We’ve been working with the Dorset Business Awards since 2002, so it’s been wonderful to see them grow in popularity to become one of the UK’s biggest and most prestigious regional business award ceremonies.
On Thursday, the DBAs packed out Dorset’s largest venue – the BIC’s Windsor Hall – with more than 700 guests from the county’s business community coming together to celebrate with the winners at the glittering awards ceremony.
Hosted by business journalist Jonty Bloom and organised by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), there were eleven categories in total, including the new addition of VoIP Unlimited Business Engagement with Education Award.
Congratulations to all the winners (pictured above), including KaarbonTech Asset Management, winner of The Excellence in Innovation Award, sponsored by ourselves and DCCI. Our managing director, Liz Willingham, presented The Excellent in Innovation Award on stage with celebrity chef Rick Stein and Ian Girling, DCCI President.
Several of our clients were involved in the ceremony, including sponsors Nuffield Health (The Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award went to Ceuta Healthcare Ltd) and Dolphin Shopping Centre (The Retail Experience Award went to Fab Frocks) and VoIP Unlimited (The VoIP Unlimited Business Engagement with Education Award went to LoveLove Films).
The Windsor Hall looked absolutely stunning, with more than 80 pristine white tables and a luxurious red carpet. Brighter Productions provided impeccable sound and lighting on the night and C4L provided high-performance Wi-Fi which paved the way for seamless social media interaction and, for the first time, an interactive Twitter wall.
Doing the social media at the event was as challenging as it was rewarding! No sooner had I taken a breath for two seconds, another ten tweets would roll in. Guests were undoubtedly having a great time sharing their experience and posting their selfies; squeals of excitement could be heard throughout the room as #DBAselfies were posted live on the Twitter wall. @DorsetBizAwards on Twitter averages around 300 impressions a day and the night of the Gala Dinner reached over 18,000 impressions. Just goes to show how ‘tweeting in the moment’ leads to higher engagement.
Liz Lean PR was proud to deliver the social media activity in the lead up to and during the Gala Dinner… Roll on 2016!