Buying awards, and pay for play awards in particular, is the subject of this Short video for business owners and professionals who weigh the awards others show them. Do you really want to put money into lying to false hype?
This video first went up on YouTube on April 8, 2025. The written post was added on October 22, 2026.
Why Can Buying Awards Hurt Your Credibility?
Buying awards can hurt your credibility, because a purchased award may not show authenticity, authority or expertise. Money spent on a pay for play award can go into false hype, and Loren Weisman suggests showcasing your knowledge, understanding, ability and wisdom instead.
- Pay for play awards have been around for a very long time, and oftentimes they can be bought.
- An award you would not admit you purchased may not showcase authenticity, authority or expertise.
- When someone pitches you with a long list of awards, looking deeper than the small website that gave them a listing can tell you more.
- Showing what you know, how you do it and who you do it with can be a better way to build than buying awards.
Buying Awards: The Full Transcription
Pay for Play Awards and False Hype
Move away from the pay for play awards. And if you’re looking at someone and they’re highlighting all these cool awards, consider looking into them a little bit deeper to see if they’re actually genuine or if they just paid for those awards to try to impress you.
My name is Loren Weisman. I’m a brand, communications and optics strategist. And these pay for play have been around for a very long time. Do you really want to put money into lying to false hype?
Would You Tell People You Purchased It?
Would you tell these people, oh, here. Here’s the award on my website. Here’s the award on my so I’m so humbled have this because I purchased it. Where does that showcase authenticity?
Where does that showcase honesty? Where does that showcase authority or expertise? If you genuinely want to build up, stop trying to win awards and consider showcasing your knowledge, your understanding, your ability, your wisdom.
Digging Into Awards When Someone Pitches You
And for those that see too many awards, when somebody’s trying to hype you or get them to get you as a client, consider digging into those awards and not just looking up the little website where they got some kind of listing. But can I buy one of these?
You’ll be surprised that oftentimes the answer is yes. Move away from the false hype pay for play awards and consider moving to showcasing better ways of what you know, how you do it, who you do it with, and your expertise and authority as a whole.
Vetting Awards and Claims in My Talks
Vetting the marketing fools and advertising scams for your business.
Questions and Answers
Can you buy an award for your business?
Yes, oftentimes an award can be bought through pay for play programs, which have been around for a very long time. Putting money into a purchased award can mean putting money into false hype.
How do you check if someone’s awards are genuine?
Checking whether someone’s awards are genuine can mean digging into the awards when someone uses them to impress you or win you as a client. Looking further than the small website where the person got a listing may show whether the award was earned or paid for.
Do purchased awards show authority or expertise?
Purchased awards may not show authenticity, authority or expertise, because they were bought rather than earned. Building up by showcasing your knowledge, understanding, ability and wisdom can show your expertise and authority as a whole, as Loren Weisman sees it.
More Videos and the Podcast
- Brand Comms and Ops: All Things Considered Shorts on YouTube
- Loren Weisman Video Shorts on YouTube: 20 More
- Wait What Really OK podcast
Loren Weisman is a Brand Communications and Optics Strategist who specializes in illuminating authoritative intelligence and amplifying authentic experts.
Weisman is the host of the brand communications and optics podcast Wait What Really OK.
© 2011 to 2026 Loren Weisman. All Rights Reserved ® ℗
Buying Awards: Showcase Your Knowledge Instead