When asked about your business, can you articulate its essence concisely and engagingly? Even better, can your description ignite a desire in potential customers to delve deeper into your offerings? Imagine needing this compelling description in writing for your sales team, prospects, and even existing clients eager to recommend your services.
This common scenario plagues numerous organizations. While you possess a crystal-clear understanding of your identity, offerings, and strengths, conveying this snapshot to others can be challenging. Fortunately, a solution exists: the reliable marketing one-pager (also known as a one-sheet or sell sheet). This post will delve into:
- Defining a one-pager and its significance in marketing.
- Essential elements for crafting a compelling one-sheet, including copy suggestions.
- Real-world examples of effective marketing one-pagers for visualization and inspiration.
Additionally, I’ll provide resources to help you create a powerful one-pager for your business. Let’s begin!
Demystifying the Marketing One-Pager
As the name implies, it’s a single page that encapsulates your company’s purpose and target audience. It can also focus on a specific product or service and its value proposition for particular markets.
Think of it as the written equivalent of an elevator pitch, designed to pique interest within a short timeframe and encourage further exploration.
Its primary goal is to captivate the audience and spark a desire to learn more about the complete proposition soon.
However, a marketing one-sheet differs by being a portable document, shareable via email, social media, downloads, print, and other channels.
One-pager example source While your website’s homepage might contain core information, it primarily directs visitors to other sections for a comprehensive overview. Conversely, a one-pager presents a complete picture of your business concisely.
A well-crafted marketing one-pager quickly communicates your value proposition to any reader, whether a customer, investor, or potential partner. Its primary advantage lies in its ability to deliver clear, concise, and benefit-driven messaging that resonates with audiences seeking information about a business.
A one-sheeter’s overarching benefit: Enforcing clear, concise, and benefit-driven communication.
Free guide download » 135 of the Best Words & Phrases for Marketing with Emotion
Do You Need a Marketing One-Pager?
Beyond the scenario mentioned earlier, the one-pager is becoming indispensable for businesses and individuals alike. Notably, concise content ranks #4 in Marketing Insider Group’s’s list of 12 enduring content marketing trends.
Once relegated to waiting rooms and sales follow-ups, the one-sheet is experiencing a resurgence due to its brevity. It cuts through the noise, capturing your prospect’s attention and increasing engagement opportunities, making it a valuable marketing asset.
Therefore, the answer is a resounding yes. You need a marketing one-pager to:
- Provide a clear snapshot of your business in today’s content-saturated landscape.
- Align with modern consumer behavior and shrinking attention spans.
- Increase engagement by capturing prospects’ interest effectively.
- Communicate your company’s value proposition compellingly.
Constructing Your Marketing One-Pager
When compiling your one-sheet, prioritize selectivity. Layout and design are critical; it should be visually appealing and easily digestible without appearing overwhelming. Ultimately, your reader should grasp the message quickly and find the content valuable. The key, as with any copywriting, is to inspire action.
Below are the essential elements your one-pager should include, followed by real-world examples. The structure follows a typical top-to-bottom flow. (Explore these formulas for additional copywriting guidance.) Remember, exceptions exist! Marketing thrives in ambiguity, and creative deviations are welcome. However, these elements should generally outweigh any unconventional approaches.
Top Section Essentials
Company Name and Logo: A no-brainer for brand recognition. However, space is limited, so conciseness is key.
Pain Points: Clearly articulate your target audience’s struggles or needs, being as specific as possible. Remember, you can’t cater to everyone. Experiment with different pain points until you find what resonates most effectively. This is essentially your headline, so it needs to grab attention.
For instance, instead of a generic statement like “The Bay Area’s Leading HVAC Company,” opt for something more engaging, such as “Tired of Your Outdated Furnace Leaving You Out in the Cold?”
The goal is to elicit a resounding “yes” from your reader as they resonate with the pain points you highlight.
Solution: This is the crux of your one-sheeter, offering readers what they crave: HOPE. Provide assurance that you can solve their problems. Our HVAC friend could say:
“We’ve been keeping Bay Area residents warm and cozy since 1948. They love our Five-Star Service and A+ Better Business Bureau rating. Our secret? Staying ahead of the curve with technology while servicing every make and model imaginable. Seriously!”
Visualize this information with the mockup below. While the headline could be more compelling, it illustrates the core message.
One-pager example adapted from Extensio
Mid-Section Essentials
This section delves into the specifics: the why and how of your business.
Features: Highlight a few key features of your company, product, or service – the unique aspects that set you apart:
- 24/7 availability
- Cutting-edge training and techniques
- Free estimates
- The latest and greatest version
- Free consultations
- XYZ skill certification
- Cross-device compatibility
Benefits: Answer the crucial question: “So what?” for each feature. Follow every listed feature with “What this means to you is (answer).”
Every feature on your one-sheet should be followed by a corresponding “what this means to you” benefit.
For example, for “licensed in XYZ skill,” the benefit could be: “What this means to you is peace of mind knowing our fully trained and experienced team will restore your equipment to its former glory.”
Other benefits include:
- Time savings
- Cost savings
- Exceptional results, such as a “10x increase in leads”
Remember, always step into your reader’s shoes and approach your content with a “what’s in it for me?” mindset.
The crux of benefits: How will your features directly improve the prospect’s life?
For this section of your company one-sheet, understanding the nuances of features and benefits is crucial.
Bottom Section Essentials
Here’s where you inspire action.
Call to Action (CTA): What should the reader do after being convinced that YOU are the answer?
- “Start saving today!”
- “Schedule your free consultation”
- “Explore the XYX widget here”
Numerous ways exist to incorporate CTAs effectively. Experiment with different approaches. This element is often overlooked despite its significance. We offer a comprehensive look at CTAs to enhance your one-sheeter’s performance.
Contact Information: Include all relevant contact details, including your physical address (if applicable), social media handles, email, and phone numbers. Make it easy for prospects to connect.
*Optional add-on: Include a concise testimonial or customer review. If space is limited, a powerful sentence or two will suffice.
Remember, your company one-sheet is about the customer, not you. While you have much to offer, resist the urge to oversell. Focus on how your company understands and solves your customer’s problems.
Prioritize the customer in your one-sheeter. Instead of making it self-centered, focus on how you provide the solutions they need.
Exemplary One-Sheeters
Let’s examine some real-world examples for context and inspiration. Notice the lack of a rigid formula or layout. Some even exceed a single page, and essential elements might be omitted depending on brand recognition. Established brands can afford such deviations.
HVAC One-Sheeter
While technically two pages online, Burleson Plumbing & Heating effectively highlights a specific offering: their maintenance program and its benefits.
Social Media Consultant and Speaker One-Sheeter
Also spanning two pages online, Jasmine Sandler effectively outlines her services and target audience while providing multiple contact points. She further builds credibility by showcasing past press and speaking engagements.
Startup Incubator One-Sheeter
This example demonstrates efficient use of space and visuals to cover all essential elements concisely:
Mercedes-Benz One-Sheeter
This renowned brand leverages emotion and visuals effectively, focusing solely on benefits. However, they can afford to omit features and pain points due to their established brand presence.
Tech Agency One-Sheeter
This visually appealing one-sheeter effectively uses space and graphics to encapsulate their services on a single page. The headline is intriguing and attention-grabbing.
What a One-Sheeter is NOT (Typically)
- It’s not a spec sheet. These are separate documents used further down the sales funnel to aid decision-making. However, terminology might vary across industries. For instance, in software, a prospect might request a data sheet containing information typically found in a marketing one-sheeter.
- It’s not a company history, “about us,” or personal bio page. This information belongs on a separate webpage. However, a brief company or individual overview is recommended.
- It’s not an information overload. Avoid overwhelming the reader with extraneous details. Brevity is key. Provide just enough information to encourage the next step, such as clicking the CTA.
- It’s not a case study. Case studies are longer, standalone content pieces. Your one-sheeter can highlight a key takeaway or testimonial from a case study and even link to it.
Tools to Create Your Company One-Sheeter
With a template in hand, consider creating multiple one-sheeters tailored to different audiences and offerings. Repurpose the format for product, service, or program-specific one-pagers.
Here are some resources to jumpstart your one-sheet library:
- Jennifer Beever, a Certified Marketing Consultant, offers valuable “Do’s and Don’ts” for marketing one-sheets here.
- Visme provides various templates, including a product sell sheet.
- Xtensio, which describes itself as “the easiest way for teams to create, manage, and share beautiful living documents,” offers a including one-pagers.
Start Building Your Company One-Pager(s) Today
A concise yet informative one-pager (or two) that distills your business into its core value proposition – what you offer, why, and how it benefits customers or solves their problems – is a powerful, reusable content asset. Create yours today and discover its versatility and repurposing potential.