As the largest producer of annual reports in the country, Curran & Connors is uniquely qualified to offer communicators the guidance needed to get the most out of their annual report project.

Notice & Access

If you are a public company and not sure whether or not to adopt N&A, talk to multiple resources before making your decision. It is not a cost saver for many companies, and there is a risk of losing important retail votes as well. If you choose the N&A model, this does not excuse you from producing hard copies of your annual report. In fact, you will need to have them completed about two weeks earlier than you would have in the past. If you go with N&A, take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with your shareholders by using technology to its fullest. Work with a design firm that has experience producing online annual reports that convey the company’s vision and value proposition.

C&C N&A brochure | NIRI's executive summary on N&A |
DG3’s brochure on N&A

Give yourself time

It should not cost you more money to start your annual report process earlier. By starting earlier, you can get your management team to begin thinking about the message that should be conveyed for the year; you can begin to see concepts before the story is fully developed; you can take your time and circulate ideas without the pressure of a tight schedule; and finally, you can let the annual report evolve as it should, over time.

Process Guide

Be transparent

Today, more than ever, stakeholders are looking for the truth so that they can make sound, qualified decisions about their investments. Yes—communicate your CEO’s vision for the future. But back it up with facts and trends that reflect a sound strategy. Yes—communicate the outside influences on your business. But balance that information with a strategy to weather the storm and/or sustain the business plan. Speak in frank terms and plain English. Provide supplemental data to support your account of the company’s performance. If you don’t provide answers to questions that are out there, investors will come up with their own answers, which may not always be in your favor.

SEC comment on transparency

Project management is key

When producing an annual report, there are many variables that should be monitored and managed. Each of these variables, when handled properly, will converge and result in a successful annual report. If missed or misunderstood, these elements can ruin the annual report process, possibly causing delays and misprints. Because of the number of factors that need to be considered, it is highly recommended that you work with a dedicated and knowledgeable project manager to get the best results.

Less is more

While determining the message and gathering the content for the annual report, keep in mind that your audience will spend only three to five minutes reading your annual report. To ensure that they come away with a clear understanding of your organization’s message, set a goal of no more than two or three key messages that must be conveyed. It is tempting to put everything that is good in your annual report. The problem is that if you put too much information in there, none of it will get read. So keep the copy and message(s) simple. If it can be graphed, drawn or photographed instead of written, do it! When sending a message through the annual report, less is always more!

Be consistent

If one of your goals is to instill confidence in your company within the investment community, one of the best ways to do this is to send a message that is consistent with what you have been saying in your other communications. There is no need to reinvent the wheel with your annual report message. Start with your most recent investor presentation. The confidence in your strategy and message when repeated in different platforms will ease the minds of investors and reflect a well-run company.

Think green

The annual report is the ideal format for communicating the company’s commitment to its stakeholders. Whether it is by dedicating a section to the employees’ efforts in the community or by weaving an overarching message throughout the book of the company’s conservation efforts, this level of corporate commitment should be communicated in the annual report. In addition, the materials that are used should also reflect this position. Many printers are FSC-certified, as are many papers. Soy inks and recycled papers are easy to come by. If you are using environmentally friendly sources and processes, be sure to publish these efforts to take full advantage of their impact.

C&C CSR brochure