13 Aug 5 ways to transform your annual report from bland… to BRILLIANT
Annual report.
Say these two words to almost anyone and they’ll instantly think of a stale yearly report printed on thick stacks of paper… while they try to suppress a big fat yawn!
But times are changing. And so can you.
Today, annual reports should be viewed as a powerful tool to engage stakeholders, showcase performance – and make a strong, lasting impression.
So when it’s ‘that time of year again’, approach it with drive rather than dread.
After all, it’s a prime opportunity to shine a spotlight on your organisation… and open new doors for the future.
To help, here are 5 ways you can transform your annual report from bland to brilliant.
1. Create an experience
Don’t think of your annual report as a list of detailed facts and figures. Think of it as a vehicle to share your organisation’s story over the past year.
And like any good tale, it should blend authenticity, clarity, consistency and context.
Here are some strategies to do just that:
- Build a narrative that connects your mission, vision, initiatives and outcomes
- Create an intuitive structure – with a beginning, middle and end
- Opt for creative and engaging headlines to open each new section
- Weave in quotes, stories and photos to personlise throughout
- Use first-person language wherever possible (‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’)
2. Keep it concise – and consistent
Does your organisation ask multiple people across multiple departments to write different sections of your annual report?
If so, smart move. After all, who better to write about your financial achievements than your CFO? And who better to write about staff and professional development results than your People and Culture leader?
However, this approach also come with its pitfalls. Namely, repetition and overlap – as well as an inconsistent writing style throughout.
The result? A jumbled, boring and dry document that will do your brand more harm than good.
That’s why it’s critical to have a single person or department – such as Marketing & Communications – oversee and review every word of your annual report.
And if you don’t have anyone internally with the time and skills do it? A professional editor who understands your organisation is the way to go.
3. Spice up your statistics
When it comes to creating an engaging report, infographics are your best friend. Why? Because visually representing your data helps:
- Cut down your words and waffle
- Time-poor readers scan and understand key messages
- Present your achievements more clearly and meaningfully
- Inject more personality and a modern feel into your report
To get you started, here are different types of infographs to consider:
- Statistical to present survey results, data from multiple sources or to support an argument.
- Informational to communicate a new or specialised concept, or to give an overview of a topic.
- Timeline to highlight important dates or give an overview of events.
- Process to provide a summary or overview of the steps in a process.
- Geographic to present or compare location-based and demographic data,
- Comparison to compare options in an unbiased way or to make one option seem better.
- Hierarchical to present information in a particular order (e.g. a pyramid).
- List to share tips, resources or examples (use icons, creative fonts and colours to make standard lists more eye-catching).
4. Engage all your audiences
Your annual report will be read by a range of audiences – including staff, shareholders, partners and end customers. That’s why it’s important to acknowledge their different needs and priorities throughout.
So before you start writing, consider which sections will be most relevant to each audience. Then tailor your messages accordingly.
For example:
- Clarify your goals, vision, values and high-level priorities in your opening addresses to get your management team and strategic partners excited about the future.
- Highlight the importance of your people when summarising employee programs, promotions, events – and the appreciation and benefits that drive them.
- Emphasise customer value by following the ‘WIIFM’ (What’s In It For Me?’) principle for sections your end customers will be most interested in. Once you draw out the value, you can integrate it throughout your content.
5. Go beyond paper and PDFs
Thanks to today’s technology, you have newer, more interesting ways to present your annual report and create a lasting impression.
You can deliver it as:
To make your organisation’s next annual report a powerful and meaningful vehicle of communication, I’d love to help. Ask me about my annual report writing services today.
