Best of SVG awards good for business, says PR consultant

A local marketing consultant who won a Best of SVG award in 2017 says the award greatly improved the reach of her business and other businesses she promoted.

Candice Sealey, founder and principal marketing and public relations consultant at Ignite!, spoke at the launch of the Best of SVG 2018 campaign about the benefits to be derived by businesses who win an award in the people’s choice campaign or are among the top businesses nominated.

The campaign was launched on Wednesday, at the Lower Kingstown Park conference room of Interactive Media Limited (IML), publishers of SEARCHLIGHT.

“My consultancy benefited tremendously from the award and I also have clients who were nominated or who walked away with two or three of the awards, and they have seen phenomenal results,” Sealey disclosed.

“When you have the Best of SVG title attached to your brand, it speaks volumes and if you know how to use this achievement as a marketing opportunity, it can take your business to the next level. Everyone wants to be associated with the best. Everyone wants to see or experience what the best has to offer,” she added.

The Ignite! founder said she has seen first-hand that businesses who won in their category gained increased visits to their establishments; increased awareness, revenue, inquiries and a higher business profile.

She said she has observed businesses who were nominated, but did not win, improve their standards to better vie for the award.

“They decided to start doing something to get the public to pay attention to them, so they started advertising, creating social media accounts or just started to be more efficient in their business, so they can definitely be the focus of customers in the future,” Sealey said.

The marketing consultant made it clear that she had been invited to speak at the launch of the 2018 campaign because her category had been discontinued in the 2018 campaign, so she is able to speak without bias.

Clare Keizer, the chief executive officer of IML, host of the campaign, said at Wednesday’s launch that the Best of SVG campaign was established to recognize the outstanding businesses among us.

“We are on a mission to foster a culture of excellence in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and this campaign helps with that, for without competition, complacency tends to set in and standards fall,” Keizer said.

The CEO explained that in this, the second year of the Best of SVG, 25 categories have been discontinued and 12 new ones added, resulting in a total of 102 categories. (see ballot paper on page 18)

The voting period of the campaign runs from Friday, January 5 to Friday, March 2, 2018. Ballot papers will be published in each edition of SEARCHLIGHT during that period. Members of the public who vote in more than 25 categories will be entered into a draw to win $1000.

Also speaking at Wednesday’s launch were Anthony Regisford, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and Arvid Shearman, of the auditing firm Grant Thornton, which has responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the voting process. During Wednesday’s ceremony, Keizer handed over the keys to the ballot boxes to Shearman.

Keisha Browne, representative of Quick Cash; Tariq Roberts, representative of Guardsman; and Narissa Bostwick of WE FM, all sponsors, also made brief remarks. Other sponsors include NBC Radio, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, Joche Moments, Boom 106.9 FM, Right Stuff, Sport Locka Plus/ Trophy Centre, Bullocks Trucking and Green Peaks.

Drop boxes for completed ballots are located at: George’s Supermarket – Mesopotamia, M Da Silva & Sons – Barrouallie, Ace # 2 – Arnos Vale, Andrew Crichton – Georgetown, Dawn Sandy – Canouan, Bequia Tourism Office – Bequia, Toney’s Mini Mart – Calliaqua, Hanaway Minimart – Chateaubelair, Courts St Vincent Ltd – Bay Street, Kingstown, Searchlight – Lower Kingstown Park and Massy Supermarket – Stoney Ground.