With regards to PR for Anyone®, there can be no arguing that I practice what I preach when it comes to gaining publicity for my own small business. One of the ways I recommend to get free publicity is to apply for awards in your industry.

Don’t just randomly apply for awards but find ones really applicable to your industry that you have a chance of winning. If you happen to win the award, you benefit from all of the free publicity associated with that organization, their award, and what they do to promote the winners. You then also get to create your own media opportunities with regards to winning the award.

I’m thrilled to share that I am one of 15 winners of the 2014 Rule Breakers Awards. This unconventional awards program, sponsored by Nextiva, Skype and Constant Contact, celebrates entrepreneurs who ignore conventional wisdom, take the path less traveled and break all the rules in their pursuit of success. 

This award was absolutely perfect for CastMedic Designs. I am breaking all kinds of rules with this business so this was ideal to apply for an award like the Rule Breakers. I made sure it was something I at least had an opportunity to win. By making healing “fun,” I am breaking the conventional wisdom that you have to just wear the big ugly medical device the doctor gives you and be even more miserable with your injury while you recover. Apparently the judges felt the same way and named me the winner in the category of retail sales under $1 Million.

Having huge national corporate sponsors and big name hosts from the entrepreneurial community like Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media, The Pumpkin Plan author Mike Michalowicz, and Barry Moltz, author of How to Get Unstuck, means that there should be a lot of media coverage surrounding this event.

My favorite morning show often covers unique entrepreneurial stories so I went right out and sent them the press release on the event and got a response immediately that they might be interested in covering this story.

You see the opportunities for media coverage that can be created when you win an award? The Rule Breakers Award has potential to expose CastMedic Designs to millions of people depending on which media outlets pick up the story.

What kinds of awards can you apply for? Let me know!

To Your PR Success,