WINNING a title in the South Coast Business Awards can be a game-changing achievement.

That is the message to companies as the deadline for this year’s awards approaches.

Last year’s winner of the Business of the Year title at the awards saw a benefit even before the night of the big ceremony.

Paula Bradly, group business development director for Brymor Construction, said: “It raised our profile massively in the area and it gave us a chance to think about what we were good at and shout about it. Often, you don’t look at yourself too closely.

“It was good for the morale of the company when we won it. We gave a gift to every single member of staff and put a note with it saying ‘We’ve won it but each and every one of you played a part in making us what we are’.”

The Denmead-based company, founded in 1987, is a regional builder involved in a host of high-profile projects. It has around 170 staff and has seen turnover grow from £750,000 to £85million.

As well as the Business of the Year title, Brymor took the Customer Service award and was a runner-up in the Scale-Up Business category.

“Obviously we’ve had fantastic PR and marketing opportunities, right from the minute we made the shortlist through to going to the awards evening,” said Paula.

The South Coast Business Awards are organised in partnership by the Daily Echo in conjunction with Business South and Destination Southampton and are open to all businesses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The judges will be looking to announce the three finalists in each category in the Daily Echo.

All three category finalists, plus one guest each, will be invited to join their category sponsors at the awards ceremony at St Mary’s Stadium on Thursday July 11, where the winners will be announced.

Winners in each category will receive £250 of advertising in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk and will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk.

Or, you may know someone who you could nominate.

The categories are:

  • Small Business Award
  • Mid-Large Business Award
  • Innovation Excellence Award
  • Business Leader Award
  • Service Excellence Award
  • Best New Business Award
  • Entrepreneur Award
  • Employer of the Year Award
  • Best Use of Technology
  • Service Excellence

Business of the Year, sponsored by Dutton Gregory, will be chosen from all the shortlisted entries.

Enter at dailyecho.co.uk/awards or email 100-250 words to scbawards@localiq.co.uk

The category, name, address, website, contact name and telephone number must be submitted with each nomination.

Closing date for nominations is June 3, 2019.

Usual Newsquest competition terms and conditions will apply.

Please visit www.newsquest.co.uk/prize-competition-rules/ for full details. The £250 multi-media advertising prize will be valid for use until December 31 2019.