The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2019 were a great success – quite possibly our best ever celebration dinner and ceremony – and the quotes from the sponsors, judges and finalists speak for themselves.

This does not happen by accident, it takes months of planning. Indeed, we are already hard at work preparing for GDBA 2020 even though the big night is not until March 19th. The 2019 Awards will be a hard act to follow, but we have exciting plans which we will reveal at our launch event in October. This is when we bring together our headline sponsors, judges, and delivery partners.  

Our Awards are very much a team effort, we are like a Premiership manager in the off-season bringing the team together to scale new heights.

We are very pleased with progress so far, loyal team members are sticking with us, but we are also making a few new signings to refresh the mix. We take great pride in the integrity of our Awards and we work individually and collectively with our sponsors and judges to ensure the highest standards of objectivity and impartiality. That is of course essential in the run up to the big night, but then it is all about celebration, entertainment and fun. 

All of this is of course dependent on the quality of entrants. We will not be announcing the award categories until our launch event in October but visit our website for information on last year’s categories to get a good idea of what to expect. 

Entries will need to be with us by November 22nd, and during October and November, we will be holding a series of “How to Win Awards Seminars” where potential entrants will have the chance to pick up valuable tips from previous winners and experienced judges – again it is this level of preparation that make our awards stand out.

“Well done for an excellent evening of celebration! So much energy, so much passion about our area, and a great atmosphere! Personal thanks to your team for putting the event together and executing it so professionally”

Natalie Brahma-Pearl, Chief Executive of Crawley Borough Council 

So why enter business awards and why the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards in particular?

Our Awards are designed to be a journey with benefits for entrants at all stages – from preparing the entry, through to the judging process and right up to the big night itself. That is why we attach so much importance to all shortlisted entrants receiving a visit and feedback from our judges. We take pride in offering the opportunity for all entrants who are prepared to put in the undoubted effort to benefit, whether or not they end up as winners.

Entering respected awards is a good way to help develop your business strategy and to engage the whole of your team, and ideally your customers, in the process. A well-chosen award category will align with your key targets and business goals. As importantly, it will develop and test your ability to communicate your ambition, commitment and stand-out qualities to others. 

Winning the right award can undoubtedly enhance your reputation, open up new markets and help you to recruit the people you need. Indeed, research has shown that award-winning businesses are generally more profitable than their competitors. But perhaps what has struck me the most is how preparing a successful entry brings the team together – just watch the winning teams on the stage collecting their awards!

At risk of taking the football analogy a bit too far, a key off-season signing for us is our celebrity host for the evening – he or she is the equivalent of our new star striker.  We can’t wait to announce who it will be for 2020 and I am sure our choice will not disappoint!

“It was a fabulous evening – so much fun and so professionally run. It is THE must attend event in the region’s business year.”

Julie Kapsalis, Managing Director of Crawley College & the Chichester College Group