Time to cast your vote

There is no margin for error with voting for the CRN Awards this year, warns Sara Yirrell

Sara Yirrell: Sometimes the smaller entrants get more votes

It is sometimes difficult to get a consistent message across without causing confusion.

Over the past couple of weeks nearly every question I have been asked is what companies need to do to win a channel award.
The answer is simple. Get customers and partners to vote for you. There is no quick fix. Voting is key. With fewer than two weeks to go before the deadline, time is definitely of the essence.

As we have explained in numerous editorial pieces about the awards, it is not the size of company that determines the winner.
Some of those firms shortlisted fail to encourage voting, and therefore score a lot lower than others would expect.

Likewise, a smaller company could have really pushed the boat out and encouraged all their customers and partners to vote. However, if a smaller firm has scored a relatively high number of votes for its size, that will be taken into account when it comes to picking the winner.

Sometimes the smaller entrants actually receive more votes than their larger counterparts without the judges even having to consider their size.

Each year is different. But unscrupulous methods of accumulating votes will not be tolerated.
Block voting is banned, as is using personal email addresses. I will be checking each and every vote so there will be no margin for error. Every winner on 13 November will have earned their accolade fair and square. Good luck!

Sara Yirrell is editor of CRN ­ [email protected]