Ecommerce Awards

[SillyJokes]

I suppose I should be making a fuss.

We have been shortlisted in the East Midlands Regional Finals for the
http://www.ecommerce-awards.co.uk
under three categories: Broadband, E Trading and E Business.

Wish us luck at the Gala Award Ceremony on September 16th.

We're really chuffed to have been short listed as it is nice to have your hard work recognised. We are being filmed for the Award Ceremony tomorrow - yikes, I'll have to tidy my desk.

[Rob]

Congratulations! Here's hoping you'll be successful on the night.

Best of luck

[altyfc]

Congrats and good luck. How many have been shortlisted?

Aaron

[gary]

Congratulations! :)

[Ozzy]

Ha Ha ... I'll see you there!!! So have we ;) (well only for 2 categories but I don't know which!)
In fact you are only 10 minutes down the road from me so perhaps we should meet. Did you have the film guy round yesterday?

[gary]

Well done Richard! That's not the first time for you either is it?

Gary

[webvideo4u]

Well done guys, best of luck with it :)

[SillyJokes]

Hi,

Filming was weird, someone poking a camera over your shoulder every time you looked likely to do something interesting.

27 companies are shortlisted in the East Midlands Region - there are 5 categories, the three we are in, mentioned in my first post, plus E-Start Up and Teleworking.

Some categories have more nominees than others. 8 are up for one category, 3 for another but I don't know which.

There are 12 regions.

I don't know any of the other nominated companies, except I now know Ozzy is in it.

Apparantly the awards had thousands of entries but I expect many of them were like my efforts last year - very desultry. This year I really tried to fill out the forms properly and spent ages on them. Yippee, it's paid off.

Good luck to all nominated people.

[Ozzy]

Yes Gary, I was fortunate enough to make the National Business Awards finals, but that is as far as I got - still cool though!

The guy filming even filmed me riding up and down the road on my new motorbike ;) I guess because my business is so automated there wasn't actually a lot of "work" to film - he he

There is also The Growing Business Awards (http://www.growingbusinessawards.co.uk/) which close at the end of September. Remember you have to be in it to win it!

[Anonymous]

Hello Guys & Gals,

We've been shortlisted too. E-Business Start up category North West, we are up against 4 others in the category. Our awards bash is this Friday. Nobody filmed me... :cry:

Regards,
Simon

http://www.saferpak.com

[Ozzy]

Maybe its only the East of England that are filming the finalists, as each region is run separately. Never mind, you didn't miss out on much ;-)

[Anonymous]

Hi Ozzy,

Perhaps they are spending all our budget on champagne and truffles.

I must say I'm very excited about it, first time and all that. It's really great to have been shortlisted. How about you?

Regards,
Simon

[SillyJokes]

We were going to go up, grab a hotel and make a proper night of it but I can't get anyone to look after the (4) kids overnight so it'll be a long, sorry drive back when we don't actually pick up one of the gongs.

I can't for the life of me think why we are under 'Best use of Broadband' when all we have ever done is optimise for 56K.

Good luck with yours, Taff.

Ozzy, do you know if they have announced the shortlisted people for the National Innovation part of the E Commerce awards?

Mobile & Wireless Technology
Advanced Supply Chain Integration
Best Rural E-Business & Community

I rather thought we had a chance in the latter two.

[Ozzy]

Hi Taff,
I can't speak for the Ecom awards as never been up for these before, and only once for the National Business but they were a great night out. We stayed at the hotel, very posh ;)
It's worth staying away from the night to really enjoy it if you can, but like SillyJokes my wife and I will be making the journey home that night as we will have to let Nana get home after baby sitting our 2 year old.

As for shortlists ... not a dicky bird :( I know qf is up for two categories but don't know which two. The film guy knew but wouldn't tell me as its a secret so shouldn't have told you! :-)

[Anonymous]

Guys good luck to both of you, have a great night.

Regards,
Taff

[Ozzy]

Likewise! Bets of luck.
I now know we are up for E-Trading and E-Business Startup :-) ... so to SillyJokes it's websites at dawn ;)

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'll see you for a beer in London. On second thoughts if we both go through I'll have to blow your head off! lol

Regards,
Simon

[Ozzy]

Now that's fighting talk ;)

[Anonymous]

When someone says they're not something they usually are, so I won't bother saying don't worry I'm not a psycopath.

It'll be beers all round win, lose or draw if we get to London.

Come on!

Simon

[SillyJokes]

Ozzy, I know who is shortlisted for East Midlands now. Ask Diane and she will tell you.

[Ozzy]

:( She wont tell me!

[SillyJokes]

Won't tell you?

Have you asked recently? - she sent me a list yesterday.

Trouble was the web addresses weren't present. I only recognised you and one other site.

[Ozzy]

She sent the list for the whole lot but not broken down by category.
Some more breaking news, another business I am involved, www.createyourplate.com, is also in the finals for the Ecommerce Awards London region!

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys,

Just thought I'd update you. Our Awards do was Friday, North West - great night and we won!

http://www.saferpak.com/e-commerce_award_2004.htm

Well sort of...

Best of luck!

Regards,
Simon

[gary]

Congratulations Simon! :)

Gary

[Ozzy]

Excellent news Simon! Congratulations

[SillyJokes]

Well done Simon. You must be pretty chuffed. I think they had a lot of entries.

Our (ozzy and me in East Midlands Region) do is on Thursday so expect some results Friday.

I'm trying not to think about it too much. I don't want to be competitive but I can't help it. I was completely thrilled to be shortlisted but now I really do want to win. Otherwise, why enter?

[Anonymous]

It's really unbelievable how much my attitude to winning changed throughout the process. When I applied I had no expectations but thought ‘go on give it a go’. When I found out I’d been shortlisted I was totally over the moon but thought well if that’s as far as I go then it’s a massive achievement.

As the awards night got closer I started to think maybe I have a chance of winning and on the night I was absolutely gutted when my name was called out as ‘Highly Commended’. I really wanted to win it badly.

On reflection it’s a tremendous achievement and recognition, after all I could have come away from the awards with nothing, which I couldn’t begin to think about now. So close though…Damn!

The business that won is pretty sizeable accepta.co.uk (I’m a one man band) and they were runners up last year. Flowersdirect.co.uk were on our table, last year they won E-Start up and this year they won E-business.

The Business link chap on the night was fantastic, he kept saying how we were all winners and all had exceptional web sites. When he explained the number of entries and the process of whittling down to the shortlist and then the winners - it’s only then that you understand that you are pretty damn good.

When you look at your web site day in day you get sick and tired of it, and sometimes even begin to dislike it. This has reaffirmed how good my web site really is and I’ll be there next year with an improved web site and business.

Win or lose none of us are mugs – we all deserve a big round of applause.

Best of luck, I look forward to hearing how you get on.

Regards,
Simon

[SillyJokes]

There were some other National Awards which I haven't heard about yet - Innovation Awards in mobile/remote working, Advanced Supply Chain and something else.

Anyone heard anything about these?

[Ozzy]

Hi Simon,
Your are so very right with what you say, and your attitude reflects how mine was with the National Business Awards. I was gutted on the night that I only reached the Finalist stage, but looking back now I feel so proud looking at the the certificate on my wall ;)
This probably explains my more down to earth approach with the Ecommerce Awards, but yet again I'd love to win on the night.

I also agree with what you say about looking at your own website. I'm bored with the Quick Formations (http://www.quickformations.com/) website as its been the same now for over a year. I do have a new website design, but have not finished implementing the templates into the system. I'll put a link in here when the new site is live as I'd welcome the feedback.

SillyJokes - there are a lot of different business awrads that anyone can apply for, some are worthy and others are nothing more than another form of the "charity scam". I had a meeting with someone last week who had won an award only to receive an invoice a month later for an advertorial. It turns out the price was being approved for the advertorial!
That is why each time I receive a letter recommending entry to an award I carefully research it before entering.

[Ozzy]

WE WON!!!!
Quick Formations won the Ecommerce Startup award. SIllyJokes also won a few but I'll let her make her own announcement.

The video's were fun to watch, and they even showed me on my motorbike :D

[Anonymous]

That's absolutely brilliant Ozzy, well done! Still bored with your site?

Good luck in the nationals.

Regards,
Simon

[gary]

Nice one Richard! :)

Gary

[Ozzy]

My new site will be going live this weekend. Its all finished and the content is done, it just needs proof reading and double checking ... where is Stuart when you need him ;)

[SillyJokes]

Congratulations to Ozzy - well done matey.

We did amazingly well.

We got Highly Commended in both E-Trading and E-Business (beaten by the same company in each case I think - a company selling built in kitchen appliances which had grown amazingly fast).

We won Best Use of Broadband and so will be joining Ozzy at the National Finals at the Grosvner House Hotel in London next month.

It was just the best feeling winning - I was completely gobsmacked and to get Highly Commended in such exulted company was really fab.

Let the good times roll.

[Anonymous]

Wow three awards - I'm sure you feel great!

Enjoy your success you deserve it.

Regards,
Simon

[gary]

Congratulations Caroline! :)

Gary

[MikeH]

I would just like to add my congratulations to you both. Good luck and hope to hear of your success stories on this forum.

Mike.

[Anonymous]

Excelent proud of you both!

now tell us how its done so we can join in next year.

absolutely fabulous supercalafregelisticexpealidocious!

[kyber]

My new site will be going live this weekend. Its all finished and the content is done, it just needs proof reading and double checking ... where is Stuart when you need him ;)
I have fed back to you by mail as you prompted me by IM. In the middle of a huge bid but managed to explore your new site using several browsers.

I have to say that overall the new design, which builds on the existing design of course, is exceptional and I had only minor points to make (which I know does not usually stop me).

Congratulations from me as well on you recent win and good luck in the Nationals.

Stuart

[Alpha]

I would also like to add my congratulations to the two of you and good luck in the finals!!!

Richard

Just can't wait to see your next (ad)venture.

[Ozzy]

Thanks Stuart for the feedback.
For everyone else, its just a face lift to the current Quick Formations website but I have to wait till no-one is using the site to make it live ... which is difficult because the double edged sward is that the website is never quiet :-\ (looks like a 3am on Sunday night job).

Well my press release is currently being fired off to all and sundry that I can think off, how about yours Caroline? :)

[SillyJokes]

Press release? I'm so rubbish at doing the PR thing. I just can't help thinking it would have been a bigger story if the tent had blown down and squashed a few people.

[Ozzy]

ROFL! I thought it was going to a few times...

However, PR, its the whole point of entering these awards. If you dont maximise the publicity potential as soon as possible after you win the award the moment is gone. Local press are always on the lookout for local success stories, and trade press also. I strongly recommend you write a brief A4 sheet press release and fire it off with a photo to every newspaper, magazine and trade website you can think of!

Email me privately if you want to know what I put together to help you get started. I'm no expert at it by any stretch of the imagination, but it will give you a start.

[gary]

Caroline, I agree - you need to get some exposure from this, and local papers are a great way of getting it. Get copies of your local papers and find the relevant contact people, then give them a call and just have a chat. Tell them where your business is located (so they know it's relevant and local) and say you've just won this award and could you send them a bit more about it. You may only get local exposure now, but it could turn out to be more, you just never know!

Gary

[SillyJokes]

I'll do my best but I have to say that the journo I just spoke to seemed to think watching paint dry might be more interesting.

[Ozzy]

90% of them will ignore you, but those 10% will give you free publicity. Thats why its worth the scattergun approach ...

Nice bow tie your colleague was wearing on the night btw ;)

[SillyJokes]

That's no colleague, that's my husband!

He told me flashing bow ties never go out of style.

Have you got your room booked for next month?

[Ozzy]

Sorry, I didn't want to assume.
Urgh - not yet but best get a move on.

[SillyJokes]

So Ozzy, have you ensured the site is working for Friday Oct 1st for national judging and brushed down your suit for a week on Thursday?

I was talking to Diane trying to get some more info out of her about the National Innovation awards - the mobile phone, rural and supply chain ones not mentioned at the regional awards.

She kept schtumm but said that if you were shortlisted for any of these and were already invited to the National Awards you wouldn't hear any more about it until the night.

I put in for Rural and Supply Chain and so fingers crossed we get more nominations.

Did you put in for any?

[Ozzy]

I didnt realise the National judging was tomorrow - just pure luck then that my new website was put live yesterday !!! he he, and yes the suit is brushed down and the room is booked. I had to go for the more expensive room because all the "reserved for awards" rooms were gone (ummm).
We're getting the train down as I would only travel to the centre of London on tube or motorbike - never car!

As for Innovation Award, err, means nowt to me so I don't think I'm in for anything like that. I know one of the companies I am up against in the Business Startup category though - http://www.autoebid.com/ as another company I am involved in lost to them on Tuesday in that category ;)

[SillyJokes]

The innovation awards were other categories to enter as part of the ecommerce awards.

Funnily enough after I posted yesterday I got a call telling me we are shortlisted for the Best Rural E-Business (we are located on pigsheds on a farm in rural South Northants).

Yippeee! Don't think we will win however as it is more likely to some sort of local cheese selling consortium.

"Applicants will be judged on how their organisation has used Information and Communication Technologies to react to the challenges and benefits of being a rural business

Examples of innovation in this category include:

Overcoming online communications issues in a novel manner
Creation of a trading or support community to benefit local businesses
Transformation of existing assets or traditional rural activities through online trading "

We will also be going down by train, probably early afternoon so not to rush and to get the benefit of our cheap room - haa ha.

Have you seen a rush of business after your start up award?

[Ozzy]

Have you seen a rush of business after your start up award?

Err, nope :)
But then my business is not consumer or spintaniously based, you can't buy someone a gimmick Limited company as a joke ;)

[kyber]

you can't buy someone a gimmick Limited company as a joke ;)Are you sure, I often conclude that must have been the case with some of the businesses I come into contact with... joking aside to focus on joking, is there any way this could be achieved such that your grandson or whatever just needs to sign on the bottom line? You could start a whole new line.

Stuart

[SillyJokes]

Just in conclusion to this E commerce Award thing I should say that although Sillyjokes didn't win National Best Use of Broadband we did win Best Rural Website, and are very pleased.

The overall winner was trade-appliances.co.uk who beat us in the regional finals so it was a good night for the East Midlands region.

[gary]

Once again, congrats Caroline! It's always nice to have your achievements recognised.

Gary

[Ozzy]

Yes very well done Caroline and a pleasure to meet you again :)

To Stuart - no a Limited company is not the sort of thing you can buy as a present because you are possibly dumping a load of legal agro onto the receiver.

[kyber]

no a Limited company is not the sort of thing you can buy as a present because you are possibly dumping a load of legal agro onto the receiver.Damn, just have give them a puppy instead!