Modern audiences are accustomed to quick, direct communication. A well-written summary or overview can be an effective way to prevent readers from ignoring your communication simply because it’s too long. Businesses practice this succinct communication style by creating one-pagers.
Learn how companies use these concise, information-packed documents to share information in an engaging way.
What is a one-pager?
A one-pager is a single-page document a business creates to provide an overview of its brand, product, or project. It can be physical (such as a printout) or digital (such as a PDF file). One-pagers summarize a topic and present it in a visually appealing format. Concise and easy to read, one-pagers often incorporate lists, charts, and graphic design elements to organize information in a user-friendly way.
Businesses create one-pager templates for both internal and external communications. For example, your business might distribute a one-pager describing a product’s new features to potential customers. This can be particularly useful if the product is highly technical, expensive, or brand-new.
For investors, your business might create a sheet detailing the company mission, strategy, and key objectives. The exact content will vary depending on the document’s purpose.
Business one-pager example
Types of one-pagers
- Company one-pager
- Sales one-pager
- Product one-pager
- Event one-pager
- Startup one-pager
- Employee orientation one-pager
- Marketing one-pager
- Performance report one-pager
- Project one-pager
- Presentation one-pager
- Competitor analysis one-pager
One-pagers vary widely, but typically, you want to include the company name, a heading, an introduction section, contact information, and a call to action. The rest will depend on the type of sheet you’re creating. Here are some of the most common types of one-pager templates:
Company one-pager
A company one-pager provides a general overview of your business. These sheets often include the company mission, an explanation of the value proposition, and a description of products or services. Company one-pagers can be for a range of audiences. Your business may use them to entice potential customers or distribute them at networking events to build professional relationships with suppliers, distributors, or future employees.
Sales one-pager
Sales one-pagers are for your target audience of customers or prospective clients. These sheets describe a product or service and highlight its appeal. Sales one-pagers may be particularly beneficial for business-to-business (B2B) brands or companies with large corporate clients. Your sales teams can use these documents as “leave-behinds,” distributing the one-pagers during or after sales meetings to help clients or prospects remember the details of the presentation.
In addition to product details and contact information, sales one-pagers include all the information required for purchasing, including the price and any discounts or financing options you may have.
Product one-pager
A product one-pager provides details about your product or service. These documents are more focused than company or sales one-pagers. Instead of a mission statement or sales pitch, they include product specifications and detailed information about features.
Your product one-pagers can target potential customers, educate new employees, or communicate with external stakeholders. Depending on the audience, you may also include pricing details, a product development timeline, and the product’s key benefits.
Event one-pager
An event one-pager serves as a guide for your event attendees. Your company might create these sheets for conferences, company off-sites, or any other gathering. Engage and inform the audience by including basic details like venue information (including room and booth numbers at large events), a list of speakers, a schedule of activities, and social media hashtags.
Startup one-pager
Use startup one-pager templates for marketing, networking, and courting potential investors. Include a description of your business idea and an explanation of how you’ll achieve it, your company name and contact information, short professional bios for your key team members, and fundraising status information.
Employee orientation one-pager
Having a single reference sheet helps new employees easily find the information they need during onboarding. Orientation one-pagers may include key information about leadership, company culture, and critical policies. If you plan to print the one-pagers, avoid including confidential company information, such as access codes. This will protect your company in the event the employee misplaces the sheet in a public space.
Marketing one-pager
Marketing one-pagers are documents that provide an overview of brand guidelines for your company’s marketing team or for design firms or PR agencies that might be creating content for you. Marketing one-pagers might include an image of your logo, hex codes (or swatches) for your brand colors, a list of approved fonts, a description of your brand voice and tone, and key objectives.
🌟 Learn what goes into beautiful brand guidelines and create a style guide for your business, with examples from successful brands.
Performance report one-pager
A performance report one-pager includes high-level performance information such as financial projections, key milestones, and future objectives. Provide performance one-pagers to your internal stakeholders as a reference during all-hands meetings or other important company discussions.
Project one-pager
Use project one-pagers for internal communication to bring your team members up to speed on new initiatives. These sheets provide key information like the scope of work, project timeline, and contact information for team leaders. They may also discuss methods and plans for achieving goals.
Presentation one-pager
Distributing a physical one-pager to your internal or external stakeholders during a presentation can help listeners follow along. Include a title, relevant charts or visuals, and a summary of the presentation’s content. One-pagers like these can help reinforce your message and provide clear direction for any attendees with questions.
Competitor analysis one-pager
Explain how your product outpaces its competitors with a competitor analysis one-pager. These sheets make a direct comparison between two or more products. They typically include details about product features, pricing, and benefits. Using columns or other simple layouts to display these details side by side can help your readers quickly identify differences.
Tips for writing one-pagers
Creating one-pagers can be challenging since a single page doesn’t provide much space to express complex ideas, but the best ones are thorough, succinct, and visually appealing. Here are tips for creating compelling one-pagers:
Focus on core information
Effective one-pagers are short and memorable. Focus on including only the core information in the copy. Avoid inessential details and long, wordy paragraphs. Consider presenting information with bullet points or charts to keep the word count down. Writing in a concise manner will make it easier for readers to engage with the content. If your sheet has too much text, it might look overwhelming.
Leverage graphic design
Use design to support your message. Include visual elements like images, graphics, or charts to add aesthetic appeal and help readers process the information. Work with a designer or use a one-pager template to create an appealing layout. Formatting can help break up large blocks of text and organize the information in a reader-friendly way.
Think about the audience
Imagine yourself as the reader. Tailor your content to address any questions or concerns your audience might have. Ask yourself why someone would want to engage with your document. Aim to create a one-pager that offers users value.
One pager-examples FAQ
What should a one-pager include?
A business one-pager provides a quick overview of important information about a given subject, such as a product or service. The exact content will vary depending on the purpose of your sheet, but these documents typically include a heading or title, a brief topic introduction, a list of key details, and visual elements like charts and bullet points.
How do I create a one-pager?
To make a one-pager, start by defining the purpose of your document. Think about your target audience and what you want them to know. Gather the essential information, write a draft, and then use a one-pager template or partner with a designer to compile the key points into an easy-to-read, visually appealing one-page document.
What do businesses use one-pagers for?
Companies use one-pagers for a range of internal and external communications. One-pagers support marketing efforts, sales pitches, investor relationships, and employee initiatives. These simple documents are an effective way to provide a quick overview of almost any topic.
