Tag Archive for: Small Business Awards

small business awards 2019

9 Small Business Awards Worth the Application Efforts!

Apply to These 9 Small Business Awards to help your Company Stand Out!

When you own a small business, being recognized for your hard work is very gratifying. After all, every single day you strive to serve customers and clients, and to have a positive impact on your community.

Awards for business help recognize local companies for a job well done. Whether you’re new to the industry, or have a long history of commitment to helping the economy grow, there are plenty of benefits to receiving small business awards.

In this article, we take a look at 9 awards that you can apply for in order to give your business the recognition it deserves. Keep reading for a list of awards that can help take your industry exposure to the next level.

1. Ernst & Young: Entrepreneur of the Year

Ernst & Young is widely acknowledged as one of the more important awards in business. This award recognizes top entrepreneurs in a wide range of categories for business leaders across the country. 

2. The Stevies: American Business Awards

These awards for U.S. based businesses are divided into ten categories with subcategories that include both for-profit and non-profit companies of all sizes. The Stevies present Company of the Year awards in 34 industry categories, with a special emphasis on innovation.

3. Thrillist

Winning a spot among the Thrillist awards list provides enviable exposure in the business community. There’s no statue or significant prize money for winners, but winning will provide the level of publicity every company dreams of. This award is best suited to restaurants, shopping venues, and other retailers.

4. NAVOBA: Vetrepreneur of the Year

This award was created to support veteran owned businesses across the country. Companies of all sizes are encouraged to apply.

5. San Francisco World Spirits Competition

If you’re in the business of distilling spirits, this award can help you rise to the top of the industry. It also provides the chance to help improve placement of your bottles on store shelves.

6. The Veggie Awards

The Veggies are dedicated to vegan and sustainable business practices. This award is a great way to gain exposure for businesses focuses on helping people eat healthier and thus live better lives.

7. People & Planet Green Business Award

This award honors companies for environmentally-friendly business practices. There are multiple categories, and the winner in each categories receives a check for $5,000.

8. MVMT 50: The Innovator Awards

This annual award recognizes people of color who are making an impact on entrepreneurship. Winners gain press recognition and the opportunity to expand their professional network.

9. Enterprising Women of the Year Awards

These awards recognize the entrepreneurial spirit in young women. Hosted by The Enterprising Women Foundation, the spotlight is shined on women and girls who work hard to stand out as business leaders within their communities.

Top Awards for Business

In order to succeed and flourish in a competitive marketplace, small businesses need all the help they can get. That’s why awards for business are so important. This list of awards you can apply for gives you the chance to attract the kind of recognition that can help your business grow.

Click here to see 7 strategies to increase brand trust for your company.

customer satisfaction

5 Tips for Improving Customer Satisfaction


So many business awards hinge on customer satisfaction, and so does your company’s long-term success. Here’s how to send it through the roof.

Your customers are the heart and soul of your company. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to keep your doors open very long before your business falls apart.

Because your customers are so vital to your success, you need to do everything in your power to make sure they’re happy doing business with you.

Need a little help keeping your customers satisfied? We’re here to help!

Here are five must-know tips to help you give your customer satisfaction a boost.

1. Take Care of Your Own

If your employees aren’t happy, then no one is going to be. Your customers can tell when your employees aren’t satisfied in their jobs — and that can rub off on them.

Your first step in trying to improve customer satisfaction should be figuring out what you can do to improve the lives of your employees.

When your employees are comfortable and enjoying their work, they’ll be more willing to go above and beyond for your customers.

2. Stay Human

While automation can streamline a lot in the business world, when it comes to dealing with customer satisfaction issues you should try to keep things as human as you can.

Nothing can make a customer feel more neglected than handing them off to an automated system whenever they run into an issue.

Try to keep your customer service lines staffed with well-trained, confident human employees. Even if you aren’t able to offer 24-hour support, having actual people handling the phones can make a world of difference to your customers.

3. Make It Personal

There’s nothing quite like walking into your favorite coffee shop and having the barista start your order without you having to say a word.

It’s nice to feel like people know you.

And, you can be sure that your customers would appreciate the same kind of treatment from your business. Make sure to keep information about your frequent customers on hand.

By keeping information such as their names, past purchases, and other preferences on hand, you can personalize client experiences. Which will make previous patrons more likely to feel appreciated & therefore recommend your business to their friends and contacts. That little extra effort to insure customer satisfaction can have a powerful impact on customer satisfaction & encourage your customers to visit you again in the future.

4. Respond ASAP

Nobody likes feeling ignored.

One of the best ways to improve customer satisfaction is by responding to them as quickly as you possibly can.

Appropriate response times can vary depending on the type and size of your business. That said, ideally, you should strive to respond to all your customers within 24-hours.

Remember, the faster you respond, the more likely they are to react to the situation in a positive manner. Keeping customers satisfied often means responding quickly and courteously to their concerns. Even responding to simple requests in a speedy manner can improve your customer satisfaction levels significantly.

5. Reward Your Loyal Customers

Customers who stick by your business for a few years aren’t customers any more — they’re potential brand ambassadors. And, you should treat them as such.

Your customers know how important they are to your company. So, you should do everything you can to thank them for their repeated business. Reward your loyal customers with special rates, product previews, or an exclusive loyalty program.

When your customers feel appreciated, they’ll be sure not only continue to shop with you but to spread your name around as well.

Improving Customer Satisfaction

The trick to creating a good relationship with your customers is taking the time to let them know how much you appreciate them.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to improve your company’s customer satisfaction levels very quickly.

Think your company has what it takes to be named a Best in Business recipient? Contact us today for more information!