Award categories

How is Best in Biz Awards different from other business awards programs?

Best in Biz Awards is the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications, from North America and around the world.

From Associated Press to the Wall Street Journal, Best in Biz Awards each year assembles a judging panel composed of a who’s who of prominent reporters and editors from the most respected press publications.

Unlike in many other business awards programs, our judges are never just regular, mid-level business professionals. In fact, since 2011, we have never had any non-press judges.

Why are only members of the press judging this business awards competition?

Best in Biz Awards’ uniqueness stems, in part, from the composition of our judging panels. Each year, only editors, writers and contributors to business, consumer, financial, trade and technology publications are invited to serve as judges in our business awards.

Other business awards programs might be judged by mid-level business professionals or by writers from a single publication. Best in Biz Awards is the only business awards program judged by the most knowledgeable panels, composed only of members of the press – and by being from different publications, representing the most varied views. We believe members of the press are best qualified to objectively evaluate the business awards entry pool and choose the very best from among the submissions.

What companies should submit in Best in Biz Awards?

All companies can submit in our business awards, regardless of their size, industry, geographic location within the awards region or funding status. Companies are welcome to self-nominate; and public relations, marketing or advertising agencies can also submit on behalf of their clients or themselves.

My company is headquartered outside the U.S. and Canada, but the majority of our business is conducted within North America. Are we eligible to submit in Best in Biz Awards?

Yes. Each year, Best in Biz Awards honors are conferred in two separate business awards programs: North America and International. Any company based anywhere in the world can apply in our International business awards.

For the North American business awards, a company needs to have business operations or presence in the U.S. or Canada to be eligible to apply. Companies whose headquarters are located outside the U.S. or Canada, but which conduct sales or have other offices in North America, are still eligible and can submit their nominations.

Can past winners of Best in Biz Awards programs submit again?

Absolutely! Former winners can apply again in the same or different business awards program, and in the same or different business award categories. Each year’s programs are judged by different judging panels and attract a different pool of business award entries, so former business award winners are certainly encouraged to compete again for the honors. In fact, past business awards can often be used as a supporting point in your new business award submission.

My company is small. What if much bigger companies submit in the same category?

All business award entries are judged on their merit, recognizing achievements and successes while taking into account the companies’ resources, size and competitive industry landscape. The judges are objective, highly qualified members of the press who aim to honor the best work in the region, regardless of size and budget. As a result, small companies are as likely to win in Best in Biz Awards as Fortune 500 companies, putting everyone on a level playing field.
Several of the most popular business award categories, such as Company of the Year, Fastest Growing Company of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year and Executive of the Year, are already divided into size subcategories, with winners determined in each of the three company size subcategories, i.e. Large, Medium and Small. If necessary, the judges can decide to further divide entries in other categories based on size as well.
Additionally, Local Company of the Year category is specifically dedicated to smaller companies with limited geographic reach.

How do I submit for Best in Biz Awards?

The nomination process is simple both for award first timers and prior honorees of other international, national or local business award programs. A simple submission with three parts – 500-word description of why your company deserves to be a winner, 100-word background on the company or nominee, and supporting links – can be submitted in our online entry system or emailed to us directly. For more details on what to include in your awards entry, please see our submission process explanation.

How do I write an award-winning business awards entry?

If we had to summarize the key to a successful business award entry in three words, we’d say: bullet points – stats – testimonials (ok, that was four words). In a slightly longer version: 1) use bullet points in your business award entry for easy readability, 2) quote data, numbers or statistics whenever available, 3) short case studies or customer/user/employee quotes can take your entry to the next level, 4) more does not always equal better – focus on the quality of your award entries or supporting links instead of the word count or quantity. For more tips, read our short guide on how to craft award-winning entries.