A HAIR salon in Worcester has been ranked in the top 10 UK small businesses for its marketing efforts – and is keen for the faithful city to help them claim the number one spot.

The Avant Guarde salon, in Brindley Road, Worcester, has reached the finals of a competition organised by business support and advice network Smarta and communications firm 02.

They will now attend a ceremony at London’s Cafe de Paris on Tuesday, November 12, to find out if they make the cut to win the top prize.

Director at Avant Guarde, Ian Beswick, said: “To be acknowledged for our efforts to stand out by such a great competition is mind blowing. “Just being in the top ten, including so many talented companies who have six-figure marketing budgets, is an achievement in itself.”

Other businesses joining Avant Garde in the final stages of the competition include a laser light company, a London nail bar, an edible insects operation and a sex education app for teenagers. The awards feature businesses nominated across ten categories, each with ten finalists, including innovative business of the year; biggest social impact and best use of technology. Voting is now open to decide the winners of each category. The ten winners will receive £1,000 and make the final shortlist for the grand prize £10,000 ‘Smarta 100, together with O2, business of the year’ award.

The overall winner will be decided by the Smarta 100 judging panel led by Dragons’ Den star Piers Linney, founder of Out-sourcery and including Holly Tucker, co-founder of notonthehighstreet.com, King of Shaves founder Will King and enterprise editor of the Mail on Sunday, Helen Loveless.

“We now need our customers to get us to the top of the list by voting at smarta-.com/smarta100/2013/avant-garde-hair-salon,” said Mr Beswick, who runs the salon with his wife Naomi.