DOES your company pride itself on the way it markets its products or uses sales promotion techniques?

If so why not get your achievements recognised by entering the Lancashire Evening Telegraph 1997 East Lancashire Business Awards.

A new category has been introduced this year - the Marketing & Sales Promotion Award - and is being sponsored by media game specialists Europrint Group. It aims to highlight companies which use innovative and imaginative marketing and sales promotion techniques. The category is one of eight in this year's awards which offer a total prize pot of more than £15,000 thanks to our sponsors Lancashire Enterprises plc, ELTEC, Farleys as well as Europrint.

The awards aim to promote and encourage excellence at all levels in the East Lancashire business community - from one-man bands to major corporations employing thousands. They celebrate the success of enterprise in all its forms from start-up businesses to fast track growth companies and industrial giants.

As well as the Marketing & Sales Promotion Award there are two more new categories this year.

The Business in the Community Achievement award, sponsored by Farleys, is open to companies who can demonstrate a real commitment to and partnership with the community they work in - from encouraging teams of staff to help out at local schools to long term environmental projects to make their local areas better places to live.

And the Young Business of the Year category, sponsored by ELTEC, aims to find businesses aged between 18 months and three years that can demonstrate growth potential.

The winning entrants will have their prizes awarded at a gala presentation evening in the summer. Entry forms are available now by contacting 01253 28928 or the Lancashire Evening Telegraph business desk on 01254 678678 ext 258 or by writing to East Lancashire Business Awards, PO Box 19, Blackpool FY1 3NT. Closing date is April 4. The category structure is as follows :

Company of the Year - First prize : £2,000 and an engraved silver salver; Runner up : £500 and trophy

Businessperson of the Year - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Small Business of the Year - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy (open to companies employing up to 50)

Training Award - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Product Development Award - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Marketing and Sales Promotion Award - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Young Business of the Year - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Business in the Community Award - First prize : £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up : £250 and trophy

Highly commended awards will also be made in each category at the judges' discretion.

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