The highly anticipated Wales Business Awards 2022, sponsored by Avast Business, has opened for applications, providing SME businesses across the country with the opportunity to compete for Wales’ most prestigious accolades.

New for 2022, video entries have been introduced across the range of categories to simplify the nomination process and create a better applicant experience.

Businesses will need to create a short, 3 – 4 minute video, using a smartphone, Zoom or other video recording equipment, for their chosen category answering the following questions:

1. Provide a brief description of your business, describing the products / services you provide
2. Describe your plans for future growth / development
3. Why should your business win this category?
4. Explain how winning this category would impact your business

The video, submitted via sharable link of a suitable platform such as Dropbox, Google Drive or WeTransfer, will count as part of the entry and will be viewed by the judging panel for the category entered.

With the candidate’s permission, the video may also be featured as part of the shortlist during the awards ceremony hosted by Gethin Jones at St Fagans National Museum of History on 9 June.

Chamber Partner Effective Communication has provided tips to help businesses create their video entries:

 In advance, prepare your answers by writing them down and practising – when recording, try and refrain from reading directly to make it more natural, although you can if it makes it easier for you!

• Check your smartphone’s settings – Go to your device’s settings, click on Camera and click on Record Video. Ensure you have selected at least 1080p HD record quality for your video.
• Find a light and quiet environment to record – You want to avoid recording with your back to a window and if you need to, turn a light on to brighten up the video. We’d also recommend closing any windows and reducing your background noise as much as you can.
• Record in landscape – recording your video in landscape will provide the best possible angle. You can either do this by holding out your phone in a selfie type stance, ask a friend or colleague to hold your smartphone for you or by carefully balancing it on a shelf or table. If you have a tripod available, even better!
• Practice makes perfect – there aren’t many one take wonders out there, so be prepared that it may take a couple of goes to get it right. The more you practise and check the quality in playback, the more confidence it will give you in front of the camera.

Entries will close on 1 April, with the finalists set to be announced at the end of the month. Visit https://cw-seswm.com/events/awards/ for more information and to enter.