702 and Cape Talk Small Business Awards

The 702  and Cape Talk Small Business Awards are looking for awesome and amazing small businesses. If you have experienced great service from a small business, or you feel that they are passionate and determined to achieve tell them about this business.
To nominate  Gauteng based 702 awards, can be accessed by clicking here.
Western Cape nominations forms can be accessed by clicking here.
The nomination process is extremely simply requiring a couple of minutes.  If you are a customer and have received exceptional service please nominate them.

Prizes

• 1st place: Sage One, supported by Sage Pastel and VIP, will award both of the winners with a laptop with free access to Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software, including one year’s worth of software support, and a training course or seminar of their choice. An airtime package to the value of R250 000 on Talk Radio 702/ 567 Cape Talk and one month’s advertising exposure on the Google Display Network to the value of R25 000 will also be awarded to the winners to further promote their businesses.
• 2nd place: The two runners-up will receive Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software. They will also receive a free training course or seminar of their choice, as well as a year’s worth of software support. An airtime package to the value of R150 000 on 567 CapeTalk will also be awarded to the two runners-up.
• 3rd place: The two runners-up will receive Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software. They will also receive a free training course or seminar of their choice, as well as a year’s worth of software support. An airtime package to the value of R100 000 on 567 CapeTalk will also be awarded to the two runners-up.

Lessons

I just could not help myself and clicked through to websites of several of last year’s finalists. A couple of lessons:

• Websites matter:  Many of the finalists have simple but very effective websites. This is no longer exceptional, but a basic requirement of doing business. Amongst the finalists are a couple of companies using free website services, and do not even have a unique domain name. The important lesson is that you do not need to have lots of money to get a website online. Almost all have links to social media sites, and many are actively engaged on these platforms.
• Service matters: Anyone running a small business knows that costs of marketing is extremely expensive. Getting a couple of minutes of airtime on a popular radio show matters a great deal, as does the recognition that comes from being a finalist. The wonderful aspect of this competition is that it is customer driven and can have lasting impacts on your business. Last year’s winner Roof Rats, for instance has grown employment from 11 to 44 people,  and has expanded from a home business in a backyard Wendy House into a formal company with offices and a factory.