Most organisations believe they have a strong story. Many of them are right. But being worthy of an award and writing a winning entry are two very different things.

The difference usually comes down to craft: how clearly you present your evidence, how well your narrative answers the judging criteria, and whether a time-pressed judge can immediately grasp the impact of what you’ve done.

We spoke to six specialist award-writing agencies to find out what separates shortlisted entries from the ones that actually win. Their insights are practical, occasionally blunt, and worth reading before you write a single word.

Start by Understanding What Judges Actually Need

Judges aren’t reading your entry the way a client reads a proposal or a colleague reads a report. They’re working through a large volume of submissions, often in a single sitting, scoring against specific criteria. That context should shape every word you write.

“Judges read hundreds of submissions, so the entries that immediately capture attention are those that are concise, evidence-led and easy to follow. Strong structure and clear commercial or social impact can make a significant difference.” – Lucinda White  |  Award Writer & Managing Director, Pure Awards

The implication here is practical: your entry is not being read for pleasure. It is being evaluated. Every paragraph should be doing a job — answering the criteria, proving a claim, or advancing the narrative. Anything that doesn’t serve that purpose is padding.

Before writing, read the judging criteria multiple times. Identify every question being asked, explicitly and implicitly. Then structure your response so that no judge has to hunt for your answer.

Avoid the “Buzzword” Trap

When organisations lack concrete data or struggle to articulate their narrative, they frequently fall back on generic corporate language. Experienced writing teams warn that this is an immediate red flag for judging panels.

“A common mistake that organisations make when submitting awards entries is being too generic, opting to use common ‘buzz words’ in a bid to impress, which the judges no doubt see countless times during the review process.” – Hannah Haffield | Director, Make More Noise

To catch a judge’s eye, entries must move past standard business prose. Running an operation smoothly is a baseline expectation, but standard proficiency is rarely enough to secure a trophy. You have to demonstrate a unique differentiator or an exceptional achievement to truly stand out.

Evidence Is Non-Negotiable

If there is one principle that every award-writing expert agrees on, it is this: claims without evidence do not win awards.

Strong language, impressive adjectives, and enthusiastic descriptions of your own work will not compensate for the absence of proof. Judges have seen thousands of entries. They know the difference between genuine impact and polished self-promotion.

“Winning entries are crystal clear on impact — they don’t just tell a story, they prove it with credible evidence, measurable results, and a strong narrative that aligns precisely to the criteria.” – Donna O’Toole  |  Founder & CEO, August Recognition

Useful evidence takes many forms. Revenue and growth figures are an obvious starting point, but judges also respond well to engagement statistics, client retention rates, before-and-after operational comparisons, independent research, customer testimonials, and real implementation case studies.

“Providing lots of compelling evidence truly helps an award to stand out. Without this, the judges have a tough time giving your entry credibility.” – Suzy Pettican | Managing Director, Reflection PR Awards

This empirical backbone is what bridges the gap between creative storytelling and an objective, standard-setting evaluation.

“A standout award entry delivers a clear, engaging narrative underpinned by quantifiable impact. It tells a compelling story while directly evidencing what judges are looking for.” – Jeremy Colman | Founder and Principal Consultant, Kestrel HR

The goal is not to overwhelm with data, but to prove, credibly and specifically, that the impact you’re claiming actually happened.

“An entry becomes much stronger if assertions can be backed up with facts, case studies, testimonials and real-life examples relevant to each point of the criteria.” – Hannah Haffield |  Director, Make More Noise

The word ‘relevant’ is doing a lot of work in that quote. It is not enough to have evidence. It needs to map directly to the criteria being judged. An impressive revenue figure in a category about innovation may not land the way you expect. Match your proof to the question.

Data Without a Story Is Forgettable

Numbers establish credibility. But they rarely make an entry memorable. The submissions that judges still talk about after the process is over are the ones that combined strong evidence with a human story, one that made clear why the work mattered and who it actually affected.

“The entries that win aren’t always the biggest or most impressive projects; they’re the ones that tell a striking story. Judges want to feel impact over anything else. Always lead with the human side, and let the results speak for themselves.” – Becky Green  |  Director, Aura PR

This is especially important in categories centred on people: leadership, culture, sustainability, customer experience, education, or social impact. In these areas, a compelling personal or organisational story, grounded in evidence, will almost always outperform a well-structured statistical summary.

Ask yourself: who changed because of this work? Who was helped, challenged, inspired, or supported? If you can answer that question clearly and specifically, you have the foundation of a story worth telling.

Write for Someone Who Has Never Heard of You

One of the most consistent mistakes in award entries is the assumption that judges understand the context. In reality, panels often include people from different industries, countries, and professional backgrounds. They may have no familiarity with your market, your terminology, your competitors, or your internal challenges.

Write accordingly.

“The most common mistake I’ve seen is people treating an award entry like another internal report. Falling into the trap of making lists and pie charts is the surest way to not get noticed. Write for someone who doesn’t know your business — but do it with heart and captivating stories.” – Kirsty Olczak  |  PR & Communications Manager, Aura PR

That last phrase — ‘do it with heart’ — is worth sitting with. Clarity alone is not enough. Your entry needs to be both easy to follow and genuinely engaging. If a judge can read your submission without feeling anything, it probably won’t win.

Avoid internal jargon, acronyms that need explaining, and references to systems or initiatives that only make sense within your organisation. If you catch yourself writing something that would only be understood by a colleague, rewrite it for a stranger.

Why a Strong Story Is Only Half the Battle

A well-written entry with strong evidence can still lose. That’s a truth that some organisations find uncomfortable, but it’s worth understanding before you invest time in a submission.

“Winning isn’t just about your own story — it’s about what you’re up against. The narrative and numbers are within your control. But even the strongest entry needs a bit of luck.” – Louise Turner  |  Chief Wordsmith, Awards Writers

The honest implication is that award selection is partly about fit — the right entry in the right category in a given year. True competitiveness requires a level of brutal honesty during the planning phase.

“When choosing which awards category to enter, businesses need to be realistic and honest with themselves about whether their back story or their USP really is impressive enough to make them stand out against their competition.” – Hannah Haffield |  Director, Make More Noise

“Common mistakes to avoid include not thoroughly reading the award criteria and confirming your business is strong against this, as this is what judges are measuring your entry against. Using an outside awards agency means you benefit from strategic advice and a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ to really understand your chances of success.” – Suzy Pettican | Managing Director, Reflection PR Awards

That level of rigour is worth emulating. Before writing, ask yourself honestly: is this achievement differentiated enough to compete?

7 Things to Do Before You Submit

Draw together everything above, and a clear checklist emerges. Before pressing submit, work through each of these.

1. Read every criterion word for word.

Not just once. Multiple times. The question being asked is your brief. Answer it directly, in the structure the judges expect, without assuming they’ll read between the lines.

2. Lead with your strongest result.

Don’t bury the impact. Open with the clearest evidence of what was achieved. Give judges a reason to keep reading in the first paragraph.

3. Match your evidence to the criteria.

It is not enough to have strong data. Every piece of evidence should be traceable to a specific judging criterion. If you can’t draw that line, cut it.

4. Include the human story.

Behind every business result is a team, a customer, a community. Name them. Show what changed for them. The entries that stay with judges are the ones that felt real.

5. Eliminate internal language.

Read your entry as if you have never worked in your industry. If any phrase requires insider knowledge to understand, rewrite it. Clarity is not optional.

6. Get cross-functional input.

The strongest submissions draw on insights from across the business — finance, operations, marketing, leadership. No single team holds all the evidence.

7. Proofread with fresh eyes.

Leave time between final draft and submission. A spelling mistake or inconsistent figure won’t necessarily lose you the award, but it signals a lack of care that judges notice.

About the International Brilliance Awards™

Founded in 2014, the International Brilliance Awards™ recognise work defined by clear thinking, strong execution, and meaningful business impact across organisations worldwide.

The International Brilliance Awards™ serve as the flagship programme of the Brilliance Awards family, which includes Business Brilliance Awards, HR Brilliance Awards, Internal Communications (IC) Brilliance Awards, Marketing & PR Brilliance Awards, Sales & Revenue Brilliance Awards, and Sustainability & ESG Brilliance Awards.

Each programme focuses on a distinct area of organisational performance, while maintaining a consistent standard of evaluation through an independent, blind judging process.