SME News is delighted to announce the Southern Enterprise Awards; with the focus of recognising and rewarding the often-un-noticed efforts of SMEs from the region with the second highest annual turnover in the UK.
SME News proudly presents the third consecutive Southern Enterprise Awards, allowing us the privilege and opportunity to reward the hardworking individuals and firms hailing from this dynamic region.
With the number of businesses per person being higher in Southern England than anywhere else in the UK, there is a wealth of award-worthy candidates. We accept nominees across every business sector and seek out the very best small and medium enterprises along with the enthusiastic and determined people who lead and enable them.
The impact of COVID-19 has wreaked unprecedented upheaval and many in the business community are still getting to grips with the biggest peace-time crisis they’ve ever had to deal with. It has however, offered business leaders an opportunity to innovate and bring about permanent positive change and this is an incredibly exciting time to be nominated and get noticed.
Simply being nominated can have a huge impact on employee morale and customer engagement and for the companies that go on to win, there are endless ways to maximise the PR opportunity to their advantage. To move successfully from nominee to winner, there must be evidence of extensive expertise and skills, dedication to customer service and client satisfaction with an on-going commitment to excellence and innovation demonstrated by the nominated business.
The Southern Enterprise Awards are judged purely on a merit. In order to determine our worthy winners, our in-house research team carefully analyse the information that is available both online and in the public domain as well as any materials supplied by nominees. Additionally, nominees are provided the opportunity to prepare a short case file disclosing details of their chosen business sector and practice, as well as any previous accolades awarded.
Case files, product samples and media packs are all accepted but are not mandatory. Our awards are based on quality, not the number of votes received. Our process works to ensure that we reward parties based on their reputation, commitment, innovation, determination and contribution to society.
With all this in mind if you know of, operate or are a member of an organisation, which you feel is worthy of acknowledgement, then please complete the voting form. If you would like further information on how you can get involved, or our awards process then please get in touch with the programme coordinator Holly Morris by using the contact details provided.
Key Dates
Entries Open:
Monday 22nd June 2020
Entries Closed:
Wednesday 5th August 2020
Winners Announced:
Monday 19th October 2020
Awards Coordinator
Holly is a dedicated and highly-motivated team member. Holly has spent much of her career in various marketing roles which puts her in a great position to really hone in on what small businesses need to market their company. She is able to support award winners in selecting the right package to suit their individual needs and budget and then in turn gain maximum exposure on the back of their award win. Holly is extremely customer-focused ensuring an excellent service for all Southern Enterprise Award nominees and winners.
Our Methodology
Researching nominees
The SME News team work ardently to identify market leaders, innovators and enterprising start-ups, driving many of the nominations themselves.
We also encourage external nominations via the SME News subscribers, online visitors, social media followers, clients and wider circulation.
Nominating parties are invited to put forward either third-party businesses whom they hold in high regard, or their own organisation.
Shortlisting nominees
All nominees are formally requested to accept their nomination. Should any firm or individual rather decline at this point, they are simply taken out of the running.
Those formally accepting are given the opportunity to submit additional materials in support of their nomination. Although there is no obligation to complete and supply material, we have found that many nominees value this stage, in the process, as much as our research team do.
Evaluating and judging
Our dedicated research team will assess all information presented to them.
The team gather information independently from a variety of publicly accessible sources, which are assessed alongside any material supplied by a nominating party or the nominee themselves.
The research team casts their final judgment, based on various criteria including: client dedication, innovation, business growth, longevity, online reputation, customer feedback and business performance.
The lucky winners
Once winners are determined, they are personally notified before any public announcement is made, allowing time for any communications throughout the wider business and the coordination of marketing strategies.
Unfortunately, not everyone can be a winner; however, all who take part are encouraged to come back next year.
Once the press embargo is lifted, details of our SME award winners will be made public via the website, award winners’ magazine and subscriber newsletter.
Making the most of your win
We are prepared to offer a range of promotional packages and items to SME award winners, which vary from inclusion in the free-of-charge winners’ directory, to trophies, content in our magazine and on our website.
We encourage all winners to publicly announce their win independently. Announcements via company websites, social media, via publicly released press releases, and through local and national press are all great ways of maximising the exposure which can be gained from such an amazing achievement. If you have need of further advice, on how to gain maximum exposure from your win, please feel free to get in touch. We are happy to assist our clients with their needs.
Categories
These categories are used in the classification and grouping of nominees and assist with the selection and judging process.
Staff are the backbone of any successful business, and as such awards in this category recognise organisations that are supporting their teams and providing them with an internal culture they can be proud to be a part of. Best Place to Work
Specifically designed to reward and recognise organisations that are striving towards a key goal, as well as achieving growth and success that will impact on both their business and their customers. Business Growth
Creativity is vital in every industry, and as such we are keen to highlight the SMEs that are integrating creative thinking and new ideas into their business strategy. Creativity
Corporate social responsibility is a key part of every organisation, but there is a difference between those who embody this and those who simply incorporate it for show. As such, SME News is keen to showcase the businesses that are making a real difference and incorporating CSR into every aspect of their work. Corporate Social Responsibility
In today’s technical age where consumers can easily rate and rank businesses, client satisfaction has become a key part of any corporate strategy. As such, we are keen to reward those businesses that make a real effort to give their clients the quality of support and service they expect. Customer Satisfaction
Seeking to showcase innovation and technical prowess, this category recognises businesses that have embraced the latest digital solutions and used them to drive their company forward. Digitalisation in the Workplace
Innovation is vital for any business seeking to be ahead of emerging market trends and offer its clients the cutting-edge solutions they expect, and as such SME News is eager to find and reward those businesses really doing their bit to innovate and adapt to the latest market developments. Excellence in Innovation
Working with family members can be a unique form of challenge, but also offer rewards that other forms of business simply cannot. SME News is keen to showcase family businesses that embody support, communication and excellence in client service.Family Business
Leading the charge, MDs, C-suite executives and Business Leaders drive their companies to success through their ingenuity and focus on innovation. Our Individual Achievement category showcases the senior team members that are constantly striving towards achieving success for both their team and company as a whole.Individual Achievement
For businesses based in the UK but operating overseas, regulations and logistic issues can cause complex challenges. Firms that overcome these have the opportunity to achieve phenomenal results for their clients, and as such SME News is proud to highlight excellence in the International Business category.International Business
Mid-market firms are a unique breed, and here at SME News we are proud to showcase these businesses and the hard work they undertake on behalf of their clients.Mid-Market
Businesses that started less than two years ago, or individuals that entered the business market during the same period, both have the opportunity for recognition under our Newcomer Awards. This category celebrates the hard work and commitment to surviving and thriving in today’s competitive corporate landscape exhibited by the teams and entrepreneurs driving some of the world’s newest enterprises to success. Newcomer
Our Operational Excellence category focuses on rewarding businesses that have performed their strategy to the highest possible standard and achieved true success in their operational activities.Operational Excellence
This category allows us to recognise the best of the best from their specific sector and share the secrets behind their success.Sector Specialist
Our Small Business Awards reward sole traders, partnerships and small companies that have achieved incredible feats despite their small size.Small Business
Businesses that have been on the market for many years have shown their resilience and unique ability to overcome challenges. As such, SME News seeks to reward them through our Sustainability Awards. Sustainability
People who are not learning are not progressing, and as such the corporate landscape has become increasingly focused on training and educating its workforce over recent years. Through our Training & Education category we recognise the firms in this sector that are really making a difference and helping their clients to grow and flourish.Training & Education
Well-being and wellness are core tenants to any successful corporate culture, and as such our Well-Being at Work category aims to showcase the companies that are supporting their staff and offering them the resources they need to enjoy great mental and physical health.Well-Being at Work
FAQsOur Winners
Our featured winners are included in our celebratory awards magazine, published online and circulated to the circulation of SME News. All winners are included in our winners directory. Once a year's winners have been announced the full list of winners for that year will be available to view by clicking on the equivalent button displayed below.
Testimonials
Our Awards Team
Jane Henderson - Director
Jane is one of three directors at AI Global Media, the publishing house behind SME News. Jane is committed to ensuring that each winner of an SME News award not only has a great experience but also gains maximum value for their win.
Jeremy Roe - Head of Research
Jeremy is dedicated to his research team and to the readers, nominees and award winners of SME News. Jeremy's diligent approach is carried across to this team members ensuring quality in the research carried out on behalf of SME News.
Martyn Walters – SME News Lead Researcher
Martyn joined the business in 2015 and rapidly became an integral part of the research team. Martyn has a keen interest in understanding businesses from those just starting out to those that have cemented their place in their market for decades or more. He also understands that an award win such as one of SME News’ can be a powerful marketing tool for small businesses making it key for the research team to select those most fitting and most worthy of one of these highly sought-after awards.
Steven Simpson - SME News Awards Team Leader
Steven came to the group in 2015 and has since proven to be a most respected, conscientious and valued team member. Steven oversees a number of SME News' key awards programmes ensuring that all nominees and winners receive a great experience from the team and that our winners are supported in gaining maximum exposure from such an amazing achievement.
Awards
AI Global Media Ltd
