Are you looking for a graphic designer for your (annual) report? Let’s work together to create an annual report that makes your hard work of the past year come to life to your supporters.
I work to any budget to produce a clear and appealing account of your organization’s achievements.
Annual reports are important.
Annual reports are important
For most organizations, the annual report is easily the most significant document published each year.
It is a document that will become part of your history.
The annual report is your organization’s flagship document.
It shows who you are, showcasing the value and achievements of your organization
Reports with clear communication, engaging visuals,
reinforcing your brand identity and purpose
Annual reports are very important documents for stakeholders and supporters.
Reports with clear communication, engaging visuals,
reinforcing your brand identity and purpose
Annual reports are very important documents for stakeholders and supporters.
An annual report that tells your story.
Compelling design
Annual reports don’t have to be dull. I make reports that are not boring. Attractive and appealing.
Unique
No cookie-cutter template look. Based on your brand identity, it will be recognizably and uniquely yours.
Great data visualization
Don’t just tell people what you achieved, but show it. People remember images. To show what you’ve achieved.
Annual reports that inspire
See here some examples of my work. Click on the images to learn more about these projects.
Custom illustrations
Do you want to go one step further? As an illustrator, I can create custom images and original art for your report. Hover or click for more details.
Flat vector design
Flat design is modern and very popular. Appealing for your report.
Digital collage
Distinct elements are brought together to create original works of art.
Infographics
Custom made infographics for your report.
Annual Report Design Service
Let me help you make your report awesome. My annual report design service …
To make a report that will inspire your stakeholders and supporters. What is included? A report that is ready to be shared with your stakeholders. Digital or for print.
What does the process look like?
You reach out to me and we schedule a call. You tell me about your organization and your report. We discuss your wishes and requirements.
Final copy, brand guidelines.
- Volunteer Manager provides Professional with high-resolution logo and visual branding guidelines, finalized copy, and any additional content to be included in annual impact report
- Volunteer Manager shares examples of previous annual reports with Professional (if any)
The brief is one of the most important parts of the Annual report Design process, and it starts with the client. It’s not easy to write a brief, and to get it right, it is best to work with the agency. We’ll help you. This is what should be included in the brief: Key messages, audience, number of pages, printed quantity, the number of infographics, creative steer and even examples of reports you like.
Describe the overarching message; try to keep to one and keep it unique and simple.
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Ensure the designer understands the company’s brand values
Previous annual reports of your organization.
After looking at your brief, I will connect with you again.
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Question the brief and try to understand a creative ‘steer’, understanding the messaging and tone
we agree upon a timeline for the first drafts, second draft, and proof. and on pricing?
- Volunteer Manager and Professional connect to discuss the story the Organization wants to tell and brainstorm how key data can be highlighted and visualized
- Volunteer Manager and Professional agree upon a timeline
We will ask you for clarification and pose questions that will help us understand the year’s messaging is and your aims and priorities. The more we know about your organisation and the way you want to report your activities and financial data, the better our concepts will meet your needs.
Usually an agency is asked to produce a estimate before being awarded the work. After questioning we may be able to save money or advise on the nest way to produce the Annual Report. We may need to re-estimate, produce a schedule, production spec and ask for a PO or order. We may ask for a part payment at this stage.
we decide how many initial concepts you want to see:
We will perform a round of creative with the whole team. We have a highly efficient and creative process for producing a massive range of ideas in a very short time. We will deliver at least three concepts, each with a cover and spread. We will deliver what you asked for, something else to consider and something you have never dreamed of.
Page count
I need to know if the report will be printed professionally, too. If so, – If the report is to be printed, the page count must be divided by four. (For the digital PDF version,Delete blank pages or notes pages for the digital PDF version)
Cramming content on a page makes it harder to read, adding a few pages has little impact on cost
Based on our discussion, I will create one or more preliminary design concepts.
Professional creates a preliminary design and shares with Volunteer Manager
- Volunteer Manager reviews and provides feedback
- Repeat feedback process (if necessary)
“We will deliver at least three concepts, each with a cover and spread. We will deliver what you asked for, something else to consider and something you have never dreamed of.”
Once the final designs of a sample spread and cover have been agreed, we will seek written approval to proceed with that design and create a template for the report using style sheets and master pages. These will underpin the final designs. Each page will be designed individually.
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Even at this early stage, it is worth running the concepts past the final decision maker, without their input at this stage you run the risk of endless creative rounds.
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When you get to a solution that you want to run with, we will ask you to sign it off and the signed off designs will form the basis for your first full proof. It’s important to understand that design changes after that, in terms of: the grid, headline styles etc, will incur additional work.
We listen to your feedback and comments and make adjustments to the designs where necessary.
You give feedback and choose a version and I go ahead with this.
At this point, you should provide the final copy, if you hadn’t already. From this point, you can only make adjustments in the file. Not deliver a new Word file.
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Revising data in charts means starting again. When we design charts, it’s not like Excel where you can just change the figures and the chart changes. Sorry.
I send you a second draft of the version you chose. You can give feedback. I will then continue to provide a
The first full proof delivered to you as a PDF. This should be the entire report. After you have reviewed the proof, mark revisions and changes using ‘stickies’ in Adobe Acrobat. Sending revisions via email(s) or in Word will take longer and are far more prone to errors. Gather all revisions into one document. Don’t re-supply the content edited in Word, that would mean we have to start again.
revision:
We will revise as instructed or advise against unwise suggestions. Page numbers must be divisible by four, for instance 4 page cover and 112 page text. If the document is not divisable by four, it will not bind. You can add ‘notes’pages to get over this issue. Moving pages from left to right is additional work – it is time consuming and costly. We may have set ‘chapter’ pages to be on the right hand side, this means each chapter needs to fall to the correct page count.
Third full proof delivered to client. At this stage proofs are often required to be presented to the board or auditors. We can supply a PDF of at a cost a printed document which gives a better understanding of how the final document will delivered. The relative unit cost for these is high.
At this point, we want everything to become perfect. So don’t hesitate to let me know if you want an extra comma or …
- Professional delivers final version of annual impact report in PDF format, with print-ready specifications
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Once the final proof has been delivered, we will ask for written sign off from client. This means the responsibility for the content is with the client, for accuracy and being free from errors. This is an importnant stage.
What is the investment?
The costs of the design of an annual report depend on many things. It can cost anything between 500 and 5,000 USD.
What determines the price?
The number of pages
If images are provided or need to be sourced
Custom illustrations
Number and detail of charts
Deadline
PowerPoint
Etc.
More FAQ
Do you also design research reports, impact reports, and sustainability reports etc.?
Yes. I design for reports of all kinds.
We already have a layout we want to be replicated. Do you do this as well?
No problem.
We don’t have the final copy ready yet, but we already want to start the design process?
No problem. I can start working with your draft or a placeholder. I will need the final copy before starting the fourth phase of the design process – see above.
Let's get started.
Who am I?
I am Linda. I am a graphic designer and illustrator. I love making information and ideas look beautiful and memorable. I design all kinds of materials, but longer-form materials are my favorite.
I principally work with nonprofits, purpose-driven companies, educational institutions, and governmental agencies.
With my experience designing longer-form materials for mission-driven organizations, I know what good reports need and can help you your report look great. It would be an honor for me to become a part of your organization’s history.
