Business Awards

[james Minion]

Does anyone have any experiences of entering and or winning business awards? I would like to do this at some point over the next 12 months so wanted to find out others experiences.

[DanMartin]

Lots of UKBF members are award winners so I'm sure some will be along soon to give you some tips. In the meantime, check out this article (http://www.businesszone.co.uk/item/185288) on BusinessZone.co.uk.

[Shaun_Pearce]

Arts & Business Cymru Arts, Business & the Environment winner June 2009

The ‘Arts, Business and the Environment' award was in recognition of the UES partnership with the Wales Millennium Centre (http://www.uesolutions.co.uk/downloads/casestudy/CS%20WMC%20v1.pdf). Having previously worked with the Centre for 3 years as advisors on utilities and energy usage, UES were able to help the Centre cut down on its energy usage by 15%, plus reduce its carbon emissions and impact on the environment. In May 2008, UES also took part in the Centre's Environmental Awareness Week, encouraging staff to become more responsible - both in the workplace and at home.

South Wales Chamber of Commerce, Excellence in Marketing winner 2008

[Pab]

We won a couple of business awards from FSB last month:

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=113193

We've also just been selected as a top 10 national finalist for the Dell Business Excellence Awards. We find out in the next month or two whether we've won:

http://www.is4profit.com/news/small-business-news/20090623-dell-small-business-excellence-awards-finalists.html

[eventdomain]

Having attended a few events, one a few days ago, here's my take on Events and especially Awards events.

Events in general are seen as networking opportunities by businesses, but there are 'hidden' agendas involved for most of them, and that's only revealed once you attend/paid for tickets, bought the awards themselves etc etc.....

For instance, We attended one and although it was free, it became clear that the eventual category winners were 'well known' in the local community and that undoubtedly aided the wins. Also the local press attended and the photographer made it no secret the only ones that got a photo opportunity were the select few (the award nominees). I'd say that out of 150 businesses that were deemed worthy of an invite, obviously didn't stand a chance of an award. Even local awards are quite a big thing, there was an old boys network kind of feel to it all somehow.

Basically if you're not contacted by the organisers - you won't be nominated for the awards. At most we made a couple of contacts, but that was about it, as it's very much a time thing, and everybody keeps themselves to themselves, er, other businesses didn't just approach us and ask about what we did, although a couple did and exchanged a few cards etc - we won't make any sales from it, so don't waste your time.

The winners had already been interviewed, stories been prepared by the media and category winners chosen way before the date of the event, and this was confirmed by the video interviews displayed by projector at the venue. I'd say if you're nominated, then that's just as good as winning, and to be happy with it.

Obviously the winners get all the spotlight, the rest go home with nothing..

The main object of this event was to generate money for rising sports stars, and the organisers wasted no time in informing everyone about the gold envelope at each table, which they asked to be filled with cash, which kind of made me feel that's all we were there for.

These awards are very tough to win.

Still the free meal was okay I suppose.

[wayney]

we won the Top Outsourcer Award :)

http://www.callboxinc.com/news/callbox-sweeps-outsourcing-awards.html

[brambledog]

Be very careful about entering business awards run by newspapers, I used to be a journalist covering these events and by and large the "winners" were decided well in advance and surprise surprise the paper's biggest advertisers did well on the night.

Got to meet Jack Charlton at one of them though so not all bad!