As the June 30th close of this fiscal year approaches for many nonprofits and government entities, having a clear vision for communicating the year’s impact is key.
Summing up a year’s worth of accomplishments, milestones and memories isn’t easy – especially when the eyes of major donors, policy makers, community leaders and more are on your report. Simply put, annual reports can be major marketing and advocacy assets when done right. Conversely, reports that are cumbersome to navigate, too heavy on text and written without the target audience top-of-mind are missed opportunities. If you’re in the midst of embarking on your year-end report for FY-2024 keep these key elements top of mind.
Be a Storyteller
Striking a balance between quantifiable proof points and humanizing success stories is key to producing a successful annual report. When collecting stories to tell, focus on:
- Diversity of stakeholders
- Representing the depth and breadth of your organization
- Sharing something unexpected
- Educating – and engaging – readers
Focus on Impact
Aggregate data. And, when you’re done compiling those stats, go back and find more. Quantifiable numbers are hard to refute and can play a powerful role in telling your organization – or department’s – story. How many people benefited from your programs? In how many communities do you operate? How many participants achieved key milestones? And, the list goes on.
When compiling key stats, keep in mind:
- Be specific
- Keep them time-bound
- Be perfectly clear (how they were collected, who they represent, and more)
- Compare year-over-year successes
Put Yourself in the Target Audiences’ Shoes
Adopting – and maintaining – an audience-first mindset can mean the difference between producing an annual report that checks a box and one that inspires, engages and activates key audiences.
When mapping out the report’s narrative – and compiling key assets – focus on:
- What motivates your target audiences (think donors, voters, strategic partners, and more)
- Who – and what – best represent your mission, vision and values
- How you can embrace a multimedia mindset to achieve an optimal number of reads, views, likes, shares, etc.
- What content is best suited to the channels/mediums your audience(s) are already using
Plan for Repurposing
We get it. A year’s worth of work isn’t easily summed up in 30-seconds or less, which means annual reports can be lengthy. Producing a compelling Annual Report also requires a lot of resources and it’s important that the time, money and energy spent on this single document can be adapted for further use.
As you pull together the roadmap for your Annual Report, consider:
- How to best format stories so they can be adapted for social sharing
- Which elements can be impactful as stand-along pieces of content, and which need context
- Where this year’s Annual Report fits within the organization’s overall awareness/amplification/promotion campaign
Ensure You Can Measure Success
Effectively promoting an Annual Report is a multichannel affair. Both internal and external stakeholders need to understand what was accomplished – and those audiences, and beyond, must feel compelled to take meaningful action. Regardless of the medium through which the report is being disseminated, ensure reach, engagement and action can be measured.
A representative sample of the metrics that may be used to evaluate the success of your Annual Report, include:
- Reads and downloads
- Clicks for further information
- Email open rates
- Social shares
- Media pickup
- Action taken – donations, volunteers recruited, mentors secured, etc.
Developing a compelling Annual Report requires a keen understanding of mission, vision and values paired with a vision for communicating impact in a clear and compelling way. Whether you are embarking upon this process as a one person, in-house marketing department or with the support of an agency’s creative team, keep your goals top-of-mind and remain open to refining your vision as it moves from inception to execution.
