Studio 2055‘s strength is supplying creative solutions to clients even when numbers hold most of the weight. When it comes to annual reports, interest is gained by focusing on what’s behind the numbers.
Typically, annual reports contain certain minimal financial statements of the company for its fiscal year. These are the numbers that go into calculation of the earnings per share and the book value, and are prepared by a certified accounting firm. Along with required financial information, annual reports usually offer an overview of the company, its product or services and highlights from the year’s activities.
Add Visual Interest
To make an annual report more interesting and accessible to potential and current investors, putting a “human face” in the report will help give a more humanistic look and feel. By choosing individuals who can be profiled from your own firm, profiling those who make a difference in your company is a good way to differentiate the content from the necessary, though often tedious, financials. By using photographs combined with interesting visual elements you will be able to command the reader’s attention and emphasize the accomplishments of your company’s past year.
Content is everything—and in an annual report, going beyond the usual pedestrian recitation of financial documentation—can give your company’s annual report a unique and inviting reason to read through the report.
Images Illuminate Report
As an example, Studio 2055 has for the past five years created annual reports for Job Options, Inc. In illuminating individuals who were given meaningful jobs through the Job Options’ training and placement services, not only were the workers’ self worth enhanced through the telling of their stories, but also the exposure given to Job Options’ services resulted in press stories and an increase in contributions and grants from the community. The subjects profiled had portrait photos taken, along with on-the-job candid shots by Studio 2055 photographer, Richard Dowdy. The images not only put a “human face” on their stories, but also helped illuminate the annual report, creating more reader interest.
While a recitation of a balance sheet can provide valuable financial information, the humanistic illumination of peoples’ success in life can also be of tremendous value for a company when combined in an informative, effective annual report.
