The 2023 Sales and Marketing Awards have launched!

We are happy to announce that the CRN SMAs are open for entry with a few new categories to choose from

After three of the most challenging economic years we have ever experienced, the channel continues to achieve wonderful things, and it is definitely right to look back and celebrate the brilliant people and teams in our industry.

The CRN Sales and Marketing Awards (SMAs) have always been aimed at highlighting the many successes that the channel achieves every year, despite the continuing economic and socio-economic obstacles it faces.

While some may question the point of entering awards each year, there is no better way to get the recognition that your hard-working teams deserve by winning an independent award, judged by a panel of sales and marketing experts with years of experience between them.

It can do wonders for morale and a company's profile.

The awards will take place on Thursday 29 June this year and more details about the awards ceremony itself will be revealed later in the year. The deadline for entry is Friday 31 March.

There are 24 categories to choose from this year, and the distribution categories in particular have been given a bit of a shake-up to reflect how the sector serves its customers.

In particular we have added two brand new categories: ‘Best Warehouse Team' and ‘Best Channel Finance Support Team/Initiative'.

Instead of limiting the recruitment categories to just Graduates this year, we have expanded all the recruitment categories to ‘Most Innovative Recruitment Scheme/Initiative' to allow vendors, resellers and distributors to talk more about wider schemes they have launched to attract new talent into our industry, whether this is working with schools, universities or charitable organisations to recruit a more diverse range of people into your business.

We have also kept the ‘Over and Above Award' categories again this year - these seemed popular last year as many companies wanted to give special recognition to individuals and teams that have gone over and above the call of duty to make sure customers are happy, or have done something to help their local community or their own colleagues in the workplace.

There really is something for everyone and of course, the awards are completely free to enter.

All we ask is that you read the criteria carefully before starting your entry - every category has a specially written criteria packed with useful tips and hints about how to structure your entry and score the highest marks possible with the judges.

We also have a Top Tips page, again designed to help make the whole process easier.

We look forward to receiving and reading all the entries. Please remember not to submit the same entry for multiple categories (the judges will pick up on it) and it is One entry per category.

Entries that make the shortlist after the first round of judging in March will go on to a second panel of judges where the winners and possible commended entries will be decided.

To find out more about the awards and to read all the criteria, please visit the dedicated editorial hub, or the awards page itself where you can submit your entries.

The very best of luck, and remember, the deadline for entries is Friday 31 March.