How to Design an Engaging Annual Report

For public companies, creating an annual report is a necessity. And when you are legally required to publish a financial document for your shareholders every year, it often ends up being pretty dull. However, it doesn’t have to be. An annual report is actually a great marketing opportunity for your company to promote its brand identity, appealing to potential investors and engaging the ones you’ve already got.

Get people’s attention.

An annual report generally consists of a lot of text and a lot of numbers, all in black and white. However, it doesn’t have to just be an information overload. Try to show, not tell. Avoid big blocks of text and detailed financial tables, and tell your story with colourful images and graphs. Imagine you have a two-page spread to talk about your new facilities; 1,000 words might give a lot of detail, but a high-quality photograph with a paragraph of text will make a bigger impact.

Reflect your company’s vision.

What are you trying to convey in your annual report? This should affect what your report says and how it looks. The design of your report should reflect your overall message, and your brand identity. This doesn’t just mean listing your values and mission statement; it means paying attention to all design elements. For example, a technology company who is using their annual report to draw attention to their exciting new inventions, can be bold with colour and graphics and might even incorporate unique elements such as transparent pages, die-cutting and pop-outs.

Make it easy for your readers.

An annual report is a large document, so it’s important to guide your readers through it. If they get lost, they’ll lose interest and be confused and frustrated – which isn’t the image you want to give your company. Include the key elements your investors expect to see: the chairman’s letter, business profile, management’s analysis, and basic financial statements. Help them find and read each section – maybe by using a different colour scheme for each section, or by including page tabs so they can skip to the one they want to read.

An engaging annual report is a real asset to any business, no matter how big or small. Our experienced designers can help you create something sleek and attractive – and our print consultants can advise you on the best binding, materials and features for the finished product. To find out more, call 01603 488001 or email sales@col-print.co.uk.

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