Engagement

These days, most annual reports are little more than a letter from the CEO and a page or two of highlights wrapped around the 10-K. No context to help explain good or bad performance, no details or proof points about long-term vision, and certainly no effort to help an average shareholder understand the management discussion and analysis (MD&A) section. Institutional investors have the luxury of listening to a CEO firsthand and asking questions in analyst meetings and in one-on-one calls. But it’s almost impossible for individual investors to get the whole picture.

Right now, every business has felt or continues to feel it. Spending is down. Skepticism among consumers, employees, and shareholders is high. Marketers are unsure how to best leverage the limited resources they have, but they recognize times of uncertainty are opportunities to increase market- and mind-share.

Companies often like to say that people are their “most important asset” — after all, how many times have you read that phrase in an annual report? The problem is, not all companies behave as if they really mean it. In a challenging business climate, that could be their loss.

Marketers are finally starting to realize that delivering valuable, relevant content to consumers has some merit. Beyond welcoming content from your brand, today's consumer expects it — whether it comes in the form of blogs, apps, or how-to videos and guides.