Every spring, newspapers around the country launch local “Best of” awards. You can apply for an award, which can help boost both awareness of your shop and consumer confidence in it.
Local “Best of” awards are typically won by voter choice by the business that receives the most votes in a category.
Joe Cassity of Tunes-n-Tint, Lakeland, FL applies every year to several contests and has won numerous awards. The shop mentions them in conversations with customers and promotes them in online marketing and social media.
While the awards are unlikely to include a specific category for car audio, dealers can apply under “Auto Parts Stores,” “Specialty Stores,” and “Auto Customization,” to name a few headings. Sometimes, by your applying, the contest may create a specific category for Car Audio Specialists the following year.
Tunes-n-Tint received “Best of” awards in three categories in Central Florida in 2025, and a BizRate Best Stereo Shop for three years in a row plus a Community Choice award for Central Florida last year.
“I think this is an often overlooked advertising opportunity for our industry,” said Cassity. “The industry awards are great, but they don’t have the same [broad] level of recognition as Best of Lakeland [or insert your town]. 5 Guys Burgers uses local reviews and marketing / ads on their walls throughout their establishments. It works.”
In, Florida, the Orlando Sentinel asks applicants to support its “Best of” issue with ads. Taking an ad doesn’t affect your standing in the contest. It costs $200 to $300 for an 1/8th page ad, Cassity said.
To obtain votes towards winning an award, Tunes-n-Tint sends out email blasts and posts on social media asking for votes. Just the process itself helps bring good brand awareness, Cassity said.
Sometimes there’s a banquet dinner for the winners, which creates an opportunity to network. If you are looking for a wheels and tire shop to work with, you may find the best one in the area at the dinner.
“We need to embrace non-traditional advertising methods and outreach, especially when there are so many obstacles in the current market,” Cassity said. “And it’s also a great community outreach method that gets your team excited too as they get local friends and family to select us ‘as the best in town.’”
Awards in Your Town:
Ask Google for “Best of” local awards in your town and how to apply. A search for Southern California found numerous awards including:
- L.A. Times “Best of the Southland”: This is arguably the most prestigious consumer poll in the region. It categorizes businesses by regional zones (e.g., San Fernando Valley, Westside) and includes broad automotive categories where car audio dealers can compete under “Auto Repair” or “Auto Service”.
- LA Daily News “Readers’ Choice Awards”: An annual program where the local community nominates and votes for their favorite businesses.
- Categories: You can compete in “Repair & Service (Local)”
- Timing: Voting typically occurs in the spring (March/April), with winners announced in August.
- Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave: Unlike formal industry awards, this is a “trust badge” granted by neighbors to businesses they frequently recommend. It is highly effective for localized consumer awareness as it appears directly on the Nextdoor app when locals search for services.
| Award Program | Important Dates | Why it Matters |
| LA Daily News Readers’ Choice | Voting: Mar 27 – Apr 26, 2026 | Highly local; winners are featured in a special publication on June 7, 2026. |
| L.A. Times Best of the Southland | Regional Voting: May – June | The “gold standard” for LA consumer trust. Regional winners proceed to a final round in Sept/Oct. |
| Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave | Annual (typically July) | Crowdsourced from actual neighbors; the “Fave” badge appears on your digital business profile year-round. |
