This is a guest post from Alistair Turner at MyEvent.Vision, a competition to help turn great event ideas into reality.

Could 2016 be the year your brilliant new event idea finally makes it out of your head and into real life? Could you create an experience that hundreds – even thousands – of people come to, enjoy and tell their friends about?

If you’d like to make your ambition a reality, then you should definitely enter MyEvent.Vision…but with so many other entrants, how can you stand out, and show your idea is the one?

If you’re not familiar with MyEvent.Vision, it’s a life changing competition, where the entrant wins not only a cash prize, but a chance to work alongside some of the best event professionals in the business, to bring your event idea to life.

The format of MyEvent.Vision can better be understood as ‘Dragons Den’ meets ‘The Apprentice’ and it’s open to event professionals, and anyone else with an original or dynamic event concept.

We have a strong judging line-up representing companies including Events International Group (EIG), Storm Model Management, Disneymedia+ and the Financial Times; and the finalists will have a once in a lifetime chance to pitch their concept to them.

To help you develop a strong proposal that catches the judges attention, the MyEvent.Vision team have put their heads together to come up with some helpful hints and tips for entrants who really want to win. Applications need to include a minimum of 1,000 words and we want the best entries, and the right winner with the right concept to succeed.

So what are you waiting for? Take note of our tips below – the 9 fundamentals to a successful event launch – and get creative!

1.Let creativity lead

Events are a creative enterprise so make sure that you have the right concept from the outset; that it works as an experience for the audience and that it brings incremental value to the market

2. Let business follow

MyEvent.Vision awards sustainable event concepts, so make sure your creativity is supported by a strong business plan that is commercially viable and allows the event to grow and flourish. Creativity won’t win on its own; it needs to be a robust business plan as well.

3. Remember your target audience

An event is nothing without the community it serves. So make sure you represent them in everything you do, every bit of content you curate, the look and feel of the event, and the way you work. Get to know them, understand their needs and never forget them.

4. Visualise the experience

Great events are about creating unforgettable experiences, so try and imagine how your event will look and feel for the customer. What are the key touch points, what will they see, how will they feel, what will surprise them, delight them etc. How will your event experience come to life?

5. Research, research, research

Know your stuff, and show you know your stuff. Creativity is nothing without market intelligence.

6. Think about the event’s stakeholders

All events rely on stakeholders, be they associations, sponsors, advertisers, marketing partnerships, ticketing or venue. So how will this event work with those stakeholders to create a richer experience for the visitor and mutual value for all?

7. Get Advice

Creativity is rarely a singular endeavour so get advice from people you trust. Be they colleagues at work, friends or family. Bounce ideas off them and see how well you can bring to life what is in your mind, to someone in front of you. They may well have more to add, more challenges and new ways to refine your event concept.

8. Give consideration to your competition

This is a strong competitive field with an incredibly high level of entries. Remember that you need to be at your very best to win, and this starts with a well thought out and professional written entry.

9. Be Inspired

The competition rewards the event but also the person behind the event. We want to see your passion and enthusiasm, but also a succinct and distinctive approach to business. We want to know the idea is in safe hands.

If you’d like more help and advice on successful starting a new event, Eventbrite has a series of videos available to any event organiser looking at the steps they need to create and build an event. These could be a really helpful reference for you and your event, and will give you the opportunity to think about your event as a production and not just an idea.

They are available on YouTube, so check them out here.

The deadline for entries to MyEvent.Vision is getting closer, all entries need to be in by 8th February, and the quality will be high. For more information go to www.myevent.vision and get to know how it all works.

 Most importantly good luck, it’s a great prize and an amazing experience to be a part of!