5 Top Reasons for Entering Business Competitions and Awards
Gareth Sear
Business Engagement, Economic Development, Programme Manager, Stakeholder Management, Project Manager, Leader with a passion for Innovation, Micro, Small & Medium Businesses, start-ups and life long learning.
Entering competitions and awards with your business.
Every year at the University of Chichester Business School we run a business competition for students and staff. With some amazing business start ups entering.
The competition is open to anyone at the University who has a business idea that they want to develop or a current business that they want to grow. There is a prize fund worth up to ￡3000, which includes; free offices, mentoring, cash and support with PR.
Why do we run this competition? Student and employee enterprise is rife. It is everywhere and we want to reach out and support those that are giving it a go. Having your own business can be a serious alternative to getting employment when you graduate. A number of the undergrad programmes that are delivered at the University of Chichester really lend themselves to having your own business.
For example we have helped fine art students to develop design businesses and artists studios, we have helped sports therapy students start their own practices and helped to fund dance and theatre companies to attend festival such as the Edinburgh Fringe.
The competition is also an opportunity for students and staff to learn about business and the skills and knowledge that you need to help you be successful. It gives you a platform to launch from; it also gives you enterprising skills that are valuable in any job, it gives you experience of entering business competitions – potentially giving you the skills and confidence to enter national competitions, opening your business up to national PR opportunities.
Why enter business competitions and awards?
Entering competitions and awards are great way to increase your profile. And as options for competitions and awards increase the opportunity for entering them, winning them and generating much needed PR increases.
Most industries have their own awards and competitions to enter. You can probably enter local business awards. Some are fiercely competitive and oh, so glamorous (as we head into Oscar season…) whilst others are as simple as entering a photograph and seeing if you have entered the best photo.
Here are my 5 top reasons for entering business competitions and awards.
- If you win or are shortlisted you generate a lot of PR through local and national press
- You can use it a positive news story to inform potential customers and demonstrate to current customers how great you are
- You can use the logo on your marketing material, giving you recognition and making you stand out from your competitors
- The prize fund may be worth having and if you area a start up, it can provide a much needed boost.
- It can really help to make you and your employees feel good knowing that you and they are working for an award winning business.
Here are 6 great business competitions and awards that are worth looking at:
- Shell Live Wire; for young people aged 16 – 30, monthly ￡1000 awards and an annual ￡10,000 award. One of the biggest online communities for young entrepreneurs to get advice and support
- Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards; cash prizes of up to ￡50,000 for the overall annual winner, mentoring from senior manager at Lloyds TSB and associated publicity
- Startup Awards; in its 11th year, these awards will cost you to enter and will generate you lots of PR from their snazzy awards dinner.
- Southern Business Awards; run by the local press, guaranteeing lots of publicity for winners and sponsors (oh yes, may be worth sponsoring an awards too!), no prizes except PR and a trophy.
- Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK. A prize fund of ￡50,000 for the overall winner of these awards.
- And for Social Entrepreneurs, there is the Social Enterprise Awards. Run by Social Enterprise.org.uk and with organisations like The Independent, BP and RBS involved these have to be worth entering!
Get researching the awards and competitions that you can enter and make it part of your marketing and PR plan for each year. There are thousands of different awards to consider, so pick the ones that best fit what you do and go get that valuable PR coverage it help you grow and develop your business.
Have you ever entered a business competition? if so, how did it help your business?
Founding Director at Cathedral Wealth Management Ltd, Founding Director at Springboard 2 Business
10 年Great article Gareth. I won the start up business awards last year through the Chichester Observer series. I also sponsor several awards and have received great PR from this. This article is a true reflection of what is out there and I wholeheartedly agree that you should consider not just entering awards, but sponsor them as well!!