Last month, I attended Martha’s Market, an event sponsored by The Women’s Committee of Martha Jefferson Hospital. The Market is a 3-day bazaar that raises awareness and funds for women’s health programs in Central Virginia.

This was my ninth market as a shopper. My fourth since joining the Mom’s Choice Awards® team. Why is that relevant?

In my job as Director of New Media, I have the chance to learn about products and services that have won our award. Thanks to the monthly press release and events like BookExpo America, I am building a “mental catalog” of many of your products.

Walking the aisles at Martha’s Market I spotted more than a dozen products that earned a Mom’s Choice Awards® Honoring Excellence seal.

Unfortunately, I am the only one who knows it. None of the 8,000 people who bought tickets know – and the vendors who showed the products didn’t know. Why?

Because they didn’t have a seal on the front!

From books to toys and games to personal use products – not one made any mention of having earned a Mom’s Choice Award®.

When you enter an Awards program, you’re seeking the recognition your product or service deserves. Earning a Mom’s Choice Award® validates your work … but it doesn’t sell your product.

What CAN help sales, though, is making sure that when people are looking for a product like yours that it stands apart from your peers. Here are some examples …

Marketing on Amazon Search

Amazon.com is a beast. I have a love-hate relationship with the company, but when I want to research and compare products quickly and easily, guess where I go?

Take a closer look at this image. Isn’t it easy to spot the products that feature the seal on the cover?

Your eye is naturally drawn to something that “sticks out” on a product’s package. Click through on some of the products and you can see that the product description complements that image by explaining what the Mom’s Choice Award® is.

Marketing from the Warehouse

The vendors at shows like Martha’s Market get their wares from distributors. Some of the vendors have brick-and-mortar stores. For most, however, 100% of their business comes from traveling the country and setting up a booth at fairs and bazaars.

What they sell what comes from a distributor. They know their product, but they don’t have time for independent research.

Help them spotlight your award-winning product by making sure that the product your distributor ships them has a Mom’s Choice Award® on the package or cover.

Many of these vendors set up booths at 5 to 10 shows in a “season.” They travel a lot, attending shows big and small. Is there a reason why you wouldn’t want to have your product talked about all over the country with thousands of potential buyers every weekend?

You have two choices:

• sticker your product before you ship it to a distribution point.
• imprint the seal on the product cover / package.

Marketing Bottom Line

Earning an award is a wonderful affirmation of the hard work and ingenuity that went into bringing your product or service to the public. It sets you apart from your peers.

To reap the benefit of increased awareness (and potentially sales) you have to make it easy for people to learn about you. Adding stickers or imprinting the seal on your product is an easy step that amplifies your marketing at every distribution point.