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Entries have opened for the Mendip Business Awards and the Chamber would love to see even more Frome companies put themselves forward for an accolade. It’s the fifth anniversary of this local Business Awards scheme and each year more Frome businesses put themselves forward – and WIN!

This year there’s another new categories – Market Trader of the Year – so it’s likely there’s a category to suit what you do.

  • Business of the Year – celebrating Mendip’s overall best Business of the Year – sponsored by NFU Mutual, Wells
  • Small Business of the Year – celebrating our most successful Small Businesses – sponsored by Burton Sweet 
  • New Business of the Year – awarding tomorrow’s stars -sponsored by Killens         
  • International Business of the Year – celebrating the businesses successfully exporting our products and services – sponsored by Swan Hotel, Wells
  • Family Business of the Year – recognising our family businesses that have stood the test of time – sponsored by Wainwright & Co. Ltd
  • Taste of Mendip Award – celebrating the quality of our local food and drink produce – sponsored by Old Mill
  • Customer Service Excellence Award – recognising the businesses whose consistently deliver exceptional levels of service standards – sponsored by 3 Solutions Ltd
  • Apprentice of the Year – an award to recognise the young talent thank those businesses who look to the future and take time to invest in their teams – sponsored by Strode College
  • Retail / Hospitality Business of the Year – awarding businesses that put Mendip on the map with their warm welcomes – sponsored by Kilver Court Designer Village
  • Community Enterprise of the Year – recognising the fantastic work that our CICs, social and other not for profit enterprises deliver to the community – sponsored by Aster Group
  • (New) Market Trader of the Year – celebrating the art of market trading in Mendip towns through 2018. – Sponsored by Mendip District Council

Pandora Jacobs of Limitless Ltd has won Small Business of Year in previous years and says just go for it!

“This was a wonderful boost to us, an endorsement that our company was growing as we wished and an exciting acknowledgement that our marketing message was clear – offering natural light products which are of value to our customers as well as the planet. The media coverage directly from the award as well as a couple of publications we used the news that we had won did indeed bring us a few customers. The whole experience was extremely worthwhile, professional and something I would highly recommend to any company considering whether to enter this year or not – Go for IT!”

Frome’s DNA Worldwide has also won Business of the Year so we asked the company’s Hannah Morden to share her tips for entering the award scheme.

“When I saw the awards advertised last year, I decided to just have a go and enter our company, not really knowing what to expect. The entry process was quite simple, and sure enough, we walked away with Business Of the Year! Winning the award actually helped the whole company to appreciate more deeply where we are as a business and what we bring. I guess we hadn’t really put it all down on paper before but now that we have – we’ve got a great marker for the business – and it can only keep expanding.”

The Chamber is also happy to give advice on entering the awards. Drop us an email here.

Here are Hannah’s tips for writing a winning award entry.

In the written statement you are asked to cover:
• A brief history and background to your business
• The reason why your entry should win
• How you are better than your competitors
• What plans you have for future growth

Be honest

Regardless of the size of your business, it is about what you are able to bring to the table that inspires people. We found it useful to bring it back to the purpose of our business and share from there. Sometimes its hard to appreciate your business when you are on the inside, but when you get this all down on paper, it’s a pretty cool exercise. It’s also important to present you as you: open and real. People relate to that.

Don’t hold back

When you are asked why your entry should win and why you are better than your competitors, share what values you bring, what makes your business different and what could be recognised. It might even be the quality of relationships your business has – which is certainly something to appreciate.

Have fun

We didn’t put our application together in the wish to compete, but rather to share who we are and what we bring. When we made this the focus, it was actually a lot of fun to do with out the stress of needing to get it right. If you have an interesting history, share it. If you have big plans and ambitions for the future – put them in. These stories can give others a sense of what type of business you are.

What you could enter

Here’s a round up of a number of award schemes that might suit your business, from local, regional and even European! After all, why not think big?

Mendip Business Awards

Somerset Business Awards

National business awards

British small business awards

Food manufacture excellence awards

Somerset Life food and drink awards

Bath Life awards

South West Fairtrade Business Awards

The European Business Awards

CIPR PRide Awards

First Women Awards

FSB & World Pay UK Business Awards