Reports don't happen overnight. Writing a report is not like dashing off a product sales sheet or creating a quick PowerPoint slide show. They require precise research, planning and editing to achieve a good end product. Research facts to validate your points, interview vendors or customers, and rigorously review your report to ensure it is accurate and clear.
The basic structure for your report should be:
- A summary of the problem to be solved.
- What kinds of solutions are available, which solution is best, and why.
- A review of the problem and best solution (yours of course).
Given this general approach, there are several qualities that make it work effectively, depending on a clear understanding of your target readers.
Here are some of the guidelines:
- Put the bottom line at the top. Most readers start at the beginning, but very few will continue to the end. That's why the best place to put a summary of your entire message, including the conclusions you wish the reader to draw, is at the beginning.
- Address readers as if they were investors. Seasoned investors are a discriminating audience. They respond to facts, not unsubstantiated claims or boasting. Getting their attention involves building trust by stating things that are interesting, relevant, and true. If you can convince an investor, you can convince many prospective customers.
- Remember your audience. Too often, reports are written by designers or marketers that contain acronyms and assumptions that are understood only by their close-knit working group. Before diving into detail, lay the groundwork for what acronyms stand for and don't assume your reader know what you are referring to.
- Be specific and avoid generalities. Start at the point your audience should have a general knowledge of. After providing a preliminary orientation, get to the heart of your subject. If your prospective readers are technology experts, don't try to teach beginners about your subject. This will just drive intelligent readers away. If your prospective readers are business leaders, don't teach them how to start a business. They want to know more detailed information.
- Differentiate your solution. It's one thing to claim your product solves a problem, but you need to describe why it does so better than the competition. Providing them this differentiation will save them time trying to figure it out, which they will appreciate.
- Cite objective third-party evidence. Since your readers know this is ultimately a marketing piece, they will be looking for trustworthy evidence to substantiate your claims. Providing the evidence for them not only saves them time, but also buys you credibility. Finding meaningful testimonials by industry pundits takes time, but is well worth it.
- Use pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe. Pictures are only effective when they help audiences interpret your written words. They are especially good at indicating the names of objects and the relationships between those objects. This makes it easier to refer to them in the text.
- Don't try to be Shakespeare. In our world economy, many audiences have learned English as a second language. They can be confused by messages that contain complex sentences, new words, or new meanings for old words. You should always use simple, common English that conveys the message accurately. That kind of writing carries the power to explain and convince.