Hop over to his blog on the Think Write Grow website to keep up to date with his speaking and writing on how thought leadership can grow your business by showing your expertise, winning quality talent and improving knowledge, as well as recommendations for some great business books.

When I say “I’m a proofreader”, the response is usually “Wow, you must be really good at spelling.” (And, depending on the setting, “How interesting! Could you pass the salt?”) It’s true: proofreaders are ‘really good at spelling’ like tax auditors are really good with numbers, and musicians are really good at putting the right notes together. There’s nature behind the profession.

That first reaction is usually followed by a second: “I could never do that – I have the attention span of a goldfish and I’m a terrible speller.” My response to that is usually an abridged version of the following.

A focused eye

Proofreaders specialise in doing their job just as you specialise in yours. We proofread so you can get on with your work, without having to worry about commas, hyphens, style guides and dictionaries.

Because aside from spelling, there are a hundred and one other things a good proofreader looks out for. Things you can’t ‘see’ because you’re too familiar with the report you’ve spent six months preparing. Things you don’t have time to stop and look for. Things you might never notice anyway, because your eye is trained to spot numerical inconsistencies or to seek out the next opportunity for your company. For example, whether there’s indecision over ‘cooperation’ or ‘co-operation’. Whether the page numbering matches the table of contents. Whether numbered lists run in order. Whether bullet lists all use the same bullet style and are evenly indented. Whether the same typeface is used throughout a document. Whether your company name is always spelled correctly (yes, it happens).

There’s always time to proofread

Some people don’t have time to do this sort of magnifying-glass work themselves, or have deadlines so tight there’s no time to engage an external proofreader. But signing off on the final version of a document without having it proofread is like leaving for work without looking in the mirror: you may gain a bit of extra time as you rush for the train (or the deadline), but you’ll be stuck with a sense of uneasy uncertainty, and you could end up walking into a meeting with egg on your face (literally or figuratively).

The most logical solution is to factor proofreading into the project timeline – like you set aside time to brush your teeth and check the mirror each morning – so there’s always time for it.

Ideally, a proofreader should review a document three times.

• In the first read, the document is in the ‘final draft’ stage (usually a Word document). Working directly in the document (using Track Changes), a proofreader can pick up any egregious spelling or grammatical errors or inconsistencies. This ensures the copy is as clean as possible when it goes into design, saving time, effort and a lot of red pen later on.
• Once the document has been designed or laid out in its final format (usually a PDF file), the proofreader looks for any errors that might have snuck in during the design process, points out unclear or inconsistent formatting, and double-checks page numbers and tables of contents are correct.
• The final read happens after these second-round edits have been taken in. Comparing the final version against the second-round markup, the proofreader will make sure these edits have been applied correctly, look out for any new content and late-entry errors and check that the document is 100% ready for publication.

The cost of not proofreading

In most cases, it’s not a matter of whether you can afford a proofreader, but whether you can afford not to proofread. It only takes one error and one mildly attentive reader – whether it’s a shareholder or just an opinionated and much-followed blogger – and your reputation (and that of your company) could be questioned.

The potential ill effects of untidy language are even greater if the purpose of your document, business or industry is to be accurate, trustworthy and legally compliant. A proofreader can be worth their weight in salt if they save you from the fallout of just one typo (let alone a dozen).

This article was written by Olivia McDowell, Editor Group’s resident Editor & Proofreader and all-round punctuation guru. To contact Olivia about your next proofreading project, or to discuss the vagaries of the Oxford comma, call  (02) 8912 9511 or email omcdowell@editorgroup.com.

Being simple isn’t as easy as it sounds. The current financial crisis, for example, has thrown terminology such as ‘credit default swap’ and ‘sovereign debt’ from the business pages onto the front pages of newspapers. Avoiding this kind of jargon is essential in good business writing as the eye can often slide right past it without really catching the meaning.

The headline or opening sentences of any piece should grab ‘eyeballs’ and entice them to read on. This rings especially true in online copy as readers are often distracted by shorter messages via email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

I learned the importance of this during my time at Bloomberg News, where reporters follow a successful formula devised by Editor-In-Chief Matt Winkler. The ‘four paragraph lead’ quickly puts a story into perspective by conveying the overall theme – the main news the story will provide the reader and why the event in question has occurred.

Writers must then establish authority by quoting someone by confirming that the article is correct. By relying on examples and anecdotes you can convince your audience that you know what you’re writing about. This is followed by details about the story. Finally, they must explain what’s at stake – why the story is interesting and why it matters.

The added value delivered by the ‘Bloomberg Way’ provides the nuggets of information that financial professionals need, and keeps them engaged since they’re naturally most concerned with finding out how they can make their lives easier or better.

The ‘F’ word

The most distinctive thing about the Bloomberg copy is it is high on detailed facts and low on adjectives. Bloomberg defines itself by five ‘F’ words; and they don’t include the one celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey is prone to using. These are: first word; fastest word; factual word; final word; and future word.

By relying on nouns and verbs, Bloomberg’s copy is factual. These words are more precise than the adjectives and adverbs favoured by many of the company’s competitors. Another good tip to ensure precision is to always use past tense and active voice in stories.

Wire services focus on being first and fastest, but they are rarely the most factual and don’t provide the final and future words. By being the definitive source and explaining today’s news in the context of tomorrow’s, Bloomberg has built a loyal client base and gained market share from its competitors.

Applying the formula

So how would someone use the ‘Bloomberg way’ to write a memo or internal report? Like the ‘four paragraph lead’, the body of a memo or report conveys the message and generally consists of four parts.

The introduction states the general problem or main idea, and should grab the reader’s attention by providing key pieces of information and why it’s happening (what’s the theme?). The statement of facts then discusses the problem or issue. By providing information on the issue being discussed, the writer can establish credibility before making a recommendation or asking for action (do you have authority?).

The argument explains the importance or relevance of the facts. Expanding on the details will support your position so that you can explain the benefits to the reader and why it matters (what’s at stake?). The conclusion summarises the main idea and suggests or requests action. It should also mention the next steps and deadlines (what does the idea indicate for the future?).

Communicating your ideas concisely is key to success in the age of information overload. By applying the ‘four paragraph lead’ you can save time and deliver a clear message to your audience. As Matt Winkler says, “good writing must be clear enough for a dope to understand and substantial enough for a professional to appreciate.”

This article was written by Jeffrey Coote, Senior Writer & Editor and a new addition to the Editor Group team. To discuss your next editorial project, you can contact Jeff on (02) 8912 9504 or jcoote@editorgroup.com.

In this podcast, Grant takes a closer look at this powerful communications medium, and shares tips on the elements that make up a good annual report, how to write a report that resonates with readers, and how to manage the production of your report from start to finish.

MoneySmart is the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s consumer finance website, providing independent, easy-to-understand information to help people make informed financial decisions. It covers areas such as budgeting, saving, insurance, credit cards, home loans, retirement and superannuation, investments, and how to avoid scams.

Editor Group wrote or substantially edited the majority of the copy for the MoneySmart website prior to its launch. The project involved researching, writing, editing and proofreading more than 300 pages of material, and working through a detailed review and approval process.

“This award is a tribute to the professionalism, skill and enthusiasm of all the people in the project,” said Robert Drake, Senior Manager – MoneySmart, ASIC.

Each year, expert judges evaluate Australian Web Award nominees based on a range of criteria including site performance, accessibility, visual design, content, user experience and technical development.

“The judges’ comments made it clear that there were many websites that were good in some aspects, but sites like ours stood out by being good in all respects,” Robert said.

If you would like to talk to us about writing, editing or reworking your website content, please contact Sally Chadwick on 02 8912 9508, or email schadwick@editorgroup.com.

Convincing people to take notice of an eDM is getting increasingly tricky. First, an eDM must cut through the email clutter. But it needs to work harder than that. An effective eDM entices people to open the email, read the content and, importantly, do something – for example, visit a website or register to attend an event.

To succeed, your eDM needs an enticing subject line, strong, personalised copy that propels the reader to the end, and a clear, simple call to action. Most importantly, it’s crucial to create the eDM your customers want to receive, not the eDM you want to send.

Don’t speak unless you have something important to say

While the primary purpose of most marketing campaigns is to increase sales or the uptake of a service, it’s unlikely your customers share this desire. Think about what your customers do care about, and craft your message around this. If you’re sending the email only to push a marketing message, you should reconsider your content or whether to send the eDM at all. To be relevant, your eDM should be personalised, segmented and well-timed.

Open Sesame: the subject line’s super powers

Your eDM could be the most impressive piece you’ve ever written, but it will be wasted if your customers don’t read it. A good subject line creates excitement or interest in your eDM, succinctly conveys its purpose and reflects your brand’s personality.

A subject line should:

• promise the reader they will gain something by reading the email
• contain three to seven words (around 50 characters)
• use attention-grabbing key words
• avoid spam triggers, such as ‘win’, ‘free’, ‘discount’, ‘winner’ and ‘amazing’.

Some sure-fire ways to grab attention:

• describe a benefit recipients will get
• offer to solve a problem
• arouse curiosity with an interesting fact or question
• appeal to people’s desire for information by hinting at the email’s content
• play on popular culture or a current event.

Consider the sender

If your eDM arrives in someone’s inbox from a sender called mail@admin.16ff_s7821.com, there’s a good chance it will go straight to spam. Ensure the ‘from’ name is your business name, as this is more transparent and trustworthy. It’s also important that each eDM you send has the same sender details, to build familiarity and trust.

Create personalised, catchy content

Copy for eDMs is different from other corporate writing. It should be more like online copy: brief, concise and easy to scan. To write copy that invites the reader in, and captivates their attention from start to finish:

1. Don’t say too much. Set a single objective for each eDM: present one message and related call to action in a strong, clear and direct manner, to avoid confusing or distracting your readers. For example, if you’re introducing a new service, you could explain how it will help the customer and then guide them to your website to find out more. You probably wouldn’t include your company history or information on other services.

2. Get personal. Make it clear why the eDM is of value to your customers. For example, focus on how your service will help the client save time or money, rather than on its specifications. And the more personalised the better: ‘Dear Gertrude’ is better than ‘Dear customer’.

3. Adopt the right style. Write short, punchy copy, with subheads and bullet points. Keep paragraphs short and the total length to no more than 300 words. You want to sound like a trusted friend rather than a pushy salesperson, so aim for a slightly educational, conversational tone. However, avoid abbreviations, slang and hyperbole: you don’t want to sound like a vendor of cheap pharmaceuticals.

4. Outsmart the smartphone. If someone views your eDM on a smartphone, the top line will often be the first or only copy they see. For this reason, put your most important message or call to action first. This is why some marketers suggest avoiding giving prominence to the line ‘If you are having trouble reading this email, click here’.

Make the call to action

Along with the subject line, the call to action is the most important functional element of your eDM. Make it clear what you want readers to do. If you are ambiguous, they won’t take time to guess.

To create a call to action your customers can’t ignore:

1. Remove reasons for hesitation. If it’s an event invitation, provide the necessary information: when and where, details about parking and food (if relevant), the agenda, and how to register. Make it clear how the event will benefit invitees to prevent them from wondering ‘Is it really for me?’ If you want readers to visit a website or call a phone number, reassure them that doing this will be quick and easy.

2. Create a sense of urgency. This will spur the reader to take action quickly. You could achieve this by suggesting that if readers don’t take action they might:

• miss out on something important
• not have another chance to attend this seminar/use this service/enjoy this discount
• lose competitiveness, as other businesses are already doing it.

3. Get the logistics right. Keep the call to action above the fold, as readers might miss it if they have to scroll down. Use strong, active language, for example: ‘We can help your business halve your power costs’. Finally, don’t use ‘click here’ as your hyperlink. Links such as ‘Learn more’, ‘Find out more’ or ‘Visit our website’ are far more compelling.

An eDM can be a powerful, engaging way to reach people. But for your customers, it can be just another email to delete. To avoid the latter, write copy that is clear, concise and engaging – and most importantly, that addresses your customers’ needs.

This article was written by Ruby Lohman, Writer & Editor. To discuss how you can make your eDMs stand out from the crowd, contact Ruby on (02) 8912 9515 or rlohman@editorgroup.com.

We’re sitting in a converted cowshed. Wintry air tries to creep in through the windows. The cowshed is stacked with books, and there’s a vast timber desk where poet, essayist, writing teacher and former lawyer Mark Tredinnick awaits his inspiration.

“Why write? For the same reasons I cook: everyone has to eat, but I have to enjoy it.” Josh Mehlman

With blankets on our laps and coffee mugs in our hands, we’re sharing our credos as part of a writing workshop during our annual offsite in Bowral. Our credos outline our beliefs about writing, what inspires and informs our work, and why we love words. Should we be alarmed by Rachael’s credo (above)? Perhaps.

One of the most valuable things to come from a corporate retreat is insight into the people you work with. Colleagues you see every day, yet often know little about. Another benefit is the deeper understanding you gain of your organisation, and the strengths of each team member.

During our workshop with Mark, we reflected on the art of writing and discussed ways we can improve. Mark shared some of his poetry, and inspired us to believe there’s no reason why an annual report can’t include elegant and exquisite prose. He gave advice on using poetic devices such as rhythm and metaphor to strengthen business writing, and reminded us of the importance of clarity, elegance and economy of language.

The common thread throughout our credos, written for the workshop, was a passion for writing. It was evident we all feel lucky that we get to work with words every day. Here are some more extracts from our credos, to give you some insight into why we do what we do:

“The world is more than what we see in front of us. Writing can take people places, or at the very least, it can show them there’s more than what they know.” Ruby Lohman

“When I do write, it’s because I’m inspired by the words I could use; by the endless potential to create something that sounds nice (and/or which may or may not also mean something nice). A dull read is the saddest thing.” Olivia McDowell

“Writing empowers me, it gives me energy, helps me communicate my message to the world.” Byron Connolly

“I loved that a few choice words and clever sentence construction could do so many things: open people’s eyes to new ideas, galvanise them into action, inspire them to great acts.” Charmaine Teoh

“I have never stopped loving the way the written word sounds in my head. Or the excitement, escapism or pure pleasure that writing and reading can bring.” Lorna Hankin

“I write to be honest, not to obfuscate, overstate or fabricate. I write to be direct. I write to dispense with false science.” Iain Ferguson

The retreat, held in late July, was also an opportunity to talk about how we do things at Editor Group, and to plan how we can do them even better.

We talked about the sorts of pressures our clients face in their day-to-day work, and how we can best support them. There were PowerPoint slides, butcher’s paper and plenty of great ideas thrown around. Many of these have already been put into action back at the office, including asking Rachael to please refrain from sneaking up on people.

To find out more about Mark Tredinnick’s writing workshops, visit his website.

By Ruby Lohman, Writer & Editor.

I watched Ranly speak this morning at the International Association of Business Communicators Global Conference. As someone who has taught journalism over many years, many of them at the Missouri School of Journalism, and worked as a corporate writer, he reinforced with passion many of the principles good writers hold dear.

These principles include building stories around people; using comparisons; showing facts instead of telling readers what to think; writing actively; the joy of alliteration and other poetry; being comfortable writing in the second person to create a direct dialogue with readers; and conveying to readers “why they should give a rat’s ass” about what you’re saying.

Then Ranly came out with something I’ve never heard before, despite more than 20 years of writing and studying writing. He said that we should write using all nine senses. Nine? I thought we had five. No, the good writer should have nine.

The first five are the ones we all know: sight, sense, taste, smell and sound. To bring subjects to life for readers, we should note observations about each as we research. When you interview someone, describe the person you see – not just how they look, but what they’re like to listen to and what their handshake feels like. Capture how they smell and taste, if it won’t get you sacked, hit or arrested.

The remaining four senses are:

• A sense of people. Find out what’s interesting about others. Meet them in person. Get a true sense of them and let this come through in your writing.
• A sense of place. Look around you. Where are you? What is the place? How do you describe it?
• A sense of time. When are events occurring? Not just in terms of the time and date but more broadly. What era are you observing; what larger time?
• A sense of drama. Ranly’s ninth sense is about making stories exciting. They should have conflict and challenges and emotions. They should be dramatic.

Writing with all nine senses is both possible and fun. It certainly makes you look beyond the dry facts you’re seeking to convey and provides a system for adding colour and interest to your copy.

Oh, and Ranly’s final tip: don’t plagiarise. The professor’s argument against plagiarism is simply that “it’s not nice”. That says it all, really.

Grant Butler is Managing Director of Editor Group. The full program for the IABC event is available at www.iabc.com. Don Ranly is co-author of Telling the Story (4th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010), a book on writing.

However, I believe verbing nouns is a lesser crime than nouning verbs – turning useful verbs into abstract noun-phrases. Some business writers do this deliberately, to obscure meaning, while others seem to do it simply because others do. Whatever the reason, there’s no doubt it makes writing much harder to understand.

Here is an example of how business writing can turn perfectly innocent verbs into ugly, abstract noun-phrases:

• ACME today announced the signing of a new two-year services contract with Synergistico. “ACME won this opportunity based on an understanding of Synergistico’s requirements,” said ACME CEO William Riker.

While there is nothing technically wrong with constructing sentences this way, it often hides meaning and attribution. These sentences don’t tell you who signed the contract or who understood what Synergistico needed. Writing this way also increases the level of abstraction – would you rather announce a thing (the signing of a contract) or having done something (we signed a contract)?

Transforming short verbs into complex noun-phrases makes you harder to understand. The further your writing is from the way real people speak, the less likely they are to comprehend and believe what you’re trying to tell them.

Of course, there will be some occasions when the noun construction is acceptable or hard to avoid. For example, earlier I could have discussed how business writers tend to turn nouns into verbs, rather than discussing their tendency to do so. But in general, if you can say it with a verb, say it with a verb.

• ACME and Synergistico today announced they signed a new two-year services contract. “ACME won this opportunity because we understood what Synergistico needed,” said ACME CEO William Riker.

There’s no shame in doing things, so let those verbs stand tall!

For more information, contact Josh Mehlman, Specialist Writer & Editor, on jmehlman@editorgroup.com or +61 2 8912 9510.

First, the bad news. No-one doles out brand new cars or expensive international holidays for top annual reports. This isn’t golf, tennis or poker. However, awards ceremonies offer recognition, intelligent feedback and trophies for your shelf. They also build your reputation within your organisation (or with external clients) and should make it easier to win the resources, access and quality input you need for next year.

Most importantly, awards show your organisation is serious about meeting its reporting obligations and is capable of delivering an exceptional product. Submitting nominations is also a good way to ensure annual report teams pursue the highest standards.

There are a number of Australian and international awards to which you can consider submitting your annual report. These are listed below, together with a discussion of the main characteristics the judges will be looking for.

Note the awards in this article focus on the content of annual reports, with some reference to design. Groups such as the Australian Graphic Design Association (www.agda.com.au) do run specific design awards that include annual reports among other formats.

What awards are on offer?

Australasian Reporting Awards
www.araawards.com.au

The largest and most comprehensive awards process is the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA), which assess annual reports submitted by listed companies, private companies, and government departments and agencies.

The ARA is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1950 with the goal of improving reporting standards. Its coordinators and judges tend to be volunteers drawn from the accounting, business, marketing and corporate communications sectors. It funds its operations by charging organisations to enter their reports, and for its associated awards night and educational seminars.

The ARA’s awards are primarily a benchmarking process through which you can receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating for your report. Gold reports are those that conform to almost all the ARA’s criteria and are seen as a model for other organisations. Silver and Bronze rankings are still prestigious, given some entrants receive no award. The ARA also provides Special Awards in the areas of sustainability, governance, occupational health and safety, online reporting and communication, and for the Best First-Time Entry.

The list of organisations that received awards in previous years features more than 100 blue-chip businesses, government agencies and non-profit organisations. The actual awards are given out at an annual dinner, with one report chosen as the overall winner. Winners are also declared for the Special Awards, while Gold, Silver and Bronze winners are noted on the night and listed on the ARA’s website. The biggest winners go up on stage to accept their award.

In 2010, the ARA entry fees were $355 for general awards and an extra $260 to enter a Special Award category. The awards dinner for this year’s winners will be held on 9 June 2011 in Melbourne. There is also a full-day seminar on 10 June about best practice in reporting and how to win an award next year. The seminar costs $650.

IR Society Best Practice awards
www.ir-soc.org.uk

A very prestigious reporting award open to listed companies is a Best Practice award from the Investor Relations Society in London. These awards include an International category that is open to Australians. Judging in the current awards is open until 22 July 2011.

IABC
www.iabc.com/awards/gq/

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC, a global professional group for people working in marketing, communications and investor relations roles) holds its Golden Quill Awards annually.

This broader awards series covers Communication Management, Communication Skills and Communication Creative. Annual reports can be entered as examples of work in all categories, though particularly the Skills and Creative categories. The competition is open to members and non-members of IABC and entry fees start at US$225.

Federal Government
While Julia Gillard and Quentin Bryce don’t personally bestow annual report trophies, Australian Government departments and agencies can win praise from the Senate committees that are legally required to review the timeliness and quality of their reports.

We were delighted, for instance, when our client Indigenous Business Australia was commended for ‘producing a clear, concise and well-constructed annual report’ this year. Click here to see that commendation and an example of this sort of recognition.

IPAA (government groups in Western Australia and Tasmania only)
Government groups in Western Australia and Tasmania can enter the WS Lonnie Awards and the IPAA TAS Annual Report Awards, respectively. These programs are run by the local chapters of the Institute of Public Administration Australia. See: www.ipaa.org.au

Not-for-profit
Since 2007, PwC Australia has run its Transparency Awards to encourage transparent and high-quality reporting from not-for-profit organisations to stakeholders such as clients, donors, regulators and partners. PwC gives awards for the best report for organisations with $5 million to $20 million in revenue; over $20 million in revenue; and Most Improved. This year’s winner in the over $20 million category was Mission Australia. We were thrilled to have played a role in writing and editing that report. Click here to see more about the Transparency Awards.

Australasian Investor Relations Association
aira.org.au/ (look under ‘Events’ for awards)

The Australasian Investor Relations Association runs awards celebrating consistency, transparency and diligence in investor relations. We’ve listed it last because the awards don’t focus specifically on annual reports; however, annual reports are an important element in submissions for most categories. Those categories include Best Investor Relations Website by an Australasian Company, a prize that would certainly benefit from the strong online presentation of annual reports.

How to win

1. Read the criteria
The good news is that almost every award provides copious advice on what the judges will be looking for, so be sure to read it closely. The criteria will focus on the information the judges look for in a best practice report and usually some guidance in terms of how the report should be written and designed.

In a nutshell, the judges will typically want to see a high level of detail in your report. The baseline is that your report provides all the information required under any stated rules or guidelines for that kind of report (especially relevant accounting standards, ASX guidelines, any guidance from ASIC as the new markets regulator, and government compliance lists such as the rules for Financial Management and Accountability Act bodies).

For example, the ARA’s general criteria say a good report should give an overview of the year, highlights, the organisation’s operations and its output (its financial results or services delivered). Awards aside, these general criteria provides a good checklist for what to cover as you plan your report.

However, judging panels typically like to see organisations go further and provide additional facts, analysis or trend data. Meeting all your compliance criteria will put you in the zone for awards, but exceeding them will ensure you stand out. The ARA throws in further elements such as suggesting that organisations explain their ‘strategic position and its relationship with stakeholders’. They also like to see organisational charts and at least five years of comparative data for key financial and non-financial information.

These additional requests get even more detailed when you review the criteria for specific industries. For instance, the ARA likes financial institutions to indicate customer number movements over five years, to state major sources of income and profit for both core and non-core businesses, and comments on consumer education issues (they give the example of under-insurance).

While some points will seem unreasonable or hard to fulfill, it’s clear the criteria have been assembled by accountants, officials and others who know what information they need to really understand if an organisation is ticking over well. With that in mind, and if you’re serious about winning awards, do your best to include information on every point.

2. Make life easy for the judges
If you’ve taken the effort to comply with requirements and meet criteria, make it clear. Annual reports are long and complex documents so even if you have systematically touched on every item listed in the criteria, it’s possible the judges will miss some items. This is particularly likely to happen where you’ve included a note on something like relationships to other stakeholders as a paragraph in the Chairman’s letter, for instance, rather than making it a whole category. It’s also likely to happen simply because awards are often judged quickly by tired individuals reading late at night after their day jobs are over.

The solution is to make it clear what information your report includes through a comprehensive table of contents. In the case of government reports, consider including a compliance index to show exactly where you have met each criterion. Indigenous Business Australia, for example, did this in its 2010 report and was praised by the Senate Committee.

Where it is difficult to include such an explicit index within the annual report itself, consider creating a detailed index that lists the award’s criteria and the specific page numbers where you have met them. This index should be included with your award nomination.

3. Review past winners
Another smart tactic is to review the reports that won awards in previous years and the judges’ comments as to why they were selected. The list of winners is usually readily available on most of the awards organisations’ sites listed above. Comments may be harder to find so you may need to ask the award organisers if copies are available.

4. Be prepared to dig
Even if you have a clear understanding of your compliance obligations and what information judges want to see, it’s not always easy to get your organisation or client to divulge it. For this reason, award winners are often those who run the best research and data collection program within their organisations.

It’s important to get all your information together early, to be disciplined about what you are seeking to collect, and to persuade stakeholders of the value of providing comprehensive information in the annual report.

These tensions can be particularly acute around non-profit organisations or private companies such as professional firms that decide to publish voluntary annual reports. While listed company executives might accept that everything from their salary to the cost of their latest house move must be published, listing similar information about the managing partner at a law firm or the head of a charity would require an intense commitment to public disclosure.

5. Write clearly and concisely
Every awards process asks for information to presented in a clear and concise fashion. This comes down to writing clearly, in plain English and with economy. Long-winded phrases, irrelevant information, repetition, overused words, typos and grammatical sloppiness result in ambiguity and will reduce your chances of award success. While it is important to keep your copy tight, inject some flair wherever possible, especially in the copy you use on the cover, feature pages, prominent headlines and important copy such as the opening paragraphs of the Chairman’s and CEO’s letters.

6. Consider design
Design and layout play a critical role in presenting annual report content in a clear, accessible and appealing way. It is particularly important that your fonts and typesetting make the copy easy to read and follow. Also look for opportunities to present complex information visually through charts, graphs and other devices. Great design is one of the ‘x factors’ that will help elevate your report from something that ticks all the judges’ boxes to something that delights them and makes them want to push your report all the way through to the winner’s box.

“It’s vital that the design and layout of the report assists in presenting the company’s results clearly enough that it reaches all readers – even the ‘skimmers’,” says Mick Thorp, regional head of design for Precinct. “We believe that at a minimum an annual report should foster confidence, inform and inspire employees, explain the company’s structure and approach, provide clear financial information and send unambiguous messages to the media.”

How we can help

For more than 10 years, Editor Group has helped leading Australian and global organisations produce high-quality and award-winning annual reports. We have written, edited and proofread the full spectrum of reports for listed companies, private firms, government clients and not-for-profit organisations. As editorial specialists, we work closely with our clients’ design teams or external agencies to deliver full, polished reports.

To discuss your next annual report, contact the author, Grant Butler on 02 8912 9501 or gbutler@editorgroup.com, or Editor Group General Manager Sally Chadwick on 02 8912 9508 or schadwick@editorgroup.com.