Annual Reports: It's Time To Plan Yours

Annual Reports: A Checklist to Plan Yours

Are you excited when the year is coming to an end, knowing that it is time for annual reports? Or do you dread it?

As you might guess, I love them. I think an annual can serve many purposes. Start with the required one - reporting the facts and figures for the year. Then, there is the opportunity to reflect on your accomplishments and forecast your future growth. There is also the opportunity to share pictures, especially if your annual is to serve as a key marketing piece throughout the year (both online and in print).

Hopefully these planning tips will help to get you started:

Start with the theme. Themes give you purpose and direction. You don't need a fancy title yet, just a general theme. It could be an anniversary, it could be one major accomplishment, it could tell a story or highlight some aspect of your mission. Need ideas? Send me an email.
Figure out what purpose your annual will serve. Is this simply a reporting tool? Is it one of several printed marketing pieces you will do this year? Or the only one?
Gather photographs. If you're lucky you have great photos neatly filed and/or digitized ready to use. If not, start gathering! If you don't have good current photos, try your best to line up a great photographer (pro bono, if you can!). Photos should document your work and your mission.
Decide who will manage the project. Annual reports are big projects and need to be well managed. Whoever is in charge should make a schedule now. It can take to complete the project, from start to finish. A financial audit is necessary; knowing when that will be done will help you determine when the annual will be finalized.
Begin to identify resources. Will you use an outside copywriter and designer or a marketing firm? If the budget doesn't allow outside help, do you have volunteers to do the work?

I don't want to overwhelm you, so that's a good start.

Check out other marketing tips including more on Annual Reports.

And email me with questions.

PS I just heard that the tree that will be lit tonight at Rockefeller Center in New York will be recycled and used by Habitat for Humanity in homes they build. It's another example of a great publicity move by Habitat (I referred to them yesterday in this blog).