FAQ’s & Tips

The awards process is an opportunity for you to work on your business. Evaluate, review and reassess your goals! GO FOR IT! What do you have to lose?

NEED HELP WITH YOUR ENTRY?  Contact The BEC Business Advice who will provide a free consultation to assist with your entry preparation. Contact Marguerite on 0427199623

Here’s a guide on how to prepare!

First Step: Create a Username and Password and complete your profile. You can come back to your entry at any time. Tip: You'll need information such as your ABN, date business commenced, copy of your logo.
Important: Please ensure when you log in you’ll see Griffith Business Chamber Logo and NOT NSWBC Logo. If you log out and log back in, again please make sure you log into the local Griffith portal. If you are experiencing any login issues, please contact The Local Chamber Support Team on 1300 139 910 (Mon-Fri 9.00am -5.00pm)

Research
-Download the Entry Questions
-Start gathering information about your business
-Involve your team, brainstorm, talk to customers, suppliers, accountant, lawyer

Entering
-Start early! Don’t leave it to the last minute.
-Take your time. Give yourself the best possible chance of creating a winning entry. You can save your entry and go back to it in your own time.
-Start drafting your responses to each question.
-Stick to the word count and answer the question being asked, don’t go off on a tangent.
- Work within the requested word limits. Less is more on some occasions. Don’t overcrowd with too much info.
-Have you clearly addressed the questions? A clearly articulated message with short sentences is the best answer.
-Support your claims with evidence and refer to any awards, testimonials. Although you can’t attach documents in the portal, you can reference them online if need be.
-Aim to stand out. Be different. Judges are assessing so many entries; you want yours to be memorable
-Get your staff involved and bring them on the journey with you. It will boost moral and give a sense of pride. It also will give you an outside perspective.
-Use clear, concise language

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Edit, Review, Refine
-Have someone look over your entry with a keen eye for attention to detail for spelling etc
-Re-read the question as you are answering it. Are you answering precisely what is being asked?
-Finalise your draft, making sure you haven’t missed any critical content that will help your entry stand out
Submit
-Print out a PDF of your entry in the portal. Give it one final read through to ensure it is error-free.
-Submit your entry. Make sure you click SUBMIT!

Checklist
-Register your details to create your login details.
-Review time line of dates and allow enough time to enter
-Do your research, download information pack for your category. you can go back and complete your entry if you don't complete in one go
-Enter online
-Print nomination and review before submitting

If you require assistance throughout the nomination period, please contact Amanda Quarisa at info@griffithbusinesschamber.com.au or phone 0412644629 to discuss your application. All information is treated confidentially.

Can i enter the 2019 Awards if i won last year?
Of course! Regional and State Winners are eligible to enter the same category in the subsequent year that they have won, up to a maximum of three consecutive years. Please refer to the full terms and conditions. 

Do i need to be a member of Griffith Business Chamber to enter awards?
No you don’t, the awards are open to all businesses in Griffith and is FREE to enter. However if you progress through to the Regional Awards it's a condition of entry that you must be a NSWBC member or aligned member to enter.

Can i outsource my entry to a professional?
Yes, in fact this is common for business owners to outsource. If writing is not your greatest strength, consider delegating this to someone else with the appropriate skill set. Many businesses do this to eliminate time being a barrier to enter. It’s important to work with the person to ensure they understand your business and that your entry aligns with your expectations and goals. The BEC Business Advice is available to assist with your entry preparation. 

Can i enter the awards if i’m a sponsor?
Yes, but not in the category you sponsor

Will any local sponsors of the award see my entry?
No

How do i log into the online entry portal?
You must create a username and password first to kickstart your application. You'll be asked to enter your business and contact details and upload a copy of your logo as well.  This will allow you to come back to your submission at any time.

How do i book tickets to the awards night?
Tickets will go on sale closer to the night.  More info here

Who are the Judges and how is my entry judged?
The judging panel feature experts in their field and are totally confidential,  independent, impartial and sourced outside the region. 

Judges will allocate scores to each question, and these scores will be multiplied by a weighting to reach an overall score for each entry.
There will only be one winner per category.

Is the Local Family Business of the Year Award and Local Customer Service award aligned with NSWBC?
No, these 2 awards are not aligned and do not progress to a regional level. 

I’m having trouble completing my entry, can Griffith Business Chamber assist me?
If you are experiencing difficulty completing your entry or require assistance to complete your entry, please contact Awards Co-Ordinator Amanda Quarisa from Griffith Business Chamber who can recommend someone to assist you.  The BEC Busines Advice will also help any businesses needing help with their entry preparation. info@griffithbusinesschamber.com.au | 0412 644 629 Mon-Fri 9am - 4pm

What if i want to enter a category that isn't offered in 2019 locally?

Where a Local Business Chamber Awards program exists and that Local Business Chamber aligns all or some of their categories and criteria with the NSW Business Chamber Awards Program, Local Chamber Alliance members can only enter those aligned categories via the Local Business Chamber Awards program. Where a Local Business Chamber Awards program exists but they have not chosen to align with some of the NSW Business Chamber State Business Award Categories, Local Chamber Alliance members may directly enter those categories at a Regional level. Refer to full Terms & Conditions here 

Eligibility to enter based on age requirement

Example Question: “I’m 35 years old now, but I’ll be turning 36 next month, can I still enter into xyz category?”

Answer: As long as you meet the age or trading term criteria for that category at the time of entry, you will be able to enter into it.

If at any point you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact Amanda Quarisa on 0412 644 629 to discuss your application. All enquires are completely confidential.

Key Dates
Entries Open: Monday 13th May 2019 9.00am AEST
Entries Close : Sunday 23rd June 2019 5.00pm AEST.
Awards Evening: Saturday 20th July 2019

READ NSWBC TERMS AND CONDITIONS HERE

Please contact Awards Co-Ordinator Amanda Quarisa for further information if required info@griffithbusinesschamber.com.au | 0412 644 629 Mon-Fri 9am-4pm

Griffith City Council - Official Sponsor of the 2018 Griffith Business Chamber Awards