An annual report is like a yearbook-it should shuttle readers through all aspects of the company’s business while weighting content towards the company’s financial success and brand.
Woven throughout this content must be a clear picture of where the company is heading-a reassurance to investors that the firm has a solid game plan for moving ahead in the coming years. Here are 4 simple ways you can make sure your annual report presents your brand in the best possible way.
Create A Comprehensive Story, Theme and Outline
What is the primary message you want to communicate? Is it investment in R&D? Growth over many years? Change in direction? Solid leadership? Defining this is key to creating an outline for the report and inspiring a visual interpretation.
Communicate with Design. Reinforce the Brand.
The overall look and feel of the piece should not only be consistent with your company or organization’s brand, but it should enhance your theme. What key colors will illustrate your brand and report theme? What format will best communicate your theme: print or online? What style of photography and imagery will you use: high-end, abstract, illustrations and schematics, or real-world photos of people or applications?
Demonstrate your commitment to the environment by working with printers who employ ecologically responsible paper, ink, and waste print production processes. Here, the media truly becomes the message, expressed in the content of the document and in the production of the report itself.
Some options you may consider:
- Forest Stewardship Council Certified Production
- Soy/Vegetable Based Inks and Coatings
- Recycled Paper
- Recycling Extra Reports
Design Pop and Rhythm.
The report’s design and narrative style needs to establish a visual vocabulary and cadence from page to page that keeps investors moving through the book while generating an emotional response. Readers need to understand how vital the company is to the world-customers, employees, communities, etc. They need to know your firm is special.
Once all the elements are in place, continue to ensure a quality product through diligent proofreading, production, and print management.
We Predict that More Technology will be Embedded within Annual Reports
Online annual reports are the future of compliance communications. By providing shareholders with online disclosure information, companies are bridging more disclosure gaps than ever before. They are able to provide more information more quickly effectively, allowing access to shareholders and potential investors. One of our favorite trends is the use of AR to create an immersive experience across a variety of devices and platforms.
One final note- along with presenting your company in the best possible way to investors, your annual report is also an excellent opportunity to engage and recognize your employees (many of whom are also shareholders) in their achievements and efforts in realizing your business outcomes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Ordioni is the author of “The Talent Brand.” In her role as Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brandemix, she leads the firm in creating brand-aligned talent communications that connect employees to cultures, companies, and business goals. She engages with HR professionals and corporate teams on how to build and promote talent brands, and implement best-practice talent acquisition and engagement strategies across all media and platforms. She has been named a "recruitment thought leader to follow" and her mission is to integrate marketing, human resources, internal communications, and social media to foster a seamless brand experience through the employee lifecycle.
