WINTER 2021 FSB AWARDS The 2019 award winners We want to celebrate your success Its been another tough year for businesses, but we know many of you have raised your game and scored some notable successes against all the odds. Could you be a FSB Small Business Award winner 2022? Check your area deadline Here at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), we want to celebrate the achievements and contributions of small businesses and the selfemployed across the UK. The high-profile FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards the Each area has a different deadline. largest event of its kind in the small business calendar are free Check these so you dont miss out. to enter and open to all. Winners from each category will secure a When youre ready, register or, if spot at the prestigious UK final and the chance to be crowned the youve entered before, log in UK Small Business of the Year, so its an opportunity to to submit your entry. gain national recognition. Entrants will be judged by a panel of leading business experts with a wealth of experience in their industry. What next? Entering an award can bring enormous benefits to your business. Even if you dont walk away with the top prize, youll gain useful insights, information and ideas that you can build into your own company. UK final There are 12 area finals across the UK. These take place between 25 February and 13 April 2022. If youre shortlisted, well be in touch at least two weeks before your area final to invite you to attend the event. Completing an awards application is a great way of reviewing just how your business is doing. It gives you the opportunity to shout about what youre good at and highlight your achievements. It might also help you see Winners for each area category where there are gaps or issues that need addressing. All in all, its a will be entered for the UK final, brilliant opportunity to really sing about your success. which will be held on 19 May 2022 at Glasgows Radisson Blu Hotel. Each Applications for the 2022 awards are now open. There are 12 category will have a winner, and categories to choose from so there is something for everyone. the overall winner will be selected from You will find information on all the categories and closing dates for these finalists. your region at www.fsbawards.co.uk Top tips for a tip-top entry Ready to get started with your application? Here are our tips for submitting your entry. Good luck! Dont miss the deadline: check your regions closing date for applications so you have enough time to showcase your achievements. Choose the category thats right for you: there are 12 to pick from, so play to your strengths and enter a category that reflects your business. Entering more than one category?: tailor your answers to each category, as the judges will be scoring against specific criteria. Read the criteria: take your time to understand the Presentation is key: use sub-headings and bullet points where appropriate, and ensure your entry is well structured. Dont forget to proofread. Include relevant attachments: paint a fuller picture of your business with customer testimonials or a link to your website. Be passionate: most of all, our judges want to see your enthusiasm about your business shine through in your entry. Write it up beforehand: write up a draft entry before you upload it to our site, so you have something to refer to if you lose your content. questions and address each point clearly. Give us relevant evidence: use your supporting Keep to the limit: questions will have a word limit, documentation to paint a fuller picture of your business, and make sure it is relevant to your entry. so you only have so much space to grab attention. Tell your story: what makes your business stand out Check your copy: what you write may appear in our programmes, so please do make sure it makes sense. from the crowd? Focus on the facts: how has your business grown in the past 12 months? What successes or achievements have you had? And finally: good luck! Credit: Karen Woolley, development manager, Federation of Small Businesses For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service