Annual reports get a bad reputation for being a thick book of statistics but they are such an effective marketing tool for so many reasons. They can promote current initiatives, services, goals, and accomplishments — not to mention, it can all be chunked out into smaller pieces of content for your content strategy!
While it may feel like a daunting project to collect all the data and individual stories — and for some, like a repetitive task — here are some ways to jazz up your annual report so it feels exciting, new, and fresh each year.
Change the design concept!
Some people stick to a tried-and-tested template, and that’s okay. But don’t be afraid to design your annual report around a theme. It allows you to get more creative with design and copy as you reinforce the theme throughout the pages. For example, Vadis has leaned into a variety of themes for each of its annual reports: music, theater, the great outdoors, space, etc. Not only does it energize the writers and designers to exercise their creativity, it also entices the reader to find out what theme you’ll take on next.
Make the reader part of your story
We often write annual reports to highlight our accomplishments throughout the year and demonstrate the impact we’ve had thanks to the generosity of our donors, partners, and community members. These are great and important things! But they put the organization first.
Try shifting to a you-attitude, which puts the reader’s needs first. Think of it this way — your reader wants to know what’s in it for them. They want to know the measure of their impact. When we say “Thanks to your generosity, we were able to accomplish X, Y, and Z,” we’re putting the organization first. But if we shift it to “Your generous support did X, Y, and Z!” it gives the reader a nice pat on the back and makes them feel like they actively achieved something.
Ditch the book
Listen, we love designing annual reports. If Elisa had her way, she’d be designing annual reports all year round. But sometimes, it’s nice to try something new.
What about creating a large postcard that calls out compelling statistics, includes a QR code, and drives the viewer to a microsite where they can dive into your story through a mix of videos and text? Or maybe it’s a brochure that acts as a self-mailer and tells the narrative of your year in a visually compelling way.
You could also borrow a page from the Calgary Zoo’s book and create an Instagram annual report. The first 15 posts on the grid are used as traditional annual report content — a letter from the director, board list, etc. — while the rest are “best of” photos from the zoo throughout the year. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to get creative. Bonus: your mailing budget will thank you.
Repurpose your content
Most organizations today have a mix of social media channels, a blog, and other distribution channels on which to tell their stories. Why not review the analytics on each of these channels to see which posts resonated most with your audiences? Those can then be used as content within your annual report.
Perhaps it was a client spotlight story — so reshare that story as part of the report and sprinkle in some new details to provide an update. Maybe it was a new initiative you rolled out — dive in deeper and tell people more about what it aims to do and what it’s done so far.
The nice thing about this is you can then repurpose it again! Share those snippets as new or updated content on your various distribution channels to maximize the story’s reach. We love a content strategy that does the work for you.
Get bold with data
Too often, annual reports become a wall of text and numbers. Why not flip that on its head and go bold with data? Infographics, callouts, icons, and other visual elements are a great way to show numbers and impact.
For example, we love this 2021 annual report by The Trevor Project, especially its financial summary which makes the sources of funding clear as well as the expenses in a visually appealing way. The full financials can be viewed as a separate document by the folks who want those nitty gritty details, but the average reader can see at a glance how money is being managed by the organization. Think about how you can relay big chunks of information in a simple way — your readers will thank you.
K.I.S.S.
Whoever decided that annual reports needed to be a thick book of statistics set a bad precedent for the rest of us. We advocate for keeping it short and simple — K.I.S.S. Maybe instead of full-page spreads telling a single story of impact, it shifts to snippets of multiple initiatives to tell a fuller story, like what Charity: Water did with their 2020 annual report. Challenge yourself to do more with less words — you might be surprised at the results. However you decide to approach your next annual report, we’re rooting for you to come up with something uniquely you! And if you need help with content or design, we’d love to help. Reach out to Sunny Side Creative when you’re ready to get started!
