How to wow the jury: Lessons from award-winning entries

As the new Eventex Awards edition heats up, it’s submission time again — when the way you tell your story matters (almost) as much as the story itself. That’s why we are once again sifting through crucial jury feedback from the previous edition and giving you essential tips on how to wow the events industry superstars who will be evaluating your entries this year. 

Showcasing creativity the right way 

Let’s start with the creativity or concept aspect of your entry. This is one of the most heavily weighted criteria, so the jury pays a lot of attention to how creativity is showcased. 

• Showcase inspiration — include more insights into your ideation process, mentioning what inspired your entry concept, or why you chose this idea over another. 
• Outline unique details — in addition to describing your overall concept, don’t forget to highlight the exact elements that make your entry unique. Is your idea truly unique, or is it a unique spin on something that has already been done, subverting expectations? Answering this question will help the jury members get a better feel of the creativity of your work. 
• Show, don’t just tell — no matter how pitch-perfect your description, remember that sometimes pictures (and videos) are worth more than words. Don’t forget to add the most breathtaking visuals that would perfectly showcase your creativity to the jury.     

A new dimension of execution 

Looking through the jury feedback from last year, one thing stood out — the jury wants to know what went wrong or might have gone wrong. 

• Mention challenges and solutions — describe if you encountered any challenges along the way and how you handled them. This will strengthen your storytelling and get the jury more involved in your entry in the run-up to the results. 
• Describe contingency plans — even if you’re among the lucky ones whose event went as planned, make a note in your entry what you would have done if it didn’t. 

Results beyond the numbers  

Last year, the Eventex Awards jury continued to place a major focus on results. Here are some tips to help you stand out beyond the actual numbers in your entry. 

• Demonstrate ROI — when listing numbers in your results section, don’t simply list them, but put them in context. What is the ROI of the project compared to the initial budget? Did it overshoot expectations? Note that you can also use the Confidential information section to list sensitive information, which will remain visible only to the awards jury and the Eventex team. 
• Focus on impact — while numbers are essential, they are not the only thing that defines the success of a project. That is why attendee feedback matters, be it in surveys, social media posts, etc. And in the cases where sufficient time has passed since the event, you can list its long-term impact, be it on the community, the client, or your own venture. 
• Connect the purpose — how do the results of the project relate to its initial purpose? This is another layer of context that the Eventex Awards jury is looking for. Connect the outcomes to the initial idea and purpose to give a broader perspective of your work’s success and value. 

Ready to shine? 

Following these tips will give you a better shot at submitting an award-winning entry. And if you’re still on the fence about registering, you only have a limited time to do so and wow the Eventex Awards 2026 jury.

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