5 tips for your next annual report

Annual reports are something Nyman Ink knows a lot about. We've been commissioned to work on annual reports countless times over the past 20 or so years. They're one of our bread-and-butter specialties — one that has survived the big switch over from print to digital with few major changes.

These days, when we work on an annual report for a not-for-profit, we generally don't write original content, but rather edit the content supplied to us. And frankly, that makes perfect sense. You know your organization best, and you have the background information necessary to write a good annual report.

Unfortunately, that's not always what happens.

The trouble with the in-house writing of annual reports is that internal not-for-profit staff often fall into the trap of wanting to share too much. The annual report feels like a big opportunity to say everything you've been wanting to say all year; as such, internally written annual reports can lack focus. These reports are often bloated, filled with too much information, and organized in a confusing way. And that's a shame. Your annual report is (or should be) a premier marketing piece for your organization. And with that in mind, here are a few tips on how to write one that works:

1. It's not about the money — well, not entirely

Of course you need to include your financials (this is an annual report, after all), but reading just about numbers, even big numbers, can be boring. Instead, focus your attention on how the money raised contributes to your mission in tangible ways. This is also a great opportunity to shine the light on your staff and volunteers, and how they help your organization accomplish its goals.

2. Illustrate, illustrate, illustrate!

Annual reports are, by nature, text-heavy documents and that's okay. An annual report that doesn't effectively convey information isn't worth much, and words are, of course, one of the best ways to do this. Even so, an annual report that is devoid of photographs and illustrations just isn't interesting. Even the most discerning reader responds well to photographs, illustrations, charts and graphs. Round out your report with visual representations of the content, and readers will be far more likely to remember you (and what you're trying to say).

3. Humanize your statistics

We've already talked about how financial information can put off the average reader. The same goes for statistics about your accomplishments. You need to put faces to your achievements. Demonstrate in relatable terms how your successes have changed lives for the better. Include the stats, sure, but bring them to life with profiles and information about real people and families, and your report will make a greater impact.

4. Balance your content

It's traditional for an annual report to contain a dense list of donors somewhere around the back of the document. This is standard practice, but the best annual reports strike a balance between sharing news of successes and recognizing supporters. That is to say, the best reports don't crowd the accomplishments up front and hide the donor lists in the back. Include the list, but be sure not to let it get out of control. As long as the font is clear and readable, you may want to consider using a small size for donor lists. And don’t forget to humanize the list (see tip #3): consider profiling certain donors and pepper the list with photographs. Dress it up!

5. Proofread, proofread, proofread.

I won't lie to you — proofing financial reports and long lists of donor names is one of the most tedious things I do in my job. It's also one of the most difficult for precisely that reason. Because proofing names is tedious, it's easy to make mistakes. In other words: danger, danger! Spelling a donor's name wrong in your annual report is one of the most offensive things you can do, and it's sure to have an impact on future donations. Go through your donor list slowly and carefully; check and double check any names you're unsure of, and be vigilant about including the proper/full names of any agencies or groups that give you grant money. Proofing is an absolutely necessary step to creating an effective annual report. 

_{Header image by Marcin Rybarczyk, SXC. Body image of an interior page from an annual report Nyman Ink worked on for Family Service Toronto.}