Successful Impact Report Design Tips for Organisations
Impact reports are a fantastic way to showcase the good things your business is doing, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of leaving them until the last minute. Start this process early in the year, and your organisation or sustainable business will be able to have an impact report that makes a real impact (pardon the pun).
When creating your report, here are some pointers to make sure it’s the best it can be.
Less text and more visual content
Nobody likes reading walls of text, but those big paragraphs can also mean your report is less accessible. Use more visual content to make it more accessible, fun to look at, and easier to absorb – as the human brain processes visuals a whopping 60,000 times faster than text.
You could even include lots of interesting statistics, presented in the form of well-designed graphs and graphics. Make a shared document and have your team add stats to it throughout the year – which saves you having to cram in research right at the end of the year.
Photography and illustration
When sharing those statistics your team have spent time collecting, don’t just plonk the number on the page – pair the stats with visually appealing graphs, illustrations, or photography. After all, 90% of what our brains process is visual, and our brains generally respond much better to things that have imagery or illustrations.
If you use photography, try and avoid using stock images where possible. This is where planning ahead does its thing – you can make sure there are plenty of good quality photos taken at events throughout the year so by the time December and the deadline roll around, you’ll already have enough content for your impact report.
Don’t forget, if you’re planning on including lots of high-pixel images and illustrations, limit how many copies of your report you print, if possible. Prioritise sending your report digitally instead, to lessen your impact on the planet. If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable print methods, I’ve got a blog that may interest you!
Professional design
Your impact report is an important document for your organisation or sustainable business – you’ll be sharing it with stakeholders, members, and the general public. Although it might be tempting to ‘DIY’ the design, a professional designer can create an entirely bespoke impact report template for you that’ll wow all the right people!
No copy-and-paste template to be seen…
Your designer can also create sharable graphics based on key messages and takeaways from the report, perfect for your marketing methods and sharing on social media. Because, if your organisation is making a good impact, you should absolutely be shouting about it online!
Ready to make your impact report design a real success?
I’m always looking to work with new design clients, including organisations making a positive impact, charities and sustainable businesses. If this sounds like you, let’s chat to see how I can help you with your impact report.
Book in a free 30 minute consultation with me below!
