Dorset Chamber CEO Ian Girling encourages local enterprises to shine at the 2024 Dorset Business Awards, and it as a platform for success
This month I’d like to take a minute to talk about the 2024 Dorset Business Awards – they were launched in Dorchester in April, and are open for entries from 1st May to 13th June.
The awards are free to enter and open to all businesses in Dorset. The aim is to celebrate the excellence and achievements of Dorset businesses across a wide range of categories. Now in their 27th year, they are widely recognised as one of the leading business awards in the South.
Why should I enter?
Entering the awards offers a huge range of benefits to any business. Firstly, at its core it’s an extremely useful exercise to go through the application and to self-assess what you are doing well in that particular category – and also what you could improve or build on in that particular area of your business. This in itself is a very useful self-improvement exercise for any business.
If you make the shortlist, being a finalist is incredibly exciting for your business and motivational for your team. Just being shortlisted means you and your team should be very proud of your achievements – this can have an extremely positive effect on morale (even more so if you win!). You’ll feel an incredible feelgood factor in your business.
One of the most obvious benefits of being selected as a finalist – and of winning – is the amount of free marketing and PR you will receive for your business.
Within the Dorset Business Awards, we promote the finalists in advance of the awards night across our social media channels, and winners can expect to be heavily covered in the local business media – including our own business magazine.
Winning, or even being a finalist for an award, builds credibility and trust in your brand.
The award recognises your achievements in that particular category, and can only improve your business reputation. This in itself is likely to improve customer retention as well as bring in new business.
Just do it
The Dorset Business Awards are independently judged by a panel of business leaders from within Dorset, and the entry process is very straightforward. Entries are open now – my top tip is to always follow the guidance, and don’t leave it too late to start your entry! The awards Gala Dinner and Presentation will be on 10th October.
What are you waiting for?
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