The Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and title sponsor partner Island Savings were thrilled to recognize these businesses recently at our 12th Annual Crystal Awards for Business Excellence: Entrepreneurial Spirit – Urban Bee Honey Farm; Green Business of the Year – Focus Hair Design;
Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year – Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank; Contribution to the Community – Hughesman Morris CPA; Outstanding Customer Service – All Care Canada (Sidney);
Employer of the Year – Bayshore Home Health; Lifetime Achievement Award – Michell Family; New Business, Product or Service – Trich Analytics; Newsmaker of the Year – McTavish Academy of Art; Business of the Year 1-15 – Pacific Ridge Landscapes and Business of the Year 16+ – Titan Boats.
Those of you who have never attended the Crystal Awards are missing out on a stellar event. It is inspirational to hear the stories of the people who have invested incredible amounts of time and energy into their businesses, to witness their passion, and to recognize their efforts. There are many, many businesses operating on the Peninsula that you have never heard of and that is unfortunate, because they are doing amazing things. The networking is fabulous and people are unbelievably supportive of each other. The guests enjoy the wonderfully-prepared locally-sourced dinner in a beautiful setting.
Those reasons are compelling enough to attend, but it is the greatest honour to attend as a finalist for an award. Winning awards can have unforeseen benefits for your company. It gives you an opportunity to legitimately brag about how amazing you are. It can benefit your hiring and retention efforts. Winning an award builds credibility, enhances your reputation as a trustworthy brand, and can lead to increased sales. It’s free publicity!
The award goes to… You won! Now what? Take advantage of the opportunity. Consider using press releases, social media, emails, and other platforms to spread the word. Make sure your suppliers and customers know you are an award-winning organization. Put it on your business cards and website. Find a prominent location in your office to display your award. Leverage this community stamp of approval and share the news loudly and proudly. And if you weren’t nominated this year, get thinking about the possibility for next year. We look forward to recognizing a whole new batch of exemplary companies and you could be one of them.
Denny Warner is the Executive Director at the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at execdir@peninsulachamber.ca
