Year on year the quality of entrants to the Midlands Business Awards gets higher. To enable entrants to improve their chances of being short-listed we have provided this short guide on what will make your entry stand out, and how to avoid the most common problems.
Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year
Do
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Detail how your entrepreneurial skills have led to business growth.
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Show how you have taken your idea(s) to the Market & made it successful
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Outline the challenges/risks you have faced & overcome to achieve success
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Provide financial information on the business growth achieved (or projected).
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What is your strategy for the next 1 to 5 years
Don't
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Just detail what you have done without explaining how it has led to business growth.
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Submit the same entry form for the Business person Category
Midlands Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Do
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Detail how your entrepreneurial skills have led to business growth.
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Show how you have taken your idea(s) to the Market & made it successful
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Outline the challenges/risks you have faced & overcome to achieve success
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Provide financial information on the business growth achieved (or projected).
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What is your strategy for the next 1 to 5 years
Don't
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Just detail what you have done without explaining how it has led to business growth.
Midlands Family Business of the Year
Do
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A family-owned business may be defined as any business in which two or more family members are involved and the majority of ownership or control lies within a family.
Don't
Midlands Service Provider of the Year
Do
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Detail specifically how you have helped your customers.
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Provide feedback from clients.
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Detail how providing excellent service has helped to grow your business.
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Explain how you excel at customer service
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What staff training do you / your company provide to ensure excellent service at all times
Don't
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Just list the services you provide.
Midlands Innovation of the Year
Do
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Detail your product/service and the specific aspects of why you believe it is innovative.
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Detail how the innovation has (or will) benefit customers or society.
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Detail how the innovation has helped to grow your business (or will grow in the future).
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What problem/s does your innovation/product solve & how did you come up with the idea
Don't
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Just list the features of your product/service.
Midlands University of the Year
Do ....................University Entrepreneurship...............
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Detail how many business start-ups / Spin out Companies you have created.
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What Patents have been registered
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Detail the sales or other tangible benefits of the help you have provided.
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Detail anything that you believe is uniquely enterprising compared to other universities.
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Outline any Business benefits identified by the HEI
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Give details of the Institutional Leadership driving Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
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Outline Entrepreneurial outcomes for Staff, students and Graduates
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Outline details of Consultancy provided
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Show proof of CPD
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Identify the delivery of Regional and National Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Goals
Don't
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Just detail the services and grants you offer.
Do..........University Innovation.............
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Detail anything that you believe is uniquely Innovative compared to other universities.
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Outline any Technological Developments you have made
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Demonstrate the impact of Innovation on Policy
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Demonstrate the Impact of Innovation on Practices
Don't
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Just detail the services and grants you offer.
Midlands Manufacturer of the Year
Do
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Provide details of the size and the growth of your Company.
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What do you manufacture & in what quantities
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Outline the size of your target market
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What challenges have you faced & overcome
Don't
Midlands International Trade of the Year
Do
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Provide a summary of the products you are exporting and to which Countries.
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How much of your turnover is Export
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Detail the financial impact exporting has had on your business.
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Detail any challenges you have successfully overcome, and strategies you have used to grow your export business.
Don't
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Just outline your products functions.
Midlands Business Person of the Year
Do
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Detail the business success you have had and your specific role in making it happen.
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Detail how you have helped others to develop and/or grow.
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Detail anything you believe is unique about your approach to business.
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What is your personal Strategy for the next 3 – 5 Years
Don't
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Just provide details of your company.
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Submit the same entry as for Entrepreneur of the Year
Midlands Corporate Commitment to the Community Award
Do
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Explain your programmes and how they have benefited the community
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Show how they are sustainable
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Do you have plans that you want to implement in the future.
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What challenges have you faced & how have you overcome these.
Don't
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Just provide details of your company.
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Submit the same entry as for Entrepreneur of the Year
Midlands PR Company of the Year
To celebrate excellence and recognise and reward outstanding campaigns and the exceptional talent in the Midlands for PR
and communications companies.
This award will acknowlege an examplary media relations campaign, either for a one - off or ongoing campaign that has
delivered exceptional results and coverage.
Judges will be looking for clear evidence of strategy , creative and effective execution.
Midlands Digital Communications of the Year