Woodworkers see their custom furniture, cabinetry, woodturning, carving and veneering  honored in numerous programs - including CWB magazine's Design Portfolio program. All of these center around the end product.

But with client preferences and budgets in the mix, end products aren't always fully under your control.

One thing you can control is your business. And an indicator of how well you are doing can be measured by what people think of you.

Instead of measuring boring stuff like sales and growth, Custom Woodworking Business is launching a new awards program: Best Rated Custom Woodworkers.

The prize:

• Recognition in Custom Woodworking Business in print, online and at Facebook and other social media.

• Video interviews, and a trophy at Cabinets & Closets Expos 2014 awards program.

• Entrants also are eligible to become live video correspondents at wood industry events and at WoodworkingNetwork.com online. 

Categories and criteria:

Best Rated by Clients: Best rated by customers, as measured by your standing on Angies List, Yelp, Kudzu, Better Business Bureau and other raters.

Best Rated Social Media Outreach: A review of your use of social media - Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Tumbler, Youtube and other online marketing communications. Nominees will be analyzed by Vance Publishing's e-Team.

Best Rated by Suppliers: Wood industry suppliers are invited to nominate custom woodworking businesses that they feel are at the head of the pack and the top of their game - for criteria like inventiveness, expansion, growth, ingenuity, and technical acumen. 

Nominees of this first recognition program will be reported on in the April 2013 issue of Custom Woodworking Business.

More details on Best Rated Custom Woodworkers will be announced at Cabinets & Closets Expo 2013, Feb. 27-Mar. 1 at the New Jersey Convention Center.