As the entries open for the Indian Newslink (INL) Indian Business Awards (IBA) 2011, I invite all eligible companies and individuals to consider participating in the annual Scheme choosing up to any of the three categories that suit them.
There are two new exciting categories this year covering the Farming, New Zealand’s most important economic sector and Property, one of the most significant areas of activity for Indian entrepreneurs.
The exact titles of the categories appear elsewhere in this issue.
As the Marketing Coordinator of the INL IBA, I often hear the following comments
“We are doing well but we don’t want to praise ourselves.”
“We don’t think we will win.”
“We are very busy and hence no time to fill the forms.”
“Our business is not confined to the Indian community.”
“We are not comfortable in divulging financial information.”
There can be many other excuses, but thankfully, a large number of businesses have been participating in the Awards Scheme since its inception in 2008 to celebrate their successes.
There is an old saying, “If the peacock dances alone in the jungle, no one knows about it.” We have to learn to demonstrate our strengths to the world.
For centuries, we have adopted the philosophy of understatement.
Old British mannerisms made it stronger, so everything was “not bad”, “okay” or “nothing great”.
We have ignored the words of wisdom from great philosophers such as Swami Vivekananda, who said, “Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep.”
Today’s battlefield is the market and to win the marketing war, we have to work hard and work smart. Our Business Awards provide marketing mileage to businesses, enabling them to showcase business acumen not only to the Indian community but also to the rest of the country.
I am reminded of a slogan often quoted by Advertising Guru David Ogilvy: “Doing business without looking for recognition or reward is like winking at a girl in the dark; you know what you are doing, nobody else does.”
On behalf of the Indian Newslink management and VMindurBiz Services Limited, I can assure you that all entries directly go the Convenor of the Judging Panel and no one has privy to them. Even the names of entrants are not disclosed, leave alone the information provided.
The judging process is robust, independent of all of us and conducted under strict confidentiality.
Professional advice is available at a nominal fee for those who do not have the time or the facility to write business plans and prepare the entry forms.
We will conduct three free workshops, one each in May, June and July, to explain in details how to enter the Awards and clarify issues. We will announce the venue and date of these workshops in due course.
I look forward to your participation in this year’s Awards.
Manish Tanna is our Correspondent, Director of VMindurBiz Limited and Marketing Coordinator of the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2011. Email: manishvmindurbiz.com
