Awards entry tips

THE SMALL BUSINESS

GROWTH AWARDS Brought to you by

Entry tips

THE SMALL BUSINESS

GROWTH AWARDS Brought to you by

Entry tips We want to give you the best chance of success, so here are some tips to help your entry shine.

Don’t miss the deadline

Tell your story

Make a note of the closing date, and plan ahead to make your entry the best it can be. Entry application closes on Monday 9th February 2026.

Tell us what makes your business stand out from the crowd. Be sure to let your passion shine through – our judges are eager to see the excitement and vision that drive your success.

Choose the right category

Focus on the facts

There’s 8 to pick from, so play to your strengths and enter a category that reflects your business. If you are entering more than one category remember to tailor your answers to each category, as the judges will be scoring against specific criteria.

Think about how your business has grown over the past 12 months, and share your most significant achievements.. Keep your answers concise, as space is limited, and remember they may be used to represent your business – so take the time to get them just right.

Read the criteria

Provide relevant evidence

Take the time to read the questions carefully and respond to each point clearly. Use subheadings and bullet points to help organise your ideas, and present your work in a clear, easy-to-follow way. Before submitting, give everything a quick proofread.

Use supporting materials to paint a fuller picture of your business, making sure they are relevant to your entry. These could include customer testimonials, links to your website, or anything else that adds valuable context. You can upload any documents you wish, as long as they are under 5MB.