How to make an annual report Veerle Custers TF PR, 28th Sept 07

Why? 1.Legal obligation 2.Gain credibility, transparency 3.Image and identity 4.Motivate personnel 5.Tool for evaluation 6.Information The annual report has become more and more a communication/PR tool and less a financial tool (more creativity and more dynamic).

Why we use it at BELNET 1.Legal obligation 2.Gain credibility, transparency 3.Image and identity 4.Motivate personnel 5.Tool for evaluation 6.Information

Target audience 1.Staff 2.Politics / Government / Parliament 3.Administration / Ministries 4.Clients: universities, colleges, schools, research centers, … 5.Organizations: other NRENs, TERENA, Dante, … 6.Key contacts: researchers, … 7.Suppliers 8.Media, journalists

Target audience for BELNET 1.Staff 2.Politics / Government / Parliament 3.Administration / Ministries 4.Clients: universities, colleges, schools, research centre, … 5.Organizations: other NRENs, TERENA, Dante, … 6.Key contacts: researchers, … 7.Suppliers 8.Media 1550 copies (750 Nederlands, 650 français, 150 English)

Questions 1.What are the primary and secondary target groups of a annual report? 2.Can you reach some of these groups more efficiently in a other way? 3.What does the target group interest most? 4.What do they already know about your organization? 5.What image do they have of your organization? What image do you want them to have? Can an annual report help? 6.Do you want to inform? Motivate? Keep in contact? Reassure?

How? Find a method that works within your organization. Evaluate after each annual report and make changes in the project mgt for next year. For example: a annual report task force Do’s: - Be very clear on what you expect from others. - Be very clear on who takes the final decision. - Ask for administrative support

Theme -Central message -Topical matter/subject -Influence on what comes -Don’t: postpone choice of title -Do: test translation of the title

Table of Contents -Point of view of the reader vs. structure of the organization -Mind mapping, think ‘out of the box’ -Adapt to chosen theme -Use testimonials (internal, external) -Overview of important facts/projects

Collecting the information Do: -Give asap instructions -Hold on to a realistic timing -Check the information -Be critical -Double check the information -Centralize the information -Keep in mind target groups and goals -Triple check the information -Use project sheets + interviews

Criteria for content YESNO -Facts -Specific projects and realisations - Past actions with link to future - Clear figures -Opinions -General description of the past year - Dwell on past and future - Vague words as ‘many’ or ‘few’ - Promotion of minister in charge - Promotion of commercial suppliers

Criteria for style and structure YESNO - Titles and subtitles - Frames to highlight a project - Interviews - Visuals: graphs, tables, … - Images and photo’s - jargon, technical terminology - Abbreviations without full name in footnote or ( ) - Management language - Long texts

Lay-out -What image do you want? -House style? Do: -Get professional advice Don’t: -Let too many people decide

Target audience Customers: TCP, UCP, … ProjectThe first report was written entirely internal. For translations, lay out and printing we worked with separate suppliers. StructureSimple, based on organisation VisualsGraphs and pictures of cables 2003

Target audience Customers: TCP, UCP, … ProjectAlso outsourcing editing, but this didn’t work. We used the first ‘draft’ and did the editing ourselves. For translations, lay out and printing we worked with separate suppliers. StructureSimple, based on organisation VisualsGraphs, no pictures but graphical elements 2004

Target audience Decision makers: politicians, ministers, partners, rector, headmasters, key contacts, researchers, … ProjectOutsourcing of the entire project (editing, translation, lay-out, print) to a professional communication agency. Communication unit responsible for coordination (internal + external) + decisions. StructureTheme, strategic introduction Point of view of the readers Testimonials VisualsGraphs, pictures of people, picture of board members 2005

Target audience Decision makers: politicians, ministers, partners, rector, headmasters, key contacts, researchers, … ProjectOutsourcing of the entire project (editing, translation, lay-out, print) to a professional communication agency. Communication unit responsible for coordination (internal + external) + decisions. StructureTheme, strategic introduction Point of view of the readers Testimonials VisualsGraphs, pictures of people, picture of board members 2006

Target audience Decision makers: politicians, ministers, partners, rector, headmasters, key contacts, researchers, … ProjectOutsourcing of the entire project (editing, translation, lay-out, print) to a professional communication agency. Communication unit responsible for coordination (internal + external) + decisions. StructureTheme, strategic introduction Point of view of the readers Testimonials BUT Less pages, focus on activities in 2007 and on what’s new, limit general corporate information VisualsGraphs, pictures of people, picture of board members 2007 ?