I have gathered the information, written, edited and/or prepared, or many reports.

Although the resultant product has always been a sense of pride for me, my experience in its preparation has ranged between challenging, enjoyable and horrendous.

I am pretty sure that I am not Robinson Crusoe in this experience. The planning stage of an annual report is critical to its success and given that it will soon be time to start thinking about your 2015/2016 report, I have put some notes together to keep in mind this year. It is never too early to start planning.

Planning the report

Take time to ensure that all relevant directors and senior executives are clear on how they want the report to portray the organisation. Don’t be afraid to bring in some examples of your own. Keep track of reports that inspire you and bring them to meetings where layout and presentation is discussed.

Presentation: Will the report be printed, sent out as a PDF or online?

An early decision on how the report will be presented will make a big difference to your planning

Theme: Having a theme that all directors agreed on early will also make a big difference

A theme helps you to keep the report cohesive and makes it easier to find the stories that will make it pop. Also keep in mind – Who is going to write it? Will there be a single cohesive voice or a range of voices from across the organisation. It will be more coherent if written by one person, or written by section leaders and edited by one person for consistency.

Timeline: Make sure that you have a timeline and that everyone knows what it is and sticks to it.

If everyone knows when they have to write/submit/report back on information, you have a hope of getting it ready by the planned date without a nervous breakdown, send out reminders and make sure that the timeline is reasonable

Quality of photos: Start going through photos; make a list of the types of photos that you still need

You want photos that engage emotions and they need to be the right quality for the platform that you have decided to use to present the report.

Availability of stories: Don’t wait until ‘Annual Report time’ to start asking for stories

Remind teams regularly that you need stories for the report and that they should be keeping track of them all year. If they are not used in the report, there are likely many other uses for them.

Understanding regulatory requirements on Annual Reports –

Governments require certain things from government departments and funded organisations. Make sure that you know what is required of you, but don’t let it get in the way of an engaging report.

Acknowledge sponsors/donors/VIP – Thank everyone who helped your organisation grow One of the many things that can go wrong in an Annual Report is that at the last minute you start scrambling for your lists of people, organisations and government departments to thank. Or that you

Now for the content

Your accomplishments are more engaging than your activities. Paint a picture – what were your results? What difference did they make? How do they line up with your mission and vision? How did they inspire your staff/clients/customers? How can they inspire those looking at your annual report?

Audience

Your annual report audience is likely to be broad. Brainstorm all the people who will be interested in your report and keep them in mind while writing it. This could include board members, staff members, volunteers, shareholders, members of parliament, advocacy groups, regulators, competitors, financial specialists, lenders, creditors and journalists.

Photos

Images are essential, if you want your report to be understood and appreciated. Many people will not read the report right through, so make sure that your images are remarkable and have captions that tell your story of how the photo relates to your mission or an accomplishment you made.

Do you have something in place to make sure that someone is responsible for taking photos at your events and celebrations? This is a great way to get a variety of images. Better yet, if there are no/ few proficient photographers in your communications team, invest in photography training so that staff have a few tips that will make a big difference.

Is there also something in place to ensure that every photo at your disposal has written consent for use? That is essential and that the consent forms area easily identified with the person in the photo and easy to call up at any time.

The financials

I know that if I am going to have trouble reading any of the report, it will be reading the financial statements and interpreting the tables. This is often exacerbated by a tiny font. Consider a narrative written in plain English as well as the financial statements and tables so that all readers and viewers can get a clearer picture of your financial situation.

Regulation

Parliaments require specific information included in reports written by government departments and some other organisations. Make sure that you comply, but don’t let it stifle your creativity.

Acknowledgments

Don’t forget to acknowledge All your donors, supporters, funders

Contact us for help with your Annual Report

We love annual reports and we can – advise, write, edit – anything but design… We should have included – get a professional designer!

The post The early bird gets the …. Time to start thinking about planning your Annual Report appeared first on Agility Communications.

‘Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life. Worse still, we take this step with the false presupposition that our truths and our ideals will serve us as hitherto. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be little at evening and what in the morning was true, at evening will have become a lie.’

This beautiful quote from Carl Jung reminds us that if you present all of your information in the same way, regardless of the audience, you are presenting information that is of no use to at least some of your audiences.

One way that we can show respect for our clients and customers is to make sure that our messages will resonate with them. To do that we may need to find a number of ways to connect.

Every client, potential client and past client is important to us. We will always strive to make our messages meaningful to the very different people that we work with.

The post Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life…. appeared first on Agility Communications.

Just a couple of small issues. There is no sound on my computer, and each of us lived more than 100 kms from each of the other of us. Found the technology, (twice). It didn’t work either time. So while I go back to the drawing board for the rest of the year, I will present my topic and two guest speakers as an interview.

Our interview was all about the colour green. To be precise, Pantone’s 2017 colour of the year – Greenery.

Pantone describes Greenery “as a life-affirming shade, emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality”. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.

Our first guest, graphic designer and interior designer, Alana Ryan starts off by telling us a bit about green from a design point of view.

Alana is currently working as an interior designer for a wholesale textile company. Alana’s passion for all things design, led her to further her skills by studying graphic design.

She works full time in the interior design industry, whilst completing small to large graphic projects under her own business name AR.C Design Studio.

Alana has done some graphic design projects for some of my clients and I can highly recommend her.

Welcome Alana

I am interested in your thoughts as a designer on using a colour of the year, whether it be in graphic design or in the new office – is there a risk that the colour defines itself as 2017 into the future?

The Colour of the year is selected as a trend forecast as the colour that is expected to been seen throughout fashion, design and culture coming forward.

Trends are trends, they do usually have an expiry date. However, working in design, I have seen the interest in the colour green increase in the past 1-2 years, although previously they were richer colours such as Emerald Green.

With the current trend and society pushing towards the importance of health and wellbeing, sustainability, and the current trends in Interior Design (in regards to indoor plants etc), this colour makes sense on a global scale.

It is great to see such a fresh and vibrant green like Greenery forecasted for this year.

Do you think being a colour of the year influences decisions about colour in graphic design?

Yes, to a certain extent. Design is always about being on trend or the next best thing. As Greenery becomes popular and known through use, the colour may influence the way of colour schemes, the overall feel and font colour choices.

However, in terms of web design and marketing design I think the colour of the year has less of an impact.

Generally the selection of colour for web design/marketing is selected to reflect the brand, and although it is important to keep up with current trends it is also important to create a difference whilst also reflecting the brand.

This colour will most likely be used throughout web and marketing purposes for business/websites/for marketing collateral day spas, wellbeing etc. due to green being related to peace, nature and relaxation.

Would businesses would use the colour because it is the colour of the year, or is it the colour of the year because people are using it?

In terms of interior design, I think we will start to see this colour throughout homes in coming months, through paint and decor accessories, but also in fabrics such as velvets and linens for upholstery and cushions.

I think the colour will be used in different ways – paired with warm colours such as reds and yellows for a tropical scheme or with blues for a cooler look and feel, or even with neutrals to make the colour of the year stand out.

Interior design is very much about what is on trend and how it can be used in relation to what the client already has or their needs. Whereas I find graphic design, particularly in relation to business, is more about the brand and what it reflects.

What does green mean to you as a designer?

To me, green is the colour of Relaxation, Calmness, Balance, Growth and Sustainability. It reflects our environment, our nature, our landscape. It’s part of our everyday life, Pantone describe it as ‘our nature’s neutral’ and I absolutely agree!

I would now like to introduce our second guest Dari Rees (of Dari Rees Colours).

Dari has been working with colour professionally for over 30 years. She originally qualified with Beauty for all Seasons USA which complemented her background in fashion and soft furnishings.

Dari’s focuses on how we can use colour to enhance our lives and see ourselves as unique with our own style expression, regardless of fads and fashion, regardless of income or status.

She has worked extensively with women in transition and is an Aura-Soma® Practitioner. Dari describes herself as a Colour Tarotist, an Intuitive Colour Catalyst, Soul Stylist and Wardrobe Warrior.

Welcome Dari, I wonder if you can talk to us about the colour greenery in an esoteric sense?

What does that mean for 2017?

Green in general will allow the space we need to do the things that need to be done. Thus, if we tune into green we will feel that we have more time and space.

Pantone’s colour of the year Greenery, has quite a lot of yellow in it and I feel that working with this colour may lead to more cooperation as opposed to competition. Bringing more feminine leadership. More like minded people joining together. This colour is a unifier, a lively colour which brings about the opportunity for regeneration and healing.

Everyone needs green in some form as it helps us with direction, making decisions, generosity, freedom and openness. An absolute breath of fresh air!

Some of the Pantone choices come and go but I feel that Greenery is of benefit to all.

Do you think that businesses are influenced by a colour of the year?

Businesses will always be curious about latest trends and will be influenced in some way. Even if it is coffee cups and cushions!

I feel that this is a great colour for business this year, as it lightens things up giving more hope and possibility. To be more consciously aware of this colour in business should bring results.

The post Green is the new black, but can a colour really influence your business? appeared first on Agility Communications.

For some reason, blogs about fonts and typography often show up in January. They are nearly always a good read and an opportunity to learn something new and this one from Hubspot is no exception.

The post Which emotions do the fonts you use elicit from your audience? appeared first on Agility Communications.

In the last few weeks and months I have had lots of calls from people wanting to know how they can get an online presence, (actually what some want to know is how people can find them online without  understanding that it requires something from them).

They have recently come to realise that people can’t find them or their service/product via Google.

Others are online, but in a particular role and they want to be known in a different way or for a different skill. Or they want to be seen as leaders in their sector, but do not really have an online voice.

I understand that social media is not for everyone, but if you are a leader in your sector, it is one of the important ways that you can be recognised as such.

One client is a highly successful Dietician.  She had never had a need to market her services because all of her clients came to her through word of mouth.

She was now finding that clients were still referring people to her, but that instead of jumping on the phone, they were jumping on the Internet. They would google her name and nothing. She didn’t exist.

Another client wants to raise funds for an exciting and creative business project. He is really excited about the project and so he should be. But, when he starts prospecting for investors, they are going to want to know something more about this person other than that he has a good idea. They will search for him online and find nothing.

A few that I have spoken to are wanting to stand out within their organisation, or have been told by their employer that they have a responsibility to build their personal brand.

Actually, social media can’t build you a personal brand. You need to do that, and it is a lifelong process – who you are, what you want to be known for, what your values are. How you lead, How your product is produced, how you give back within your world.

Social media can’t create that. It can lead people to you and if you do it well, their questions will be answered and they will gain an understanding of who you are and what is important to you and about you.

Social media is also the thing that can bring you undone if you are not consistent, if you make a big mistake which can be broadcast around the world, if you are not really the person you are trying to portray. We are getting savvier at identifying those who are not authentic.

Just like business does, you need to create and protect your brand. You need to live your brand, online and offline.

How can you assess your personal brand?

A few points to start off with:

• Do an online search on your name – do you come up on the first page? Page 26 or not at all?
• Do an image search on your name – Are there images there? Are they images that you would not want the world to see?
• Know your purpose – If you do not know clearly what you stand for and what you want to project, your messages will be confused. This might take some time to think about. This really is the essence of who you are
• Do you have a LinkedIn profile? Does it help people understand your values?
• Use a variety of media to give you a chance to express your personality. Do you have video, blogs, media?
• Have you gone too far? Offended, bored, boasted?
• Who are you connected with? Positive people in your sphere? Do you share others’ content?
• Are you authentic? Will people trust and believe in you?
• Are you credible? Do people trust and believe in you?
• Do you inspire?
• Are you up-to-date? Will people find current news and information on your site(s) or old, outdated information?

If you have done a check and think, I need some help with my online brand. Contact us today and we will work out a plan for you.

The post Your personal brand reflects your values and practises and social media can help customers and clients know you appeared first on Agility Communications.

Whenever I talk with clients in the Aged Care sector, the question of how to get aging people to start thinking of their care needs in their later years inevitably crops up.

Some of the difficulties that need to be considered include:

• When is the right time to start the discussion?
• Who should be included in the discussion?
• Who will and how can the discussion be broached?

Many of us wait until there is a crisis, (a fall, a sudden realisation that someone is not coping at home) before tackling the subject.

This is such a very sensitive issue that people who have worked in the aged care industry for years struggle with it. Those of us who have worked for years in communications struggle with it as well.

So I was horrified to see an ABC report recently about a service who tried to tackle this issue by inventing THE BOO MAN.

The BOO Man was part of a campaign to encourage older Australians to consider their living options. He was “a shadowy figure who preys on the aged, scattering their thoughts and turning everyday tasks into hazards.”

Below is an excerpt from the ABC transcript Beware the Boo Man

In a leaflet distributed in the Geelong area, promoting the Freedom Aged Care facility in Grovedale, cartoon-like frames show a shadowy figure lurking behind an elderly woman in her home…

FREEDOM AGED CARE LEAFLET (voiceover): The Boo Man preys on the aged, bringing fear.

RACHAEL BROWN: …and then reaching out towards her temples.

FREEDOM AGED CARE LEAFLET (voiceover): He will turn thoughts into fog, harmless objects into dangers and daily activities into struggles.

RACHAEL BROWN: It was designed to get older people thinking about their options.

The last cartoon frame shows the elderly woman sitting down with someone, apparently talking through her options, with the Boo Man finally at bay in the background.

Fear has been used in other social marketing campaigns – The grim reaper and AIDS, smoking and TAC ads. There is also a marketing term called FUD, fear uncertainty and doubt.

When I look at a campaign, I always look for, and consider the emotion that is created and generated. We know that emotion – how something makes us feel, is more compelling in marketing than function – how something works.

So, yes emotion is important, but fear? For older and often vulnerable people? No.

This is not to say that marketers should not take risks when promoting a product to older people. Doing something different in a busy marketplace can help you to stand out in a crowd, but you do not want to be remembered for frightening vulnerable people.

If you are considering contracting someone to help to promote your facility, program, centre or anything at all come to that, there are some things that can be done to minimise risk:

Get a recommendation – don’t use an unknown source (equally, don’t use a staff member because they are not too bad at graphic design – you need someone with skill, experience and a thorough understanding of the ethics.

Have a really good understanding of your audience – culture, age, education level, family situation, support needs…..

Craft key messages that will resonate with your audience. Speak to their emotion, but in a positive way.

Focus test. And if you have gone for a bit of risk, test more than once, more than twice. Make sure that it hits the mark. You do not want to throw money away, you do not want to compromise your reputation. But you do want to take your readers, their family and carers on a journey. A journey that acknowledges all the milestones coming up in a gentle and supportive way.

At Agility Communication we know the aged care, health disability sector inside out and we understand how to market these services effectively & positively. We would love to help you build a marketing campaign, review your current communications or help you build a brand new marketing strategy from the ground up. Contact us now and find out how we can help you further.

The post Clever marketing to older vulnerable people does NOT need the boo man appeared first on Agility Communications.

The post appeared first on Agility Communications.