Episode 361: Who are you to judge?
In this episode, Fiona talks about exploring the benefits of judging in a positive light. She also discusses the power of engaging to elevate personal brand and connect within your field. Tune in!
Topics discussed in this episode:
Introduction
Benefits of judging positively within your business niche
Process of becoming a judge
Encouragement for audience participation
Contact information for further engagement
Conclusion
Get in touch with My Daily Business
Resources and Recommendations mentioned in this episode:
Welcome to episode 361 of the My Daily Business Podcast. Today, this is really a good one if you are trying to get yourself out there a little more network, connect with people in your industry and also build your personal brand. Before we get stuck into that, I'll acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians on the land of which I record this podcast, and that is the Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to the elders past and present and acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded. Let's get into today's quick tip episode.
Do you find yourself judging others? I know that for most people they'll want to really quickly say, “No, I don't. I'm really not judgmental at all. I never judge anyone. The only thing I judge is myself.” I think all of us are capable of judging other people. Today I want to talk about judging in a positive way in your business. What I mean by this is actually putting yourself forward as a judge for different industry awards in your particular area. For example, if you are reading this in real time, it is the 21st of November, which also happens to be the night that the Australian Business Book Awards is on. I have been a judge this year, and I was a judge last year as well for the Australian Business Book Awards. I actually won the best general business book and was a finalist for the best 2021 Australian Business Book Awards with my first book Passion Purpose Profit.
The Business Awards, I had seen somebody else post about them on social media. That's how I came to know them. I put my book in and then I'm on the email list. I think we had been connected because my book had won, which was incredible and actually led to a lot of publicity for the book and in particular with one major bookseller online here. That was great. I'd stayed connected with them and I think I had emailed them or they had emailed about becoming a judge. That's right, they'd emailed and then I was like, “Yes, I would absolutely love to be a judge.” What does it involve? It's pretty simple. They send me a bunch of books, which I have gone through, read and Critiqued, and then you input your data into a program. It's all pretty much done online.
They send you the books out, you don't know what books you're getting. You can get all sorts of books, which has been really interesting as well to read books that I may not have picked up in a bookstore myself. I have to say that the books are just amazing. This year particularly, I have read five books and all of them are books that I would happily bought myself. It's really great in terms that you get all these books, you get to keep them, but also you're connecting with people in your industry. They used to have, maybe don't quote me, they might've had an in-person event. I think now it's predominantly done online, maybe because of Covid, but I know that when my book went and won, it was just online and I watched it like a live webinar kind of thing.
There are many awards that are out there that need judges and people with expertise in a particular category. This can help in terms of promotion because a lot of those companies are promoting their awards and are also promoting the judges for those awards. Some of them will have websites, events, and collateral marketing that is putting you as a judge in that space, but also you're getting to connect with many different people that you haven't maybe heard about. I know when I did the judging last year for the Business Book Awards, there were some authors that I'd never heard of and I read their books and I was like, they are amazing. I've since followed them, signed up to their emails, and all sorts of things. It really allows you to connect with other people in your industry and even seeing the chatter that goes on between the judges, like it's just lovely to be able to connect with people in the same sort of industry that you are in.
I think it's amazing as a marketing opportunity as well if you are judging a bigger award or an award where there's a lot of media and press or even there's an event that you're going to, it's elevating you and your personal brand, your brand authority in a way that potentially might be harder to do elsewhere or just do on your own. If you have ever looked at certain awards and thought I actually could be a judge for that, whether it's the going to podcast awards, whether it's industry interior design awards, architecture awards, or business awards, put yourself forward, and especially if you are not somebody who's going to be entering those. For example, I haven't entered any other books besides my first book and when my second book comes out, I will definitely be entering it and hoping for the best.
I probably wouldn't be allowed to be a judge that year. I don't think you can be a judge if you've got a book that's entered into it for that year. I just think it's such a fun and great way to get involved in your industry that you may not have thought of. That is it for today's quick tip episode to really look at the awards that are coming up in your industry. If you haven't done that before, you can literally just Google Business Awards Australia 2023 - 2024, whatever it is, or Interior Design Awards England 2024 and see what comes up and see how you might get involved with that. I just think it's been a really fun experience. I have been a judge on some other awards in the past when I was in my employed roles, and I think it's something I just really enjoy doing and it's something I probably will look at doing more in 2024.
If you have any awards out there that you need a judge with my expertise, please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you what sort of awards you are going to go for or even go to be a judge on. Good luck and let me know so you can email us hello@mydailybusiness.com or just find us on Instagram @mydailybusiness_ or TikTok @mydailybusiness. It's always good to connect with people, and I think being a judge at awards allows you to do just that. That is it for today and good luck if you're reading this in real time and you entered the Australian Business Book Awards because I can't wait to see all the winners announced tonight. Good luck to everyone who entered. It takes a lot to enter any kind of award, you should be proud of yourself regardless. That is it for today's Quick Tip episode. You can find the link to anything I've mentioned, including the Australian Business Book Awards over at my daily mydailybusiness.com/podcast361. Thanks for reading. I'll see you later. Bye.
