In a few short weeks, an 11,875-pound Waterford Crystal bedazzled ball will begin a 60 second descent. While reflecting on the past year, New Year’s Eve merrymakers coast to coast will raise their glasses and jump into 2016. When the champagne is gone and revelers return to the office, it’s time for departments and organizations to tell their 2015 story. Thinking about a few key strategies can ensure your 2015 story stands out and sets you up for success in 2016.
Think “Core Message”
At the start, it’s important to distill the core message of your year – don’t attempt to relay the fine details of everything that was done and accomplished. Activity reporting doesn’t add value, but sharing your perspective, learnings, and key insights does.
A recent annual report for charity: water begins with a powerful core message: “For years, we referred to ourselves as a startup organization. But in 2012 we realized that wasn’t entirely true. In 2012 alone, we raised $33 million and funded more than 2,000 water projects. We were able to give more than 700,000 people clean water around the world. And for the first time in our history, we began to feel like we weren’t a startup anymore.”
Be the Storyteller
When presenting an annual recap, be mindful that YOU – not your slides – are telling the story of your organization’s year. When the year has been busy, it’s far too easy to churn out busy slides. Aim for no more than 1 slide per 2-3 minutes of talk time. And keep those slides simple.
Speaking of simple, one popular online newsletter app nailed it with the first screen of their annual report. Featuring just three words and the prominent backside of a cuddly chimp gazing at a cityscape, the compelling simplicity quickly reels in viewers.
Answer So What?
When determining what information to share, and what your slides will look like, always keep this question front of mind: “So what?” If you focus on answering this question, odds are good you’re telling a story versus dumping data while expecting your audience to find the story.
While your organization’s budget may not allow for a professionally polished year in review webpage or video, we can all borrow the concepts that will help tell the story behind 365 days of data.
