How to Submit a Standout Rise AV Awards Nomination

Download the entry guidelines here.

The Rise AV Awards celebrate exceptional individuals and organisations driving positive change and progress across the AV sector. While each category is unique, to help you craft a compelling nomination, we’ve put together a few tips:


1. Tell a clear, focused story

Avoid generic praise and generalities. Instead, structure your entry around two to three accomplishments that show impact and leadership. What did they do? Why was it significant? What was the outcome?

2. Demonstrate impact with evidence

Back up your claims with specific outcomes or metrics when possible. Did their project save time, cut costs, improve diversity, break new ground, or influence others? Judges want to understand the scale and substance of the nominee’s contribution.

3. Use quotes to bring it to life

Incorporate quotes from managers, peers, or collaborators to add authenticity and texture. A well-placed quote gives insight into how others view the nominee’s influence and character.

4. Avoid repetition and filler language

Stay within the word count, but do not pad the entry with buzzwords or repeated points. Prioritise clarity and relevance over flowery language or long intros.

5. Avoid ‘vanilla’ nominations

Judges are not looking for cut-and-paste LinkedIn bios or generic praise. They want nominations that feel personal, credible, and thoughtfully written. If it could apply to anyone, it will not stand out.

6. Highlight what sets them apart

Why this person or organisation? What makes them different from others in similar roles? Look for unique achievements, qualities, or initiatives that show exceptional value or leadership.

7. Keep the tone professional and human

You are writing for experienced judges, but that does not mean the entry needs to be overly formal. Let your admiration for the nominee come through in a way that feels sincere and confident.

Final Thoughts:

Put yourself in a judge’s shoes. You are reading dozens of entries: what would make you stop and take notice? Strong nominations do not just explain what someone did; they show why it mattered. Make the case clearly, credibly, and with genuine pride.

What to Emphasise for Each Category

Here are guidelines for tailoring your entry to specific award categories:

Demonstrate creating greater inclusion and opportunity across AV.  

Key indicators include:

• Advocate for greater diversity and inclusion

• Mentor or support people from underrepresented groups

• Challenge barriers or outdated practices

• Open doors and create opportunities

• Use their influence to create positive change

• Champion inclusion within their organisation or the wider industry

Emphasise building, owning and leading an outstanding business.

Key indicators include:

• Have founded or grown a business

• Deliver strong commercial performance

• Develop a clear business strategy and vision

• Create jobs and opportunities

• Expand into new markets

• Build a sustainable, innovative and people-focused organisation.

Include examples of creativity, design and new ways of creating AV experiences.

Key indicators (they might..)

• Develop an innovative creative concept

• Create memorable experiences

• Combine technology and creativity in new ways

• Challenge conventional approaches.

• Use design, content or technology to deliver something exceptional.

Provide examples of what an organisation is doing to attract, develop, support and retain women.

Key indicators:

• Demonstrate measurable progress in representation

• Invest in development and progression

• Provide mentorship or sponsorship

• Improve flexibility or workplace culture

• Create pathways into leadership

• Demonstrate improved retention or career progression for women.

Recognising people at the beginning of their AV career.

Key indicators (they might...)

• Be a student, apprentice, graduate or early-career professional

• Have brought a fresh perspective to a project or team

• Developed new skills or taken on additional responsibility

• Have made an impact despite being early in their career.

Focus on exceptional work delivered independently.

Key indicators include:

• Built a successful freelance or consultancy career

• Bring specialist expertise to clients

• Solve complex problems

• Build strong long-term client relationships

• Make a significant contribution across multiple organisations or projects.

Demonstrate senior leadership, influence and the impact a woman has on people and the industry.

Key Indicators (they might...)

• Have built a successful freelance or consultancy career

• Bring specialist expertise to clients

• Solve complex problems

• Build strong long-term client relationships

• Make a significant contribution across multiple organisations or projects.

Highlight building brands, telling stories and connecting AV businesses with their audiences.

Key indicators include:

•Delivering an exceptional campaign

• Built or repositioned a brand

• Create compelling content

• Grow awareness or engagement.

• Develop communications that influence audiences

• Demonstrate measurable marketing impact.

Highlight complex project or event delivery and the ability to make things happen - effectively, efficiently and successfully.

Key Indicators (they might...)

• Lead complex project or event delivery

• Coordinate people, suppliers, logistics or resources

• Improve processes or ways of working

• Manage customer or service delivery

• Solve problems under pressure

• Keep projects, teams and customers moving

Emphasise creating or developing products, platforms, technologies and solutions that move AV forward.

Key Indicators (they might...)

• Develop a new AV product or technology

• Improve an existing product or solution

• Solve a significant customer or industry problem

• Create a new platform or approach

• Make AV more accessible, efficient or effective.

Focus on potential demonstrated, their achievements and momentum early in a career.

Key Indicators (they might...)

•Have achieved something notable within their first four years

• Taken on responsibility beyond what might normally be expected at their career stage

• Demonstrated exceptional development or progression

• Already be making a noticeable contribution to their organisation or the industry.

Show their commercial achievement, customer relationships and how they are creating value.

Key Indicators (they might...)

• Deliver outstanding sales results

• Develop new business

• Build long-term customer relationships

• Identify and respond to customer needs

• Grow accounts or enter new markets

• Deliver value beyond simply achieving a sales target.

Focus on technical expertise, problem-solving and delivery.

Key Indicators (they might...)

• Solve complex technical challenges

• Demonstrate exceptional knowledge or technical skill

• Deliver outstanding work across AV, integration, sound, lighting or production

• Provide exceptional technical support or service

• Develop innovative technical solutions.