2024 Halifax Business Awards nominations opening soon! Every year, we celebrate our local business community by spotlighting them for several months through the Awards process. 35 finalists are chosen by judging committee, and we announce one winner in each category at our Annual Halifax Business Awards Gala.
Ask anyone who’s been a finalist – it’s a lot of fun! The process helps you get your name out there, celebrate with your team, reflect on your business goals, and most importantly, take a moment to recognize all your hard work and achievements.
The submission process can be a lot to take in at first, but we want to make it as easy as possible. We encourage self-nominations and want you to take advantage of bragging about your business!
We hosted our first Awards writing workshop with RBC last year to help nominees write a strong submission. Here are the top takeaways:
1. Check eligibility
There are seven categories for Awards:
- New Business of the Year
- Small Business of the Year
- Export Business of the Year
- Not-For-Profit of the Year
- Innovative Business of the Year
- Business of the Year
- Business Leader of the Year
We recommend that you review each category’s eligibility criteria carefully to see which one suits your organization. There is also a judging rubric that shows how the judges will determine the finalists and winners. Take a few minutes to reflect on what your business does best. You may be a new business, but you may also be a business dedicated to innovation. Which one makes you pop?
2. Tell your story
This is your opportunity to take control of the narrative. Assume the judges don’t know anything about you (and they may not – the judges base their final rankings solely on your submission). Be simple, clear, and direct. Spell out acronyms. Add some personality to your submission. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best writer – we want to hear what makes your organization amazing.
3. Stand out
There could be dozens of other submissions in your category – what makes your organization stand out? Think about your BEST product, service, or quality. How does it impact your community? Your organization is like no other. Tell the judges why.
4. Get testimonials
At the end of the submission, there’s an opportunity to include reference letters or testimonials. These testimonials can come from customers, staff, suppliers, etc. Their contribution to your submission offers credibility and insight into how your organization operates. Again, don’t worry about making it fancy or making sure your reference letter comes from an MLA or CEO. The judges are looking for candor and originality.
5. Focus on the outcome
Write about your organization’s outcomes, not outputs. The judges need some background, but to understand what your organization does, they need to hear about your impact, your value offering, and how you’re standing out from your competitors.
One last note: Make sure you are fully answering the question asked in the submission form.
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