Written by Judge Montserrat Cano
Winning an award is rarely just about doing great work. It is about communicating that work clearly, credibly, and consistently on the entry form.
Over the years, both as a practitioner and as a judge across several award categories, I have seen strong campaigns and excellent ideas getting lower scores. This was not because they lacked impact, but because they were unclear, poorly structured or difficult to follow.
Judges can only assess what is documented on the entry form. If your work is not presented in a clear and accessible way, even excellent results may go unnoticed. In practice, it all comes down to clarity.
Your role as an entrant is to make assessment easy for judges who are reviewing and scoring many other submissions.
This guide explains how to do exactly that. It is an updated version of my original 2021 article and is designed to be relevant across all award categories.
Why many good entries don’t win
From experience, most unsuccessful entries tend to share similar weaknesses. Not every entry will have all of these at once, but even a few can significantly reduce your chances.
Common issues I’ve seen include:
- Vague, unconvincing or disconnected objectives
- Challenges that are unclear or irrelevant
- Too much or too little context
- No explanation of why the project, tech or campaign was needed
- Difficult access to the tool if submitting a product
- Data and visuals without explanation
- Incomplete sections
- A difficult or confusing narrative to follow
- Poor-quality or unreadable graphics
These problems undermine credibility, even if the underlying work is strong.
Connect the dots
Strong entries clearly link objectives, strategy, execution and results.
Show judges why your work deserves to win by explaining how each stage led to the next, using relevant context to support your story and a clear language.
Be mindful of word limit. Long text does not make an entry stronger. Clarity does.
1. Provide clear context
Start by explaining why this work mattered.
Context helps judges understand performance, innovation and constraints. Keep this concise though: one short paragraph is usually enough.
You may include:
- Organisation or brand
- Industry and market
- Target audience
- Timeframe
Without context, results cannot be properly assessed.
2. Define clear objectives
Clear objectives, supported by numbers where relevant, allow judges to evaluate outcomes fairly. Stay within the word count and avoid vague statements such as:
- Increase awareness
- Improve engagement
- Drive growth
Instead, explain:
- What you aimed to achieve
- Why it mattered
- How success would be measured
3. Show structured thinking
Strong entries reflect structured thinking in both the work itself and how it is presented.
A simple and effective framework, similar to building a campaign or project is:
Challenge -> Objectives -> Strategy -> Execution -> Results
Explain:
- Why this approach was chosen
- How it addressed the problem
- How it was implemented and managed, including challenges
- What impact it generated
Never assume the connection is obvious. Judges can only score what is clearly documented on the entry form.
4. Present data with context
Metrics without explanation reduce credibility. When using numbers, always clarify:
- What they represent
- Baseline
- Timeframe
- Their business relevance
Example:
Instead of:
“Traffic increased by 40%”
Explain:
“Traffic increased by 40% over six months compared to the previous year, following technical and content optimisation, contributing to a X% increase in revenue.”
5. Explain challenges transparently
Judges value honesty and adaptability. Describe relevant challenges, such as:
- Operational constraints
- Market limitations
- Budget or resource restrictions
- Technical or organisational barriers
Then explain how you addressed them. Avoid submitting generic statements that are not clearly linked to your project, as these reduce both credibility and scores.
6. Tailor each entry to the category
Avoid reusing identical submissions, as each category has different criteria which your entry needs to reflect.
For every category:
- Align with the criteria
- Highlight relevant achievements
- Adapt language and focus
Failing to do so may result in lower scores or your work being considered unsuitable for that category, as has happened before, regardless of quality.
7. Complete every section thoroughly
Use every section of the entry form as an opportunity to help judges understand and reward your hard work. Every section contributes to your final score.
Before submitting, check that:
- All fields are filled
- All questions are answered directly
- No sections are rushed
- Clearly explained supporting materials are included
8. Build a coherent narrative
An effective entry tells a professional story. It should demonstrate purpose, measurable impact great execution and organisational value. Ensure you communicate a clear progression throughout the entry form
For every section, use:
- Clear language
- Consistent terminology
9. Focus on presentation and readability
Presentation strongly influences perception. Dense blocks of text with no spacing are difficult to read and can lower scores.
Pay attention to:
- Word limit
- Paragraph length
- Formatting
- Image visibility
- File quality
Use:
- Short paragraphs
- Bullet points where appropriate
- Clear headings
- White space
- Consistent font size and colour
I recommend reviewing the draft internally before submitting to ensure it is clear, reflects what you need to and is well structured to increase your chances of winning.
Final thought: make entry assessment effortless
Strong award entries make easy to understand the value behind the work by clearly answering the following questions:
- What was the goal?
- Why did it matter?
- What was done?
- What impact did it have?
- What was learned?
When this information is easy to find, your entry stands out for the right reasons.
It is not about simplifying your achievements. It is about presenting them clearly and consistently.
For details of which Awards you can enter click here.
