
Vivian: Okay, and so you went and looked.
Chelsea: I went and looked because it was a new city. I didn't live in Columbia. So I wanted to know what the best of all the things were.
Vivian: Well then, and maybe then it does hold value and it does drive new customers into your doors. I think that's great. I'm glad you brought that up.
Chelsea: Here's the thing though. That was just one touch point. That was me saying, okay, now I'm going to look at the three or the four and I'm going to go on Google and then I'm going to look at their social media. So it's one touch point. Remember, we say it takes seven to eight touch points for someone to feel comfortable spending money with your business. This is just another touch point.
Vivian: But it does get them on the list of places you're going to review. Right. Whereas the other businesses...
Chelsea: It gets you into consideration. Yes.
Vivian: So that's great. This is something where a "best of" recognition then absolutely could help you. Let's say with someone moving into the new community, they want to see where do I start, where is the best physical therapist? What is the best massage place, right? Let me take a look at those. So you get a recognition, they will actually put your name in there. They come to you and they give you the option whether you want to include ads or have some type of featured listing. That's going to come at a price, obviously. Let's say you skip that and you're like, I don't need to add in that publication. Great. Now you have a listing in the publication. Publication goes out. They promote that, the magazine or the publisher does. What do you do next? That's all they do. Okay. They don't go in there and then give you like additional spotlights throughout the year for anything else. Now you are the one responsible for actually promoting or utilizing the emblem that they allow you to use. So that is another thing that could potentially drive business, right? They give you access to the emblem. You could put it on all of your future marketing material. All right. But that depends on how much you're going to push it. If you're going to include it in your future ads, if you're going to share it on social media. So 75% of the work is going to be on you to fully tap into this opportunity.
Chelsea: Absolutely. Vivian, can you let us know, does it usually cost money to use the emblem? Like, do they charge you or what?
Vivian: No. Typically what will happen is you'll get an email or you'll get a phone call or a visit from a rep. They say, by the way, your business is in the running for best of in this particular category. I'm going to tell you in the reality section how that gets hairy sometimes. Okay, so just wait. Put a pin in that. They'll notify you you're in the running. You're probably going to be in the running with maybe three other businesses. What they're going to ask you to do is like, hey, be sure you tell people to vote. Right. So then you go to your social media. This is before you've won anything. You go to your social media, maybe you utilize email, you reach out to your customers and say, be sure you vote for us to be the best of in this category. Here's the link where you could cast your vote. Now, I want to say - just understand that when you share that link with somebody, yes, they can cast a vote. Usually they have to submit their email address to cast the vote. What is this doing on the back end? It's growing the publisher's email list. Okay, that's fine. They cast a vote. Then they get back to you and they say, "Vivian, by the way, your business one first place. You are best of in this category". Or, "hey, by the way, Vivian, you got runner up". Be sure that you double check whatever they're sending you so that you understand if you got first place or if you got runner up. Because I'll tell you, in my experience, sometimes that's a little confusing. Where I'm like, wait a second, are you saying I didn't get first place or are saying I got first place? All right. So be clear about that. If you get first place, you're allowed to use that "best of" emblem, because you got voted number one. If you got runner up or second runner up, you're not allowed to use the emblem.
Chelsea: Makes sense.
Vivian: Now there are other ways around it where, I mean you could use verbiage to say runner up in "2025 best of" whatever category. I don't recommend doing that just because it's a lot. So either use that emblem when you get first place.
Chelsea: Or maybe don't mention it. Don't mention that you lost, first loser. No.
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Chelsea: Ahh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, your marketing really scared me. No, no, it's fine. I just have some thoughts, but I can't share them with you unless you join the S.O.B. Community. You won't just get my professional opinion, but also Vivian's, and other small business owners like you sharing their thoughts. That's weekly accountability, but don't get spooked. If you can't make a weekly call you'll get access in our membership dashboard to the recording, along with a discussion forum that's accessible 24/7. Visit skool.com/sob to sign up today to get instant access and weekly support. That's S-K-O-O-L dot come slash S-O-B.
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Chelsea: Okay, Vivian, let's talk about the bad.
Vivian: I think this is going to be the controversial part of this discussion.
Chelsea: This is probably going to be the controversial part of the discussion. That's why I'm asking like small business owners with experience winning "Best Of" awards, please, please in the comments, tell us your experience, because this is the reality that we see. Okay, it's a money game.
Vivian: Yeah. So remember we had said the first thing being, if you send that link to anybody, if you encourage them to go vote, they are going to have to submit their email address, which grows the publications email list. So now they're on that email list. That's fine. We're all about people promoting. We love email.
Chelsea: Yeah, we love email marketing.
Vivian: They're taking advantage of that, which is great. What kind of gets me is the following. In my experience over the years, when they first started doing this, it was a way for publishers to try and increase revenue into the publication because you guys, I don't know if you realize this print isn't as exciting as it once was. It's not used as much as it once was, meaning they had to make up for the cost they were losing in paper subscriptions. They have started to do events, you'll notice. They have started to do these "Best Of" awards because the money comes in where you don't have to pay to participate and you could easily win first place and say, hey, thank you. I'll take my first place recognition. I'll use that emblem in my future advertising and marketing collateral, but I don't want to place an ad. You can easily turn it down. There's no problem with that. What I have found though is every single time we have won a Best of award, there has been a heavy push to then buy a full page ad, a half page ad, a quarter page ad.
Chelsea: Any amount of ad.
Vivian: Yes, which they then increase the price because this is a quote unquote special publication. It's not, it's outside of their normal run. So they're able to tell you that they're offering it at a premium price. They do include digital stuff in there. "Hey, we'll name you on this website. We'll include this amount of digital ads." So small business owner, hear me out. Just like you negotiate everything else, you can go in and try to negotiate on these parts. They may not be as willing for something like this, but just know that is an option.
Chelsea: Well, what I was going to say is the push for ads starts even before that. It starts when, you're in the running.
Vivian: Yes.
Chelsea: You're in the running? Well, for you to win, purchase this ad and we'll put it in the section where people are voting so that they'll see you.
Vivian: Yes, this is a kind of what they call a premium listing or a featured listing. You're absolutely correct, and thank you for reminding me of that.
Chelsea: This one makes me the angriest.
Vivian: Yes, this is what they do. They'll say, "hey, by the way, Vivian, your business, you're competing against three other businesses. If you want us to put an actual photo or whatever design you want in your listing to make you stand out, then you can pay us $500. We'll go ahead and our team will design it". You'll have a little thing in it. It does serve as an ad. Understand that what they're banking on and the appeal that they're coming to you with is the fact that for one, if lots of people are going to be voting, they're going to land on this page. This comes to my other beef with all of this. I don't know if you guys have realized that now there is a best of category for everything, every single little thing. Let me give you a real life example. I know you guys can go check this out in your own community or with whatever publication is in your neighborhood that's pushing this. They're getting so granular in the titles or in the categories that let's take, for example, this is one I've seen. There was discussion in our community about best bakery, but it went more granular. They actually had best sourdough bakery. You see what I'm saying? They're getting so granular that it's like, okay, well, all this means is that the more granular they go, the more opportunity they have for money. So that means that almost then it, for me, the allure of having this be something that is actually recognition based goes away and then it becomes well every business on the corner now has a best of because they've gotten so granular with the category.
I understand, a part of me understands it because maybe there is a distinction but this would be like best photographer category. You win the best in that in a certain area and that's a really big deal. They go super granular, best maternity photographer. Even then, yeah, that's pretty good. How do you get even more granular than that?
Chelsea: I mean, best wedding photographer, best family portraits, best portrait photographer.
Vivian: Right, so it goes on and on and so.
Chelsea: Best October 31st with the full moon photographer.
Vivian: Yes. It can actually get very, I think that's where it starts to maybe dilute some of that award. Or just the allure that comes with it.
Chelsea: Yeah, so there's a lot of money and a lot of sometimes politics involved.
Vivian: Well, can we also talk about the fact that there's always an event that goes with it, you guys?
Chelsea: That's what I was about to say. So let's say you win. That's great. You want a plaque that's going to cost you money. We have an event.
Vivian: Sometimes they do the plaques for free.
Chelsea: Sometimes. Yes, sometimes they do it for free. It depends on the business, on the brand. But you could possibly have to pay. Then they have the party. We're celebrating all of the people who won best of, you got to pay and be involved in that too.
Vivian: Well, and where they try to promote there is not just in the tickets, but getting a table. What they will typically do is they'll have an event and then they'll say, hey, bring your whole team out, get a table. By the way, that's going to cost you a thousand dollars. Unpopular opinion, I often look at all the photos and all that and I've had friends that have gone to these things. I don't think it's worth the money. That's just me personally. Because yeah, you go in there, you get to have a good time. Maybe you take a photo op behind their backdrop. They usually now do themes. Rock and roll eighties, or pirates, or roaring twenties, or whatever it is. So it is a fun, good time for you to go out and celebrate the recognition. It does come at a cost, and if you're left a little yearning for more don't be surprised.
Chelsea: That's a great point. So Vivian, after this entire reality conversation, I just want to remind everyone we are not saying don't bother. If you want to win that Best Of award, I love that for you, I hope you win it. Just know that there's possibly money that's going to have to be involved or it might not be so cut and dry as just people voting. Just know the background.
Vivian: Yeah, I'll tell you what really chapped me one time was we didn't get Best Of, we got Runner Up. Okay. Second place. The email I got was, hey, you got second place. Want to place an ad? Here's the info, and I'm like, what am I going to do with that, you know? The other thing of it is, if you're talking to me as a small business owner and you're asking, could you use those funds elsewhere and get a better return on investment? I would say yes. That could simply be, I'm not saying decline the win by all means. If you win one of these, use it to your advantage. Get all the mileage you can out of it. But that isn't really going to come by placing an ad in their publication for their results, right? It's going to be out of you using that emblem and putting it and blasting it on all of your stuff in that following year. That's where I think I just kind of differ in my stance on stuff like that. I'll be honest with you, when I see people posting about we won the best of this and that. Voting can be very... it would be one thing if you said to me, we sent out a survey amongst people in the community, random residents, and we asked them to cast their ballot or their vote for the businesses on here. You won best of. I would be like, cool, everybody in that community is voting for this person. It's backed by a community. When you kind of just say, we're throwing up this poll and then you're encouraging small business owners to push it out to their people, it becomes a little more of a popularity contest, not really attached to whether or not you're actually the best in that category.
Chelsea: Well, that's a really great point.
Vivian: Then you tell your family, your friends, your customers, people that already, you know what I mean?
Chelsea: Yeah. No, exactly. Also the whole, you have to leave your email. Yeah. Some people don't want to do that. So they're just not going to vote.
Vivian: Yeah, true.
Chelsea: I'm unfortunately one of those people. I am not giving these publications my email. No, I know you. I'm not doing it.
Vivian: So I think that really does kind of wrap up our discussion.
Chelsea: Do you want to do the TLDL?
Vivian: Well, why don't we remind them though, if you do participate.
Chelsea: Yes. Do that first.
Vivian: If you do participate, we want you to understand that this is a marketing tactic. It is not a validation of excellence. I know I'm going to catch so much grief for it. Marketing tactic. Just like any other marketing tactic, you're here to promote your business, to drive more sales. Take full advantage of it. If you get voted best of, take full advantage of it. The other thing is leverage it strategically. So if you win, put it on your social media, your website, your email, make it work for you. The last thing, don't over-invest. Do not feel like you have to, just because you won an award, you have to go in and get a big sponsorship or a table at the event. Unless it is something that truly aligns with what you're wanting to do. For example, I know some small business owners that they look forward to this every year because they use it as a way to keep their employees engaged and excited. So what they do is, I actually had a conversation with a friend. This business owner would, every year if they won a best of category, they would give a small bonus to their employees and they would get a table so then they could all have a night out together with the team celebrating their win. If that aligns with what you're looking to do, do it. Okay? But we just don't want you to feel compelled or feel like now you have to say yes to spending 1200 extra dollars and you weren't planning on doing it.
Chelsea: Yeah. I love that. Okay. TLDL. So if you skipped ahead to this section, I'm going to give you a brief summary of what we talked about today, but go listen to the entire conversation. Today we talked about "Best Of" awards. We talked about the appeal of them and why they can be useful marketing tactics, for example, increasing visibility and trust, stuff like that. It can, question mark, drive sales. It really depends on what you do with the award if you win it. We also talked about the reality of these awards and how sometimes it's more of a money game and a politics game and a popularity contest, not necessarily a, what did you say? Of excellence.
Vivian: Validation of excellence.
Chelsea: Validation of excellence. Okay. I really liked that phrase. So again, make sure you listen to this entire conversation. Thank you for listening. If you, you know, got all the way to here and you've been listening, then make sure you leave us a five star review. Make sure you're subscribed or followed, whatever works best for whatever platform you're on, and share this with other small business owners so that we can help everyone feel good about marketing themselves in-house on their own. So go be the best SOB you can be.