Polishing my shield

Today we have announced the Channel Awards shortlist and I'm braced for the flak!

It is that time of year when I generally brace myself for an avalanche of emails.

The day that the CRN UK Channel Awards shortlist is launched. We held the first stage of judging this morning after all the judging panel had spent many hours reading the hundreds of thousands of words that made up the entries this year.

I may say this every year, but more entries than ever before are of a higher standard than last year, but there are still some that have a way to go.

I cannot go through every entry with everyone, but as I'm the only one of the judges that reads every single entry I can give this advice - please READ the criteria and top tips to entry on the dedicated Channel Awards website before even starting an entry - they really are there to help. It was obvious to me that many of those entering had not. Therefore they didn't stand a chance of making the shortlist.

All those shortlisted will now go onto the second stage judging panel which meets in October, and it is there that the winners are decided.

I also must stress that any firms making the shortlist of the big three - Reseller of the Year, Vendor of the Year and Distributor of the Year - must actually come into the Incisive offices on judging day and present to the judges to be in with a chance of winning. Any firm choosing not to come in will be removed from the shortlist.

It really is a difficult job for the judges, and deciding who will be shortlisted is never easy - quite often the decisions are so close and there are just a few points in it - so congratulations to every company that has made the cut - it is no mean feat.

To those that didn't make the shortlist this year, please don't give up, there is always next year.

There is also one other category that is not judged but is intead an Editor's Choice Award - this will be announced on the night as well.

Best of luck to all those nominated in the shortlist and congratulations once more.