So, you’re a finalist in an award, congratulations! You may be wondering what exactly to expect at the awards ceremony.
The awards ceremony is a chance to see your name in shining lights and get the recognition you deserve while networking with other finalists, so what should you expect on this special day? How can you prepare? How should you dress? What should you bring on the night? It is normal to ask these questions.
To help you have a smooth event, we have put together a few insights about what to expect at an awards ceremony.
How to prepare
To ensure you are well prepared for this exciting event, there are a few things you can do before the special night to help ensure you have all you need before you walk through those doors:
- Look on the awards website and emails from the awards organisers for information about the night and the structure. This will give you a heads up about how the event is expected to run. From this, you can think about who to bring and what to take.
- Invite who you would like to attend on the night. This may be a select few members from your business, your entire team, or your whole business. Make sure you check the awards website to see how many people you are able to bring. Some awards ceremonies allow you to book tables of 10-15 people.
How much it costs
There is usually a fee to attend an awards ceremony. This is to help fund the ceremony itself, as operational costs include payment of the venue, decorations, food, drinks, entertainment, marketing, special guests, prizes, and judges.
The exact cost of the awards ceremony depends on the awards company and the event itself. Some awards ceremonies will be quite small and intimate, whereas others will stretch for multiple nights, and will be held on a much larger scale. Moreover, some awards companies may offer discounts if you book an entire table rather than just a few seats. Make sure to check the awards website to see exact ceremony entry prices.
For many awards companies, having entry fees for their awards ceremonies are necessary in order to deliver a seamless and successful awards ceremony which celebrates its candidates in the best way possible.
How to dress
Dress to impress!
Most awards ceremonies will be formal or black tie events to help showcase the winners appropriately.
Make sure to read the event description prior to the event so you and your team can dress for the occasion.
What an event typically looks like
Arrive and mingle:
Many awards ceremonies offer a drinks reception and a chance to mingle with others before the event officially begins and you get seated. This can be a great opportunity to network, as there can be hundreds or even thousands of other people at the event, so ensure you bring business cards with you!
Enjoy food and drinks:
Some awards ceremonies will involve a cocktail event with canapes, however, most will involve a sit down dinner. In this case you will be seated at a table which usually consists of 10-15 guests for a meal. Depending on the event, you may be offered a three or four-course meal, and drinks may be offered throughout the entire seating, or you may need to purchase your own drinks as you please.
Your table may consist of your business, or may be a mixture of guests. This depends on the chosen table layout of the awards company, and whether they gave you an option to purchase a whole table of guests or not.
Embrace the award presentations:
This is the moment you have been waiting for – the award presentations! This is where the winners are announced and celebrated, and get their moment of fame on the shining stage in front of all guests and judges.
Most of the time, if you are announced as a winner, you will not be expected to give a speech due to time restraints. Thus, you are likely to receive a handshake, an award and a photo on the stage before returning to your seat. However, ensure you check the finalist information prior to the event in case speeches are scheduled into the event.
Some awards ceremonies may choose to pull the winners aside after they have been announced for a private interview which may be filmed and put on their website after the event. This all depends on the layout of the program.
Keep celebrating and mingling:
After the winners have been announced and have had their time on stage, the celebrations continue! Ceremonies may have entertainment such as live music, and photographers may be walking around the venue.
Make sure you catch the photographer! This is a great chance to get some professional photos of you and your team which can be used for marketing purposes after the event.
This part of the awards ceremony also provides an excellent opportunity to network more. Connect with other winners, finalists and businesses. You never know where this could take you in the future!
Example: Australian Small Business Champion Awards
For example, the Australian Small Business Champion Awards ceremony offers a 3-course meal, drinks and entertainment, to ensure a memorable night for all attending. The evening also allows for an opportunity to network with other guests at the event. The highlight of this event is of course the announcement of the winners in each category, and the trophies and speeches which follow.
For 2023, this awards evening will be held over two big nights at The Star, Sydney, on the 28th and 29th of April, with the aim to uphold the reputation as the ‘“Oscars of Small Business”.
Do you want to experience the thrills of an awards ceremony, and have your chance to see your name in shining lights? There are hundreds of awards available for you to enter! Green Door Co has a 97.5% success rate. Reach out today!
