THE judges from the Inspire Business Awards have been giving out their top tips to help aspiring businesspeople and owners to get involved and win at this year’s awards.

The Inspire Business Awards were set up to celebrate and inspire the business community in north Hampshire.

The judging panel is made up of representatives of the group of sponsor organisations and most of the judges work in businesses.

They have come together to urge north Hampshire businesses to enter the awards before the deadline on September 8.

You can enter the awards using the form below (or in the gallery above) which needs to be posted to: Inspire Business Awards, Destination Basingstoke, Innovation Centre, Basing View, RG21 4HG

Basingstoke Gazette:

Martine Scott, area director of HSBC Thames Valley and North Hampshire area, added: “I was really impressed with the quality of the finalists last year, I was involved with judging the small business of the year, and it was a difficult but enjoyable process.

Destination Basingstoke is organising the award ceremony and its managing director is one of the judges. Felicity Edwards, its managing director, said: “We urge businesses to enter and tell us, why they love what they do.”

They have also given their top ten reasons for entering:

1. Free marketing, your business name appearing on websites, in the newspapers, on local radio and in event literature.

2. Use your award-winning status on all corporate literature and advertising.

3. Employee motivation, being award winning is likely to boost staff morale and retention.

4. Attract new talent to your business.

5. Endorsement from a panel of independent judges = increased credibility.

6. Winning an award helps differentiate your business.

7. Reflect on your successes.

8. Be known as an expert in your field.

9. Network with fellow business leaders at the awards ceremony and at the finalists event planned in 2017.

10. The prize.

For more information go to inspirebusinessawards.co.uk.