With the 37th Shoalhaven Business Awards coming up in a couple of weeks, we think it will be a huge deal for a lot of businesses as well as the region. The Marketing Clan has sponsored the Awards for 6 years now, but this year we decided to enter it too (after checking it was OK to be a sponsor and to enter at the same time!)
We entered it in order to really look at our business and see how we can improve things to ensure we continue to offer real value to regional small businesses.
The results? Well, the exciting news is that we have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Micro-Business Category, which for us is a really big deal, especially seeing that it is a very competitive category.
Why is being recognised in the business awards a big deal? Firstly, it provides independent recognition of the work you have done and the impact you have made as a business, as a leader or as an employee. But it’s also provides a view of your business so you can see that you’re on the right track towards reaching your goals, whether you’re a new player in the market, or a well-established brand.
The Shoalhaven Business Awards is the biggest event in the local business calendar and this year there is a lot of excitement around it and there are 42 finalists. What we love about it, is that there is such diversity of organisations who have spent the time and effort in assessing their business and what’s more, they’re proud of what they have achieved, despite some significant challenges over the last few years.
Being recognised with peer-awarded accolades can be an incredibly important aspect for any brand, business or individual – no matter what industry you operate in. When genuine endorsement or testimonials can be regarded as proof points for effectiveness, a third party recognition can be one of your strongest PR tools if used in the right way and with the right audience.
If you’re a business owner, entering awards can also create a greater sense of unity and pride among teams whether it is preparing for the entries, help telling the brand story or simply the celebration of being there on the night.
Don’t be fooled into thinking business awards are based on a popularity contest or nepotism. In actual fact, these awards are judged by a panel of independent volunteers from the wider business and education community. These people give up a lot of their time to ensure that everyone is judged correctly and fairly. There’s even an audit by another group of volunteers to ensure everything is above board.
Simply getting on the finalist list is a massive win for us and the team is thrilled. The awards process has helped us shape our strategic direction for the next few years, so we’re looking forward to enjoying the night with lots of really great people and maybe a glass of bubbles or two.
Congratulations to all finalists!
