What is a special report?
A Special Report is a multi-page document describing some simple but essential “How To” information. Whatever your profession, you probably have some insight into how to make things run smoother, better, easier, more profitably, etc.
A Special Report shares that wisdom with potential employers.
Top areas to focus on:
Emphasizes on Contribution
Grab the attention of the hiring executive by focusing on their own businesses and the ideas you present to help them make more money, save money, reduce turnover, develop new products.
Positions You as an Expert
A well thought out and written Special Report immediately positions you as accomplished in a very different way than a resume. In a well-prepared Special Report you’re speaking the language of the industry; you’re communicating information that works to produce results. The fact that you can compose such a document gives you more credibility than a résumé.
An Interesting Format
Put yourself in the hiring executive’s place. Which would you rather read, a resume or a document that gives “take-to-the-bank” ideas focused on improving the bottom line and/or solving a nagging problem.
Big Ideas
Provide objective research throughout the report that gives clients a viewpoint of where the issues lie, where they have been proven, and where solutions may be.
What goes into a good Special Report?
Bold Idea
The title of the Special Report should be bold and make a statement. The purpose of the title is to make the reader curious enough to open the Special Report. It can have as big an assertion as you believe you can support.
Introduction
The introduction should emphasize that you are writing this out of your own experience, and explain that many of the items are common sense, but exactly the common sense that people ignore, forget or overlook. It should allude to your belief that, when the reader implements any of these suggestions, benefits will result.
Quality Information
The guts of the Special Report: interesting information. Create principles, story’s or illustrations that you can elaborate on. You can do this in your career if you take a moment to think of principles, rules, and mistakes—the basics of making your job work.
Author Information
In the back, you can have a section “About the Author.” This should say enough to give readers a sense of your background, like a summary of a résumé. Include your name and contact information for the hiring executive to reach you.
Presentation
Create your Special Report in a PowerPoint or use online resources like Canva to create modern decks that are easy to read and grabs the audience’s attention. If you have a large list of contacts, use online marketing tools like MailChimp or Constant Contact to send the Special Report through an email blast.
Developed by Jack Chapman and summarized by John Hall.