One-Pager 101: The Ultimate Guide
This is the fourth post in One-Pager 101: The Ultimate Guide, a step-by-step series on how to create a compelling one-pager for any initiative—whether you’re running a business, leading a nonprofit, or planning an event. At The Riparian, we keep it high-yield and low-fluff because your time is better spent doing the work, not reading about it. Browse the full series here →

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Gaming Your Way from Audience Insight to Actual Impact

If you’re also a brain-games person, you’re in luck—this post introduces an ABR-original formula that feels a bit like a brain game for your one-pager. It’s fun, surprisingly clarifying, and (best of all) it gets you to a Call to Action that actually works.

Before we dive in: If you’ve been following along with the One-Pager 101 series, you’ve already completed Step 1: Compile and Step 2: Crowd. That means you’ve gathered your raw materials and figured out who you’re talking to. Now, in Step 3: Call, it’s time to get clear on what you want them to do.

That’s where the CTA comes in—and in Part One, we’ll set up the foundation for it with a simple but powerful tool: the Goal Statement Formula.

Free Download: If you prefer jotting things down as you go, download the free CTA worksheet! Good for both Part One and Part Two.

What is a Call to Action (CTA), and why does it matter?

A CTA is the thing you’re asking your audience to do. Sign up. Donate. RSVP. Schedule. Share. It’s the moment when your one-pager shifts from information to invitation. Without a clear, focused CTA, even the best, most storytelling-est one-pager can land flat. 

You might be wondering why CTAs show up in Step 3, even though they often appear at the end of a one-pager. Fair question. Here’s why:

• First, a good CTA is directly tied to your specific audience. All that thought you put into determining your audience in Step 2 is super duper important for making sure your CTA actually works. Audience and CTA should be inextricably linked for your CTA to be most effective.
• Second, your story (which you’ll write in the next step) should support your CTA, not the other way around. If you write the story first and tack on the CTA at the end, you risk a rambling narrative and an underwhelming ask. If you write the CTA first and build the story around it, you’ll end up with a cohesive, climactic one-pager with a CTA that punches way above its weight. 

Think of the story fleshing out everything behind your CTA, rather than the CTA trying to summarize everything in your story.

How to Get from Audience to Action: The Goal Statement Formula

I’ve talked a big game about linking audience and CTA, and now I’m ready to back that up. My favorite way to transition seamlessly (and effectively) from defining your audience to crafting a killer call to action is by using The Goal Statement Formula. 

As the name suggests, this formula gets you crystal clear on your goal. You’ll start with who you want to reach (AUDIENCE) and what describes them (ADJECTIVE). Then clarify how you want them to engage (ACTION) and what you want them to engage with (ITEM). Utilizing this formula will make forming your one-true goal incredibly easy.

The Goal Statement Formula

I want AUDIENCE who ADJECTIVE to ACTION the ITEM. 

Here are some simple examples:

I want potential customers who signed up for my newsletter in the last 6 months to enroll in my online novella writing course.

Audience: First-time customers

Adjective: Signed up for my newsletter in the last 6 months

Action: Enroll in

Item: New online course

I want donors who have given consistently for the last 2 years to increase their commitment by 10% for our annual fundraising campaign.

Audience: Donors

Adjective: Have given consistently for the last 2 years

Action: Increase their commitment by 10%

Item: Annual fundraising campaign

I want customers who bought a bike from my shop in the last year to sign up for my bike repair and loyalty program.

Audience: Customers

Adjective: Bought a bike from my shop in the last year

Action: Sign up for

Item: Bike repair and loyalty program

Step-by-Step: How to Build Your Goal Statement

Don’t forget to download the free CTA worksheet to jot down your answers as you work through this section.

1. WHO – Identify your audience

Even if you wish your one-pager could reach “everyone,” that’s rarely helpful. A donor is different than a customer is different than a volunteer, and so on. So, the first step is to determine who you’re talking to.

Ask yourself:

• Who is this message actually for?
  
• Who benefits most from what I’m offering?
  
• Who do I need to reach to hit my goal?
  

Bonus Tip: It’s unlikely that a 3-year-old in rural Norway and an 87-year-old in New York City are going to engage with your initiative in the same way. Get specific. If you haven’t done it yet, Step 2: Crowd is a step-by-step guide to determine exactly this.

2. WHAT – Add your key descriptor(s)

This is where you qualify your audience. Not just “donors,” but “first-time donors who care about arts access.” You’re narrowing in on a group that’s uniquely aligned with your offer or ask.

Ask yourself:

• What makes this subgroup a good fit for this initiative?
  
• What are they like? What do they value?
  
• What are the most relevant 1–3 descriptors I can use here?
  

Bonus Tip: This is where you get to use all the insight from your audience research in Step 2. If you’ve already written out their traits, priorities, or behaviors, now’s the time to put that sweet, sweet data to work.

Free Call to Action Worksheet

3. HOW + WHAT – Define the action and item

Now let’s talk about what you actually want your audience to do or interact with. This is the beginning of your CTA (and where a lot of people go vague… but not us!). 

Ask yourself:

• What’s the specific action I want them to take?
  
• Is this action measurable? (“Donate $50” is clearer than “support us.”)
  
• What’s the “item” they’re engaging with—an event, a course, a program, a product?
  
• Can I make this simpler? More realistic?
  
• What barriers might stop them? What would make this feel like a no-brainer?
  

Bonus Tip: Your action + item should feel like the most natural next step for this specific audience. The clearer and more aligned it is, the more likely they are to do it.

Feeling stuck on your Goal Statement? I can help! Book a one-time consult to get clarity fast, or tag me in to handle all the details and deliver a complete one-pager. Work with me →

Writing Your Goal Statement

Now it’s your turn to try it out! Use the Goal Statement Formula to write a clear, tailored sentence that links your audience and your ask. The free download on this post guides you through all of these steps, so check that out if you’d like a little help. (If you’re up for it, drop your draft in the comments—I’d love to see what you come up with!)

The Goal Statement Formula: I want AUDIENCE who ADJECTIVE to ACTION the ITEM. 

Here are a few examples of weak vs. strong statements to help guide your thinking:

❌ I want families to sign up for our music program.

✅ I want parents of young children who are new to the school district to enroll in our beginner piano program this fall.

❌ I want donors to support our nonprofit.

✅ I want first-time donors who care about arts access to give $25 to fund one free workshop for an underserved student.

❌ I want professionals to buy my online leadership course.

✅ I want mid-career professionals looking for growth opportunities to enroll in my 4-week leadership accelerator by March 1.

What’s Up Next

Awesome! Now that you’ve written your Goal Statement, you’re most of the way there. I look forward to seeing your statement in the comments, I’m sure it’s a banger.

In Part Two of this step, we’ll take this one sentence and shape it into a CTA that performs like a high-performance athlete. Grab a protein shake and let’s go! Read Step 3: Call, Part Two→

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