Your Annual Report, More Than Facts and Figures
7/19/07
Krista Robertson, VP, Marketing Services
Many of you are probably thinking "Annual Report? But it is only August." Creating a successful annual report, requires plenty of lead-time. Organizations should develop a step-by-step process for creating an annual report, to allow ample time to decide on critical elements such as the theme and message as well as time to gather the appropriate data. No matter the size of your organization it is important that the annual report supports the company's objectives.
Step-by-Step Process:
- Define your audience
- Determine message and/or theme
- Develop copy
- Gather photos that represent theme
- Generate the layout and design
- Distribute the report
Defining your audience is a very necessary step in the process. A company needs to tailor the report to meet the needs of the reader. Begin with your company's database to identify those who already receive your report annually. In addition, work with your staff, board members and stakeholders to identify new audiences.
Once your audience has been defined, a theme and message of the report can be crafted. Talk with staff members and company leadership about what the organization wants to achieve through the report. In addition to the traditional statistical information, it is important to include a message that emphasizes the organization's mission, accomplishments and objectives. Some questions to consider:
- What are your organization's priorities?
- Is the company doing something new or different?
- Does the leadership want to communicate anything specific?
- Have there been any major accomplishments over the past year?
One thing to keep in mind is that although the theme may change from year to year your message should remain consistent.
After the theme and message have been decided, it is time to develop the copy for your report. Although, most won't read the report cover to cover, it is important to capture the reader's attention at the beginning. The copy should be concise and communicate the company's objectives while promoting their accomplishments.
Although each step of the process is important, the layout and design is one of the most critical components of creating an impactful annual report. A successful annual report consists of a compelling design that utilizes photography to evoke emotion and capture the reader's attention while establishing the organization's message. It is crucial that the design is easy to follow and the information is laid out in a clear manner. Often a simple, clean design is best.
Once the design is complete, you need to determine how you will dispense this information to your audience. This may be determined by budget constraints, how many need to be produced and what distribution method will be used. Some organizations may mail their reports, others may find that making it available on their Web site is sufficient. Make sure that whatever method is chosen, it meets the expectations of your organization's leadership.
Producing a successful annual report requires an organized, detailed planning process and should always reflect the organization's objectives and mission. After all, an annual report is more than facts and figures; it represents the essence of a company.
