One-Pager 101: The Ultimate Guide
This is the fifth 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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Grab Your Protein Shakes, We’re Hitting the CTA Gym

In contrast, my brother-in-law Jesse—who recently ran the Boston Marathon while drinking beer and never missing a beat—definitely is. We all have our strengths. (Ba-dum-ch.)

All that said, while I may not be an elite athlete myself, I can write a Call to Action (CTA) that performs like one. Its arena just happens to be marketing, not the Olympics. But just like in sports, crafting a CTA that actually wins comes down to mastering a few key fundamentals. Let’s take a look.

Not sure what a CTA is or why it matters? Check out Part One of How to Craft a Strong Call to Action here!

Brainstorm Your Hooks with Detail Dumbbells

In the last post (Part One), we got crystal clear on your goal through the Goal Statement Formula.

With that done, you’re super close to a great CTA. In fact, you already have a Simple CTA embedded right there in your goal statement, you just need to shape it.

Step One: Lift out the Simple CTA from your Goal Statement. This only needs to be a few words:

• Enroll in my course.
• Visit our new location.
• Donate to our annual campaign.

Step Two: Brainstorm the details that will flesh out your Simple CTA. I’ve put together a list of potential angles I call the Detail Dumbbells because each one is like a different way to flex and strengthen your CTA.

This is also a great moment to pull out your Audience Keywords from Step 2: Crowd—knowing specific traits, needs, and preferences of your audience can help you choose details that will resonate.

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

Time

Deadlines: Are you offering a limited-time sale? Is this an event happening on a specific date? “Enroll before May 15!”

Urgency: Words like “Now,” “Today,” and “Too late” can help trigger action.

Transparency: How long will the action take? “Complete our four-minute survey to receive…”

Space

Limited Availability: Do you have a limit on openings, products, or capacity? Scarcity boosts action when it’s authentic. “Only 10 seats available!”

Effort

Ease: Spell out how easy it is to do the action. Make it feel super simple. “Reserve your seat in just two clicks.”

Commitment Clarity: Be honest about how big a step it is. “Contact us now to get started on our simple 15-minute onboarding process.”

Value

Perks: Are you offering free shipping, exclusive bonus content, members-only benefits, free first service, or something else? “Become a member to receive all new, exclusive podcast episodes every Friday!”

Savings: Are you offering a discount? “Sign up today with code SAVE10 to receive 10% off your first order.”

Trials: Are you offering a class preview, free consultation, free first service, a trial week, or something similar? “Sign up now for your first visit free!”

Results

Desired Outcome: Highlight what they’ll gain, not what you want. “Write your first novella in 30 days– enroll now!”

Proof: Mention if others have already joined or found success. “Join 1,000+ other creatives building their dream businesses.”

Free Call to Action Worksheet

Build a High-Performance CTA with the Elite Athlete Principles

Now you have a healthy list of possible angles. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to use them all. In fact, a strong CTA picks just enough details to sharpen the message without adding noise.

The key is making sure your final CTA matches the four core principles of high-performance messaging: Specific, Concrete, Achievable, and Simple. 

These are what I call the Elite Athlete Principles. (Sadly, they don’t form a cool acronym. SCAS? CASS? SACS? Definitely not SACS, ew. Moving on.)

Let’s break them down.

Specific

The more specific you are, the more likely your audience is to act. Avoid vague or generic requests. Use numbers, deadlines, or measurable outcomes to add clarity. Your CTA should connect directly to the need you’re addressing or the benefit you’re offering.

❌ “Support our program!”
✅ “Give $25 to fund one art kit for a student this semester”

Concrete

Your CTA should be action-oriented and easy to understand. Use clear, direct language that spells out exactly what you want your audience to do. The “next step” should feel obvious.

❌ “Check out our offerings”
✅ “Click here to register by May 15”

Achievable

Ask for something realistic. If your CTA feels like too big a leap, most people won’t follow through. Instead of jumping straight to the finish line, ask for the next logical step. 

❌ “Book a $3,000 coaching package today”
✅ “Sign up for a 15-minute interest call”

Bonus Tip: Knowing your audience’s risk tolerance helps here. Depending on your audience, what constitutes a “small yes” may differ (kind of like how $50 feels like a lot to some, but not very much to others). This is why doing the work in Step 2: Crowd is so important. Too small an ask and they may feel it’s not worth their time. Too big and they won’t be ready to make that jump. But, if you have to choose, err on the side of too small, rather than too large.

Simple

Don’t overcomplicate the language. Work to balance specificity with brevity. Ideally, you should only include one clear call to action per one-pager, and it should be visually distinct and easy to spot.

❌ Three small links saying: “Learn More,” “Join Now,” and “Contact Us”
✅ One big button that says: “Subscribe for Updates”

If you hit all four, you’ll give your audience a clear, doable task that aligns with your goal and moves your mission forward. Basically, your CTA is running (or biking or boxing or luging, etc.) in the big leagues.

Shape Your CTA: Step-by-Step Guide

Alright, let’s pull this all together nice and tidy. Here’s how to shape your Goal Statement into a one-sentence CTA built for elite performance. I’ll use one of our example Goal Statements from Part One to illustrate the process.

Step 1: Identify Your Simple CTA

Start with your Goal Statement:

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

Lift out the simplest version of your CTA:

Enroll in my course.

Step 2: Brainstorm with the Detail Dumbbells

Look over the Clarity Dumbbells and jot down ideas for any that apply:

• Time: 15% discount for newsletter subscribers until June 30th. Registration doesn’t open again until October.
• Effort: Asynchronous course so you can start the first module immediately.
• Value: 15% discount for subscribers. First course video available to watch for free before committing.

Step 3: Refine with Elite Athlete Principles

Think about the Elite Athlete principles: Specific, Concrete, Achievable, Simple. Add any other details that come to mind. Some folks find it helpful to organize their Clarity Dumbbells into these categories like this:

• Specific: New course, online course, $200 a student, 6-week course, registration open until July 3rd.
• Concrete: Enroll by clicking here, four-minute onboarding process, first module immediately accessible.
• Achievable: Can watch the first course video for free with no commitment required, 15% discount for subscribers until June 30th, takes four minutes to sign up.
• Simple: My main call is to get my audience to Enroll Now.

Bonus Tip: “My main call is to get my audience to…” is so simple, yet so effective. Whatever you answer here is a great candidate for a call-out box or button.

Step 4: Assemble Your Strongest CTAs

Mix and match your Detail Dumbbells with your Simple CTA to create a one-sentence powerhouse. Try out a few combinations—your brain is primed to spout off great ideas. Just make sure each one hits all the Elite Athlete Principles. A strong lineup now will give you the flexibility to choose the best fit when you write your story in the next step.

• Enroll in Novella Writing 101 before June 30th to receive an exclusive 15% discount for newsletter subscribers.

• Enroll now in Novella Writing 101 to get immediate access to the first module and start your 6-week journey to your first novella.

• Enroll in Novella Writing 101 before July 3rd to secure your spot– registration won’t open again until October!

• Spend four minutes enrolling in Novella Writing 101 to enjoy a lifetime of meaningful creativity.

Write down your two or three-word call-out text. You probably already have this from the “Simple” principle in Step 2.

• Enroll now!

Feeling stuck turning your goal into a strong CTA? I can help! Book a one-time consult to get your CTA nailed down—or tag me in to create a complete one-pager that’s ready to do the heavy lifting. Work with me →

Example CTA Buildouts: See It in Action

Now let’s walk through two examples using the same process: writing a Simple CTA, brainstorming Detail Dumbbells, checking against the Elite Athlete Principles, and finalizing a strong set of options. We’ll use the other two goal statements we introduced in Part One.

Example CTA Buildout #1: Increase Donation Percentage Goal

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

Step 1: Identify Your Simple CTA

Lift out the simplest version of your CTA:
Increase your donation.

Step 2: Brainstorm with the Detail Dumbbells

Brainstorm a few potential angles you could use to flesh out the Simple CTA:

• Time: Trying to meet the campaign goal by July 31.
• Effort: Only takes three clicks to increase or adjust their giving amount.
• Value: If 35% of current donors raise their gift by 10%, the full campaign goal will be met.
• Results: Funding this program will allow us to reach at least 300 more families this year.

Step 3: Refine with Elite Athlete Principles

Make sure each CTA idea hits the four key traits:

• Specific: 10% increase; this year’s campaign; clear target or program impact.
• Concrete: Action is clear—“Increase your donation by 10%,” not vague “Support us.”
• Achievable: A 10% increase is a small, realistic ask for someone already giving. We only need a third of our donor base to actually do this to meet our goal.
• Simple: The main call stays focused on increasing the gift amount. We are asking for 10% more from everyone.

Step 4: Assemble Your Strongest CTAs

Mix and match the strongest details to create a set of CTA options that check all the boxes:

• Increase your gift by 10% before July 31 to help us reach 300 more families this year.
• Boost your impact by 10% today and help complete funding for [specific project].
• In just three clicks, you can increase your gift by 10% and help change lives.
• It wouldn’t take much—if just a third of our donors increased their gift by 10%, we’d reach our goal by July 31. Will you help make that happen?

Example CTA Buildout #2: Bike Shop Loyalty Program Goal

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

Step 1: Identify Your Simple CTA

Lift out the simplest version of your CTA:
Sign up for the loyalty program.

Step 2: Brainstorm with the Detail Dumbbells

Brainstorm a few potential angles you could use to flesh out the Simple CTA:

• Time: Free bike touring e-book available until August 15.
• Effort: Sign up takes just two minutes.
• Value: Receive a free Oregon bike touring e-booklet, free annual tune-up, and discounted repair services.
• Results: Helps customers keep their bikes “like new” for longer.

Step 3: Refine with Elite Athlete Principles

Make sure each CTA idea hits the four key traits:

• Specific: Loyalty and repair program for customers; new member perks.
• Concrete: Clear actions like “Sign up here” or “Call now to schedule your first free tune up.”
• Achievable: Signing up for perks is a low-barrier ask for satisfied customers.
• Simple: Not asking for multiple things in one CTA. Sign up for the newsletter OR call to schedule your first free tune up.

Step 4: Assemble Your Strongest CTAs

Mix and match the strongest details to create a set of CTA options that check all the boxes:

• Sign up for our loyalty and repair program before August 15 to receive a free Oregon bike touring e-booklet.
• Keep your new bike new—join our loyalty program today to unlock free annual tune-ups.
• It only takes two minutes to add years to your bike’s life—sign up today!
• Save money on repairs by signing up for our loyalty program in just two minutes.

And there you have it—another strong lineup of CTA options ready to crush it. Different goals, same winning process. Let me know how it works for you!

What’s Next

By mastering these fundamentals, you’re well on your way to writing CTAs that perform like true elites. You’ve got this.

If you’ve got a draft going, I’d love to see it in the comments! I’ll chime in with thoughts, tips, or a well-earned high-five.

Next up: we’re diving into story writing—my favorite part of the one-pager process. If the CTA is the finish line, your story is the path that gets your audience there. Lace up your running shoes and get ready to hit the trail! Let’s go→

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