If there’s one thing we advise all of our clients to do without fail it is to get themselves nominated for an award.

Quite simply, there’s no better way of getting recognition, enhancing your PR profile and winning over potential new customers than through a product or service accolade.

A great example of this is the way in which the English sparkling wine industry is flourishing on the back of several international awards that have earned British bubbly a global reputation to rival the very best champagne.

And the star fizzy that is now beginning to catch everyone’s attention is a sparkling wine from a previously little-known vineyard in Sussex that has just been voted Wine of the Year 2011 by the UK Vineyards Association.

But what we love in particular is the way the award winners, Ridgeview Estate just outside Burgess Hill, have cashed in on the PR opportunity by getting themselves extensive coverage in the national newspapers in recent days.

And what a great story it made too! The wine is apparently so good that it was specially selected to serve up at the Queen’s official banquet to welcome US President Barack Obama during his visit to the UK at the end of May.

So we strongly suggest that you follow the lead of Ridgeview Estate by putting yourself forward or getting a nomination for a business award. And who knows? You could end up winning some too.