2026 CSNZ Strategic Marketing and Communications Excellence Award - Small Practice

Strategic Marketing and Communications Excellence Award (Small Practice)
From Brand to Culture: Recognising excellence in how small practices communicate, connect, and build lasting reputation.

 

Category A  |  1 to 15 staff (including principals)

Overview of category:

This category celebrates businesses that demonstrate excellence in strategic marketing, branding, and communication, recognising that how a firm communicates shapes both its external reputation and its internal culture.

Entrants will show how brand clarity, creative communication, and authentic engagement build trust with clients, attract and retain great people, and strengthen business performance. This award recognises what is achievable and appropriate for a firm of your size, not against a corporate benchmark. What matters is strategic thinking, intentional communication, and measurable impact.

Judges are looking for evidence of how communication is used as a strategic tool, both internally with staff and externally with clients and the wider market. Entrants should demonstrate how their brand values are lived, not just stated, and how consistent messaging and authentic storytelling contribute to credibility, visibility, and business success.

Finally, businesses are asked to reflect on their communications journey, highlighting what they have learned, how they have adapted, and their aspirations for the future.

 

Eligibility:

This award is open to CSNZ member firms with 1 to 15 staff (including principals). Staff count is based on full-time equivalents (FTEs) at the time of entry, including principals and directors. If you are unsure whether your firm falls within this category, please contact CSNZ@surveyspatialnz.org before submitting.

 

NOMINATION DEADLINE IS MONDAY 3 AUGUST 2026

This award is part of the S+SNZ Excellence Awards that will be presented at the S+SNZ Conference GSI Awards Evening in Auckland, Thursday 10 September 2026.

Thanks for your nomination.

This will be used as the basis of the citation read at the awards dinner should your business be selected as the winner. It should be a concise overview of your business and your approach to marketing and communications.

• What are your firm's core values, purpose, and positioning in the market?

• How do you express your brand visually and through your communications, including tone, identity, and messaging?

• How is your brand strategy developed, and how does it align with your overall business strategy and goals?

• What tools, frameworks, or processes support your approach to brand management and planning?

• How do you keep your team informed, aligned, and motivated?

• What internal communication channels or tools do you use, and why?

• How does your internal communication reflect and reinforce your firm's values and culture?

• How do you know if your internal communication is working? What does success look like?

• Who are your target clients or audience segments, and how do you understand their needs and preferences?

• What marketing and communication strategies do you use to build visibility, trust, and engagement?

• How do you tailor your messaging to different audiences or channels?

• How do you identify and nurture new client relationships, and how do you retain existing ones?

• How do you use authentic storytelling, through case studies, thought leadership, social media, or other means, to build your firm's credibility?

• What role does community involvement, industry engagement, or media presence play in your communications approach?

• How do you manage your firm's reputation, including how you respond to challenges, feedback, or unexpected situations?

• Can you share a specific example where your communication approach made a meaningful difference to your business or client relationships?

• What KPIs or success measures do you use to define the effectiveness of your marketing and communications?

• What data, tools, or feedback mechanisms do you use to track and evaluate impact?

• How have your results compared to your original goals or expectations?

• Please share specific outcomes that demonstrate the effectiveness of your approach. This could include client growth, staff engagement, brand recognition, or other meaningful indicators.

• Reflect on successes, challenges, or unexpected outcomes in your marketing and communications journey.

• What lessons have you taken forward, and how have these shaped your current approach?

• What are your next steps for continuing to strengthen your brand, internal culture, and market presence?

• How could recognition through this award support your goals and contribute to raising the profile of strategic communications across the sector?

Supporting materials are optional but welcomed. You may include:

• Up to three (3) additional photographs

• Up to three (3) supporting documents (must be in PDF format), such as:

◦ Marketing or Communications Plan

◦ Survey or feedback results

◦ Brand Strategy or Style Guide

◦ Social media or campaign analytics

◦ Internal communications examples

• Up to three (3) testimonials (must be in PDF format)

Please ensure all attachments are relevant and enhance the strength of your nomination.