THE countdown has begun to the South Coast Business Awards, where one organisation will be crowned Business of the Year.

The deadline for nominating your own business or someone else’s for any of the categories in the awards is August 31.

And at the end of the ceremony, due to take place on November 12, one category winner will take the overall title.

The South Coast Business Awards celebrate business excellence among all the sectors that make up the Hampshire and Isle of Wight economy.

Companies can submit their own nominations or be nominated by others.

The awards’ principal sponsor, law firm Dutton Gregory, invites any company whose head office is based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to enter or to be nominated.

Nominations for each category will be considered by our judging panel and entrants may be subject to a “mystery shopper” visit by the category sponsor.

The judges will be looking to announce the three finalists in each category in the Daily Echo.

All three category finalists, plus one guest each, will be invited to join their category sponsors at the awards ceremony at the home of the Saints, St Mary’s Stadium, where the winners will be announced.

The ceremony is due to take place on Thursday, November 12.

The winners of each category will receive £250 of advertising in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk. They will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Daily Echo and online.

The awards ceremony will culminate in one organisation being named Business of the Year.

The categories in the awards are:

• Innovation Excellence Award

• Business Leader Award

• Employer Award

• Entrepreneur Award

• Small Business Award

• Business in the Community Award

• Best Use Of Technology Award

• Service Excellence Award

• Best New Business

You can submit your award entry online at dailyecho.co.uk.

Remember, you only have until Monday, August 31.