Business awards have exploded over the last 10 - 15 years. It has actually become a huge business, with awards companies generating multitudes of categories, and endless "winners".
For the new business owner, you may be very flattered to find out you have been short listed for the customer service excellence awards, the best blue widget, or the pan European best looking builders van. You will be assure there is no cost, and you have been chosen on merit and excellence, blah blah.
At the end of it, there will be a cost, and you will have a lovely certificate to hang on your wall and a logo to put on your website to tell the world that you are an award winning blue widget provider.
If it floats your boat, flatters your ego and think it will be a benefit to your business, then go for it. But go in with your eyes wide open, and your cynical radar on full strength.
We've had loads of these over the years, from a variety of companies. Here's the latest one to arrive, make you own minds up 
Hi,
I hope you had time to read my previous email informing you that My Local Services has been nominated for the 2015 European Corporate Excellence Awards! Over the last few months we have been accepting votes and I am delighted to inform you that you have been nominated!
The 2015 Executive Awards do not discriminate on the grounds of business location, number of employees, sector or size; instead, all we ask is that nominated firms have excelled through their dedication to client satisfaction or ongoing innovation, played a major role in advancing not just their individual firm, but their wider sector or industry.
If you would like to be added to the shortlist then please reply by email, and simply state "I’D LIKE TO SHORTLIST".
The next stage involves some heavy research on our side, and you too will be able to submit any details that you think will aid the decision making process. Your firm will then be presented to our in-house judging panel, and potentially go on to receive valuable industry recognition
Additionally, there is no financial cost or time element to this, and the award winners are due to be announced in November 2015!
Lucky us, we truly are excellent corporate Europeans 
Thanks but no thanks...
