Some of you may know that back in December 22 we took part in and won the Small Business Sunday competition. If you haven't heard of Small Business Sunday (SBS), you're missing out on a great opportunity; SBS is a weekly competition run by Theo Paphitis, entrepreneur and star of the UK's Dragon's Den show.
Small Business Sunday is a weekly competition on Twitter where businesses can promote themselves in a tweet to Theo Paphitis. Each Sunday between 5-7:30 pm, small businesses are invited to tweet about their business using the hashtag #SBS. Theo reviews each tweet and chooses his top favourites, which he then retweets to his over 500,000 followers. Winning businesses also receive a mention on Theo's website and access to exclusive SBS networking events.
If you're a small business, you can enter SBS. Theo defines a small business as "any company with a turnover of under £5 million and fewer than 250 employees." The competition is open to businesses in the UK and Ireland, but anyone can use the #SBS hashtag to show support and promote their own small business.
Winning Small Business Sunday can be a game-changer for your business. Not only do you receive exposure to Theo's extensive social media following, but you also get access to exclusive networking events that can help you connect with other successful small business owners. The mention on Theo's website can also help with your SEO, as well as give you added credibility in the eyes of potential customers.
On a less tangible level, participating in SBS can give you a boost of confidence and morale. Running a small business can be tough, and it's easy to feel like you're shouting into the void sometimes. The validation from someone like Theo Paphitis, who has built his own business empire, can be a real morale boost that keeps you going during tough times.
So why not give it a try? It only takes a few minutes to craft a tweet, but the benefits of winning Small Business Sunday could last for years.