Don’t make the same mistake as me.

We’ve just had our internal Bauer Media Awards, which always creates a buzz in the office as the winners are announced to much fanfare.

No one came near the Fleet News desk though. Why? We didn’t enter. I was strapped for time and put the forms to one side for a later date – that date came and went, as did the deadline.

The editor of our sister publication AM did put the effort in. He entered two awards, was shortlisted in one (cover of the year) and won the other (scoop of the year). The excitement and boost it gave his team was a reminder to me of just how much positive impact awards can have on the motivation and success of a team and, ultimately, a business.

So, don’t make the same mistake as me – put aside some time and enter the Fleet News Awards.

You might think ‘it’s not worth it; I’m not doing anything special’. Well, let us be the judge of that. On countless occasions, we’ve visited fleets and been bowled over by the innovative things they are doing or the outstanding controls they have over their operations – yet they thought it was simply business as usual.

There is a category to suit everyone, from the largest to the smallest fleets and from those doing great things across the business to those making improvements in one specific area.

All our finalists receive the prestige of publicity in Fleet News, on our website and on the night itself in front of 1,500 of your peers. You can also benefit from publicity in your local press – simply being a finalist is an achievement worth celebrating; not everyone reaches the shortlist.

To win, well for many it’s the pinnacle of their fleet career: not my words, but the feedback from our many winning fleets.

So, don’t make my mistake: enter the awards for a chance to claim your place in fleet history.