Our top tips to an engaging Strategic Report

On 15th August 2017, the FRC launched their amendments to the Guidance on the Strategic Report.

Although not compulsory, we believe that complying with these upcoming guidelines ensures a sustainable business for the future. So why wouldn’t you?

It has always been suggested that your report should be presented in an engaging manner, ensuring that your content is clear, and we completely agree. You don’t want to bore your readership! Here are 5 top tips on how to make your Strategic Report more engaging.

#1. Tell your story

In order to encourage your shareholders to really understand what you have been doing over the past year and your plans for the future, you need to set the scene and tell your story. At Jp we believe that storytelling is the most powerful form of communication. It is vital that you tell your company story to ensure that your audience, whether they be employees, shareholders, the wider community or others, are fully aware and involved in your purpose and performance as a business.

#2. Be engaging, if not gripping

Otherwise, you will lose the attention of your audience. Your shareholders are reading your report to find information (avoid excess information that has no meaning and is irrelevant to your story). Ensure that all of your content adds value and avoids making it difficult to understand the key points of your story.

#3. Some people watch the film and others read the book

There are two types of people interested in your report - book worms and film gurus. Book worms will want to know every detail of the story to help them to build a bigger picture and will take their time to read it. Film gurus only want to skip to the main points of the story and want to get to the ending quickly. You should take these into account when writing your report to avoid losing either party!

#4. Directions and a map are much clearer

There is nothing worse than reading pages and pages of text without anything else to divert your eyes for a split second. You want to provide photography that allows the reader to understand your message. Having a clear idea of where your story is heading can be unfolded through the use of appropriate imagery.

#5 Don’t give them indigestion

You want to avoid giving your readers too much information to digest. Placing vital information that needs to be shown as a comparison in the form of an infographic, prevents you from losing the reader in complicated content.

If you would like to discuss your Strategic Report and want more help on producing an engaging story, get in touch with us, we’d love to help.