The Stevie® Awards, known globally as the premier business awards, recognize excellence in the United States and internationally across various industries. The Stevie Awards host nine annual business awards competitions based on industry and geographical area. The American Business Awards® (ABAs), the first-ever Stevie Awards competition now in its 23rd year, celebrates organizations, teams, and individuals who achieve remarkable business success and innovation.

The ABAs are open to all US-based organizations, both public and private, large and small, for-profit and nonprofit. Notable past winners include Apple, AT&T, Ford Motor Company, Chipotle, and Google, which showcase the prestige and influence of these awards.

Entering the ABAs offers both tangible and intangible benefits that can elevate your business to new heights. Whether it's enhancing your brand's reputation, attracting new clients, or inspiring your employees, participating in the Stevie Awards is an investment that delivers far-reaching returns.

If you're considering entering, here are eight compelling reasons why participating in the ABAs could be a game-changer for your business:

1. Gain Recognition for Your Achievements

Recognition from the Stevie Awards tells the world that you’re excelling in your industry. Your team’s hard work and success deserve the spotlight, and winning a Stevie puts your company on the map, opening doors to new opportunities and partnerships.

Small organizations have just as much chance to win a Stevie as big companies do. Every year, world-famous companies such as Toyota, DHL, and IBM are joined in the winners' circle by small and medium-sized organizations that are still building their brands.

2. Enhance Brand Visibility

Entering the ABAs offers media and promotional opportunities that can raise your brand’s profile. Winners are frequently featured on prominent news outlets, helping your organization gain exposure to a wider audience.

The Stevie Awards have a global presence, which means your recognition in the ABAs has the potential to extend well beyond US borders. Winning can open international networking opportunities, with chances to connect with leaders and influencers worldwide.

The Stevie Awards provides the following tools to help winners promote their wins:

• Press release templates
• Multipurpose winner logos
• Resources for social media postings
• Winner banner images for LinkedIn
• Opportunity to be featured on the weekly Stevie Awards Update Newsletter
• Opportunity to be featured on the Stevie Awards Blog
• Opportunity to be quoted in Stevie Awards social media

The Stevie Awards have their own extensive media partnerships, meaning your brand will be promoted across various platforms and media in addition to our website. We get more than 80,000 visitors to our site every month, have more than 50,000 weekly email newsletter subscribers, and have thousands of Facebook, LinkedIn, and X followers.

3. Strengthen Your Company’s Reputation

Winning or even being a finalist in the ABAs can significantly boost your organization's credibility. Having a Stevie Award is not only a badge of honor, but it also acts as a stamp of approval for your company’s work.

The Stevie® Award trophy is one of the world's most coveted prizes. Since 2002 the Gold Stevie Award has been conferred for achievement in business to organizations and individuals in more than 70 nations and territories.

The association with the Stevies reinforces your credibility in the eyes of clients, investors, and even competitors. It’s an effective way to build trust and a stellar reputation in your industry.

4. Gain Constructive Feedback from Experts

Each year the ABAs are judged by more than 200 professionals, experts, and executives from across the United States and from several other nations. Whether you win or not, the feedback you receive can be invaluable, helping you fine-tune your strategies and improve your operations. This insight often proves to be a hidden benefit of entering the competition.

Many of the world's top business leaders will review your nominations during the judging process, and you'll have access to all of their comments about your entries and your business after the judging period concludes - an invaluable feedback resource.

5. Boost Employee Morale and Engagement

Leveraging awards is a cost-effective way to thank and honor your valued employees. Awards offer a sense of achievement, especially for your employees.

When your team’s efforts are acknowledged on a grand stage, it boosts morale and encourages further dedication. It can also be a point of pride that keeps employees motivated and loyal, reinforcing the positive culture within your organization.

In a competitive job market, awards can also be an advantage for organizations who want to attract more talented employees. Awards not only validate a company’s achievements but also can indicate a supportive and positive environment that many candidates are looking for.

6. Write the Story of Your Organization or Professional Journey

The entry process to submit nominations is itself valuable. In preparing your nominations, you'll reflect on your beginnings, your challenges, and your solutions, examining how you turned your barriers into success.

Many past winners find encouragement and insight through this reflection process as they are gathering solid data points and framing the accomplishments for an external audience. This type of research and self evaluation will help you write succinct, compelling stories of achievement within your organization that you can use in other ways to promote your brand beyond the award application.

7. Attract New Business and Customers

A Stevie Award signals to potential customers and partners that your company is trustworthy, innovative, and at the forefront of your industry. People like to do business with recognized, reputable brands. An ABA win can serve as a seal of quality, helping to attract new clients, customers, and investors.

If you’re a marketing agency or media production company, your work will be reviewed and honored by potential clients, not just your competitors, and there are many categories for websites and apps, marketing campaigns, video productions, and other media.

8. Celebrate Your Success at the Awards Ceremony

The Stevie Awards’ prestigious gala provides a perfect platform for celebrating your hard work and success. Attending the event also gives you an opportunity to meet and mingle with other outstanding businesses.

Being part of such a celebration is a moment of pride and recognition for your entire team, and the Stevie Awards team ensures that you walk away from the ceremony with even more resources to promote your organization and brand.

Stevie Award ceremonies include dinner followed by on-stage award presentations, which are recorded and live-streamed globally. Winners can give a 30-second acceptance speech on stage and are photographed throughout the event, including at the red-carpet area and on stage.

Multiple videographers capture the presentations and interview winners post-ceremony. Photos and video clips are posted on the Stevie Awards' Flickr page and YouTube channel and available for download, typically within a few days of the ceremony.

Bottom Line

Entering The ABAs offers a unique opportunity to gain recognition, enhance your brand's visibility, and strengthen your company’s reputation. Whether you're a small business or a large corporation, the benefits of participating in the Stevie Awards extend beyond just winning—providing valuable feedback, boosting employee morale, and creating networking opportunities.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Enter the ABAs today and start your journey to global recognition. View full information on eligibility, categories, and how to enter online.