It's awards season, well for the arts and entertainment industry at least, and we all know how that's gone down... We're talking to you, Will Smith. But it's also the start of the business awards season where a number of gongs are given out for achievements in various areas, including start-ups, employer of choice, best in breed and the like. Awards are not just about recognising you're the best at what you do, but also a cost-effective way to create social proof that you produce quality work which, in turn, helps potential clients make the decision to pick up the phone and talk with you over someone else. The nomination process also helps to increase staff morale and provide a sense of pride with employees as you gather the information to enter and reflect on the successful work you've done. There are the obvious awards like the Telstra Business Awards and The Financial Review Fast Lists, but there are many more at state and local levels which are all held in high regards. But remember, like anything in life, you need to stay current. And awards, like the seasons, come around every year, so you can't keep basking in old glory. There's nothing worse than seeing an email footer from a business  proudly displaying their best-in-class award logo from 2012.The best awards take time to enter and require skilful wordsmithing to get your most important points across. There are some where you can pay for immediate recognition or simply do nothing to achieve them (like the CHOICE Shonky Awards), but the most highly coveted ones require work involving complex questions and written effort. The more prestigious the award, the more recognition and subsequent publicity you'll receive, and that's good for business. If you're not sure where to look or start, or even need help in piecing an award submission together, Zakazukha is here to help.