Target Award Winning Companies

One of the most valuable trigger events is when a company receives an award. Awards signal recognition, growth, and success, key indicators that a business is thriving and may have new needs or increased budgets. For sales teams, this is the perfect time to reach out, as companies in the spotlight are often looking to build on their momentum, invest in new solutions, and maintain their competitive edge.

In this play, we’ll explore how to effectively leverage the “Company Received Award” trigger to craft timely, relevant outreach that resonates with prospects during their moment of celebration. By understanding the significance of this trigger, you’ll be better equipped to strike while the iron is hot and build connections when prospects are at their most receptive.

What are Trigger Events?

Trigger events, also known as sales triggers or marketing triggers, are specific occurrences or milestones in a company’s lifecycle that indicate a shift in their needs or priorities. These events provide valuable insights into when a business might be more open to exploring new products or services, making them a crucial part of prospecting. By identifying these triggers, sales teams can time their outreach perfectly, engaging with prospects when they’re most receptive to new opportunities.

A company winning an award can be a signal of growth, but can also position that company in a new light, showing them as a successful and credible organization and often marking a period of increased visibility or expansion for the business. Companies that have recently received recognition are usually focused on capitalizing on their achievements, which may include investing in solutions that help sustain or enhance their momentum. This creates an ideal opening for sales teams to position their offerings as part of the company’s growth strategy.

Beyond the business implications, awards have a strong emotional impact. Being recognized is a celebration of hard work and success, and it often creates a positive, receptive atmosphere. Congratulating a company on their award not only acknowledges their achievement but also positions your brand positively, showing that you pay attention to their success and care about their journey.

When tracking awards and recognition, it’s important to watch for specific types of accolades in your industry. These could include:

• Industry-specific awards (e.g., technology innovation awards, customer service excellence awards)

• Business growth awards (e.g., fastest-growing company lists, Inc. 5000)

• Environmental or sustainability awards (e.g., green business certifications)

• Employer awards (e.g., best places to work, diversity and inclusion recognitions)

By keeping an eye on these types of awards, you can identify companies that are likely to be experiencing positive change, making them ideal prospects for timely and relevant outreach.

How to identify companies that receive an award

Identifying companies that win awards is a powerful way to engage prospects at the right moment, but knowing when one of your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) companies wins an award is even more valuable. With the Dealfront platform, you can set up notifications that alert you when an ICP company receives such an award, allowing you to focus your outreach on high-potential prospects. This targeted approach ensures you're spending time on companies that are not only in growth mode but also match your business's ideal customer criteria, leading to more meaningful conversations and higher conversion rates.

Traditionally, tracking company updates like expansion plans was a manual and time-consuming process. Salespeople had limited options and often had to research each individual company from scratch. This could involve searching for the latest news online, reading business sections in industry-specific publications, or even reaching out to the company’s press office directly - if they had one.

This approach had several inefficiencies. It required a significant investment of time, and there was always the risk of missing important updates if you weren’t constantly monitoring. Sales teams were often left to react too late, missing prime opportunities to engage with companies at the right moment. Additionally, the manual nature of the research meant inconsistent tracking, making it difficult to scale across multiple prospects.

More recently, tools like Google Alerts have streamlined this process slightly by automating notifications for online mentions. However, even Google Alerts can be limited, often sending irrelevant results or failing to capture critical updates in real-time. Plus, salespeople would still need to filter through various news sources to extract the specific insights they were looking for, adding another layer of inefficiency.

By comparison, today’s automated software solutions offer far more targeted, real-time insights, allowing sales teams to act immediately on expansion news. This ensures salespeople can make timely and relevant outreach as soon as this news has been published. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started using Dealfront’s solution, Target.

1. Search with Dealfront Target

• Click on ‘Add filter’ and from the ‘Select filter’ screen select ‘News & Trigger Events’.

• Click on ‘Trigger Events’

  

• Click on ‘Events’ and then on ‘Awards’. You can then narrow your results by adding filters in the ‘Search options’ box on the right where you will see you have the option to select factors such as a publication period or event date. You can also define more search criteria by entering certain information, for example, the title of award or type you’re interested in. Finally, click on ‘Show Companies’.

• Here is an example of how you might search for companies who have won a sustainability award within a specific industry of your ICP:

  

• Using trigger events is a great way of searching for new potential customers, and results matching with existing customers also indicate potential for cross-/upsell opportunities for existing contacts. Simply use your CRM integration to see at first glance if the company in your list in Target is already a customer of your business. This is a great way of expanding on existing relationships, or providing a reason to get back in touch with a prospect who has gone cold.

• By clicking on the number of trigger events a company in your results has, you can see more details about that particular trigger and can also get the original source:

  

2. Set up alerts

• Here’s another example. Use your ICP list that you created in Target and create an alert in Dealfront Connect for getting notified if the Trigger Event for “Award” is triggered:

  

• Here’s how you can setup this alert:

  

• Use the ICP list that you created in Target to create an alert in Dealfront Connect. Each time a company on this list meets the Trigger Event for “Award” you will get notified.

• Set up an alert configuration by clicking on “Configure alert” (on top right)

• Select “Signals” + “Awards” and your preferred frequency. You’ll get notified via email with the latest updates and be up-to-date with the newest award announcements from your ICP list

• This opens a great opportunity for you to reach out with personalized messaging, and the offer of help or a relevant service.

What to do next?

Once you have defined the companies that have recently received an award, the next steps are essential for turning these insights into actionable business growth. Here’s a breakdown of what you should do next:

1. Research and qualify leads

• Deep dive into company profiles - start by gathering more detailed information about the companies on your list. Understand their pain points and business challenges, work out who are their decision-makers, and then make sure you understand how your solution can address their specific needs.

• Prioritize leads - now you can prioritize the most promising leads for your team by focusing on a company’s intent. For example, as soon as an ICP company visits your website, you can reach out to them, knowing that there is also relevance behind your approach.

2. Develop tailored outreach strategies

• Personalize communication - following a company winning an award, starting out with a ‘congratulations’ is a great way to break the ice. You’ll also need to make sure your messages speak directly to the needs and challenges of each company, while also recognising that they are in a strong position. Use the insights from your research to make your outreach relevant and compelling enough for that company to pay attention to what you’re saying; they’re in a great position now, but how can you help them maintain their current momentum?

• Multi-channel engagement - use multiple channels, such as email, LinkedIn, phone calls, and even direct mail, to reach out to your potential customers. Consistent, well-coordinated engagement increases the chances of getting noticed and starting meaningful conversations.

3. Engage and nurture relationships

• Build relationships - once you’ve made first contact, the next step is to focus on creating value in each of your interactions. Share insights, offer solutions, and establish yourself as a trusted partner rather than just a vendor. Building relationships is key to long-term and on-going success.

• Nurture leads - remember, not all leads will be ready to convert immediately. Develop a nurturing strategy that keeps your brand top-of-mind while providing ongoing value through content, updates, and check-ins.

4. Measure your approach

• Track engagement and results - monitor how companies respond to your outreach efforts. This data can be invaluable when it comes to assessing what’s working and where adjustments are needed.

By following these steps, you’ll turn the companies that have recently won an award into loyal customers, driving growth and maximizing the return on your marketing and sales efforts.

Crafting the perfect congratulations message

When a company receives an award, it's a great opportunity to make a meaningful connection by sending a thoughtful congratulations message. The key is to make your outreach genuine, well-timed, and personal. Instead of using generic language, take the time to craft a message that reflects your interest in their success and mentions specific details about the award they’ve received.

For example, refer to the type of award and what it represents, whether it’s for innovation, leadership, or customer service excellence. This shows that you’ve done your homework and truly care about their accomplishment.

To avoid blending in with the flood of digital congratulatory messages, consider sending a physical direct mail piece. In an era dominated by emails and social media, a well-designed card or package delivered to their office can make a lasting impression. Direct mail feels more personal, tangible, and thoughtful, allowing your brand to stand out from the competition.

However, it’s important to ensure compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and US direct marketing laws. Before sending any direct mail, make sure you have obtained the proper consent or are using compliant methods for B2B marketing communications.

Templates

Here is a template example of a message you might send in an email, via LinkedIn, or in a traditional ‘congrats’ card to a prospect who has recently received an award:

Email Outreach Timeline

By taking this extra step and showing genuine interest in their achievement, you not only build goodwill but also create a memorable touchpoint that can strengthen your relationship with the prospect.

Stay ahead of competitors

Being the first to reach out after a company receives an award or experiences a significant event can give you a competitive edge. Early outreach allows you to engage with prospects before your competitors have a chance, positioning your solution as the first option they consider. This head start is critical, especially when awards or recognitions signal that the company is entering a period of growth or change.

And this is true for any trigger. Sales event triggers often provide the first public indicator that a company is undergoing change, whether it's growth, investment, or an internal shift in strategy. Recognizing these triggers and acting swiftly can help you connect with prospects at a crucial time, ensuring that you're there when they’re most receptive and before your competitors have even had a chance to react.

To ensure timely outreach, automation tools can play a vital role. By integrating tools that track sales triggers and automate notifications you can be instantly alerted when a target company wins an award or achieves another milestone. This allows your team to respond quickly and take advantage of the brief window when the company is likely to be more open to conversations about new solutions.

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Expected results

By implementing the "Company Receives an Award" event trigger and automating notifications for your ICP, you can transform your sales approach. Here’s what you can expect:

• More Targeted Marketing and Sales Efforts - automated notifications ensure that you're focusing your outreach on companies experiencing positive recognition, making your efforts more relevant and impactful.

• Opportunities for Cross-Selling and Upselling - companies receiving awards are often in growth mode, making them ideal targets for cross-selling complementary products or upselling advanced solutions.

• Perfect Timing for Outreach - with real-time notifications, you'll know exactly when to reach out; right when the company is celebrating success, making them more receptive to new ideas.

By integrating this trigger into your sales process, you can optimize your approach, delivering timely, personalized, and meaningful outreach that connects with prospects when they’re most open to it.