Last Thursday I sat with several people I had not met before, dressed in our best Dinner Jackets and Ball Gowns awaiting the presentation of the Chad Enterprise Awards; the now annual business awards presented by the north Nottinghamshire newspaper. The temperature was minus one outside the marquee but quite toasty inside as the hopes and aspirations of over 100 local business people heated the space.
As a shortlisted business myself and being up against two substantially sized opponents, I was feeling quite chuffed just to be there. As the awards started to be presented the buzz in the room became tangible, businesses of all sizes were being boosted by the recognition they were being given. I've often advised my clients to seek out awards and enter them for precisely this reason; it gives them a chance to realise and evaluate the quality of work they provide and it can give them a considerable marketing edge - being able to refer to your business as "award winning" really can set you apart.
Although the meal as slightly spoilt by the over-cooked lamb, the presentation of the awards really gave me food for thought. I've been to and managed a fair few awards nights now, most of which have been put on by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and I have to say the CIPR could learn a few PR lessons from this event.
