Entries are now being accepted for the 6th annual American Business Awards. The entry deadline is March 31. Late entries will be accepted through April 30 with a late fee. Get your complete entry kit at:

http://thestevies.com/EntryKits/
ABA08EntryKit.html

The American Business Awards have been called the "business Oscars®." The awards are open to all operations in the U.S.A.: for-profit and non-profit, public and private, large and small.

There are categories to recognize entire companies, offices/branches/franchisees, new products and services, individuals (executive and non-executive), departments, and teams, as well as many categories for all forms of business-related media including advertising, web sites, video and film productions, interactive multimedia, and live events.

The program will culminate with a gala awards banquet in New York on June 12.

		Learn More About the American Business Awards...

Sanford Brown is the Chief Sales Officer for Heartland Payment Systems, which won the Stevie® Award for Financial Services Sales Organization of the Year in the 2007 Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards, which the Stevie Awards jointly present with Selling Power magazine. The awards were announced on December 6 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

We recently spoke with Sanford about Heartland Payment Systems. He shared with us his thoughts on how to motivate and manage a salesforce, and what it takes to be a successful chief sales officer.

Listen to our podcast interview with Sanford Brown...

"Supporting sponsors" of the American Business Awards or International Business Awards can submit an unlimited number of entries to both programs without having to pay entry fees. In fact, supporting sponsors receive a range of benefits valued at more than $7,500, including

• The ability to submit an unlimited number of entries to both The 2008 American Business Awards and The 2008 International Business Awards without having to pay entry fees. Entry fees vary by category. The average cost for submitting three entries is typically $1,200.

• Logo identification as a sponsor on the ABA or IBA web site (your choice) throughout 2008, with a link to your company's web site.
  Value: $500
  
  
• A full-page ad in the awards dinner program book for either the 2008 ABAs or IBAs (your choice). The programs will be distributed to all attendees of the 2008 awards galas, and will also be distributed to more than 20,000 business executives online throughout 2008-09.
  Value: $750
  
  
• Logo identification as a Supporting Sponsor on the cover of the awards dinner program of either the 2008 ABAs or IBAs (your choice).
  Value: $200
  
  
• Up to 25,000 display ad impressions on the ABA or IBA web site (your choice) during 2008.
  Value: $1,250
  
  
• Up to 10 tickets for The American Business Awards and/or International Business Awards banquets. You may use the tickets in any combination (e.g. 7 for the ABAs and 3 for the IBAs).
  Value: $3,750

The cost of a 2008 supporting sponsorship is just $5,000. Retrieve a complete proposal at http://thestevies.com/sponsor/StevieAwards08-SupportingSponsorship.pdf.

To discuss sponsorship opportunities contact Ellen Crupi at ellen@thestevies.com, telephone +1 301-229-6745.

		Contact Us About 2008 Sponsorship Opportunities...

March 31 : Final entry deadline for 2008 American Business Awards

April 30 : Last day late entries will be accepted for 2008 American Business Awards

May 9: Final entry deadline for 2008 International Business Awards

June 6: Last day late entries will be accepted for 2008 International Business Awards