One-Pager 101: The Ultimate Guide
This is the sixth 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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The Mosaic Model of Brand Storytelling

If you haven’t played it, the premise is that you’re a tile-laying artisan crafting beautiful mosaics for a Portuguese palace. Each round, you collect tiles—different colors and patterns—and place them strategically on your board. It’s part puzzle, part art. It’s easy to learn, but it has enough strategy to keep you engaged. I highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re looking for a low-stress, high-satisfaction game.

Weirdly enough, mosaic creation is the perfect motif for one of my favorite ways to compile a truly impactful brand or initiative story, which is exactly what we’re trying to do with a one-pager.

Each detail you pulled in Step 1: Compile– statistics, quotes, images, mission statements– is a tile. The new copy you’ll write in this post is the grout that sticks them all together.

The goal? A “story mosaic” that powerfully leads to your Call to Action.

The best part about the Mosaic Model of brand storytelling is that you can use it for more than just one-pagers—so bookmark this page and let me know what else you try it out on!

Grab the free worksheet for this post here! Edit directly in the PDF, or print it off to make notes as you read.

But Aren’t One-pagers Mostly Just Cold, Hard Facts?

It’s true—there’s often a lot of information to get across in a one-pager. But even the best facts will fall flat if they’re left to float on their own.

Think of it like music:

• A single chord can sound lovely—but on its own, it doesn’t tell a story.
  
• A melody without chords might be pleasant, but it lacks melodic context.
  
• An overarching melody supported by the right chords? That’s music.

Facts are chords. Stories are melodies. One-pagers are music.

If you want a high-impact one-pager, you need to provide both the chords and melodies. Don’t expect your audience to improvise a melody over the chords you give them—or to imagine the chords beneath your melody. (That’s called audiation, in case you were wondering!)

Instead, connect the dots. Don’t make them puzzle their way to your impact. Give them the full song and let them sit back, relax, and enjoy the music. By the end, they’ll want to join in.

After all, good brand storytelling always leads to action—whether that’s simple toe-tapping or full on headbanging.

Step One: Find the Core Story

Let’s return to our mosaic analogy. Before you pick your tiles, you need to know what picture you’re making. So, let’s get the major story beats worked out.

If you’re a visual organizer, try sketching a 4-part grid (Center / Problem / Solution / Transformation) to keep track of your story points. As you brainstorm, drop key phrases, quotes, or ideas into each box. 

I created a free worksheet with this included if you’d like to follow along and edit as you go.

Nota bene: Initiative is my handy umbrella term for whatever your one-pager is about. Maybe it’s a program, a product, a campaign, or your whole business. Whatever you’re one-pager-ing, “initiative” is the catch-all that (hopefully) catches it all.

Who is at the center of your story?

You might be tempted to make your initiative the center of the story. But nine times out of ten, it’s more compelling to put your audience at the center instead. Pull out your Audience Worksheet from Step 2 and your Goal Statement from Step 3 if you need a refresher on who you’re trying to reach. By this point, you probably have it pretty locked in.

Whatever you choose, be intentional. Your story’s center shapes how every other part fits together.

What is the core problem?

Next, you’ll want to determine the needs your audience is experiencing or will experience without your help. 

Start by jotting down any problems that come to mind. No filter, just brainstorm.

Then, work through these guiding questions:

• What are the biggest problems my audience is facing?
• Are there other smaller problems that still matter?
• What external factors are contributing? (Think broadly: cultural norms, national policies, economic conditions, historical events, competing trends, marketplace saturation, etc.)
• What internal factors are contributing? (Think personally or organizationally: lack of knowledge, limited resources, outdated systems, fear, miscommunication, etc.)
• What gap am I filling?
• Why does filling that gap matter?
• What benefit does my audience receive from my initiative?

Once you’ve jotted down some answers to these questions, look for a throughline– is there anything that connects them? If so, that’s your core problem. 

(The details will still be helpful later on, so keep those around!)

What is your solution?

This is where you clearly define how your initiative addresses the problem(s) at hand. The goal is to connect your strategy or services directly to the need you’ve outlined—so your audience sees the logic and the value.

There’s no one “right” format for this. Below are a few ways to break it down, depending on the nature of your initiative.

Try writing out a few versions, then choose the one that fits your message best.

What’s the transformation?

This is where you show the impact of your initiative. Think of it as the “after” picture that helps your audience understand why your work matters.

As you write, explore different angles of impact. Use the contrasts below to spark ideas:

• Big vs. small: Is this a life-changing shift or a small-but-crucial improvement?
  (e.g., launching a new business vs. getting your first paying client)
  
• Individual vs. community: Who experiences the impact—one person, a group, a neighborhood, an entire field?
  (e.g., a student graduating vs. a school district improving outcomes)
  
• Short-term vs. long-term: When will the results be felt?
  (e.g., confidence after a workshop vs. generational behavior change)
  
• Visible vs. invisible: Can you see the difference right away, or is it something internal or gradual?
  (e.g., a new facility vs. increased sense of belonging)
  
• Tangible vs. intangible: Is the transformation measurable, or something emotional or qualitative?
  (e.g., 500 meals delivered vs. restored dignity and agency)

Your transformation may hit multiple of these points—and that’s a good thing. The more angles you explore, the more credible and compelling your story becomes. You don’t have to include every angle on your final one-pager, but exploring them now will help you craft a powerful climax to your story.

Bonus Tip: Even if your main transformation is intangible, try pairing it with something concrete. Anchoring your audience to “real-world” change helps them feel the impact is personal and relatable.

Write out a few transformation statements that speak to your audience. Choose 1–2 that feel most powerful and aligned with your message—you can always keep the rest as backup tiles.

Step Two: Attach Evidence to Each Story Point

Now that you’ve mapped out your core story—center, problem, solution, transformation—this is the moment in the brand storytelling process to pull in the material you gathered back in Step 1: Compile.

Start sorting your quotes, stats, photos, testimonials, and messaging snippets– your Content Tiles– by story point:

• What adds credibility to your center?
  (e.g., demographic data, survey responses, previous clients)
• What supports your problem?
  (e.g., statistics, need statements, quotes from your audience)
  
• What backs up your solution?
  (e.g., clear program descriptions, service snapshots, strong visuals)
  
• What showcases the transformation?
  (e.g., before-and-after stories, impact data, testimonials)

Bonus Tip: This process ensures the Content Tiles you choose are actually relevant to the story you’re trying to tell. Even the most compelling quote or impressive stat can dilute your message if it doesn’t serve your core narrative. When in doubt, leave it out.

Once you’ve attached what you can, step back and ask:

• Am I making any big claims without evidence?
  
• Are there gaps I need to fill with outside sources, stats/tables/graphs, or context?
  
• Is there anything I want to say but haven’t found the data or story to support yet?

Filling those gaps now will strengthen your one-pager later—and save you time in the editing phase.

Story still feeling messy? I’ve got you. Whether you need a quick consult to untangle your core message—or want to tag me in to create a full one-pager that tells your story with clarity and impact—I’m here to help. Work with me →

Step Three: Assemble the Pieces

This is where you turn all your brainstorming and content “tiles” into a compelling one-page story.

Remember: this isn’t an essay. You don’t need to write full paragraphs to tell a powerful story. We’re thinking in tiles, not blocks of text. The new content you’re writing here is like the grout in a beautiful mosaic. It holds the tiles together and without it, the art wouldn’t stick. But without the tiles? The grout is just… wet cement. You get the idea.

To keep things condensed and engaging, you can mix and match “tiles” such as:

• Short paragraphs
  
• Key stats
  
• Powerful quotes
  
• Bullet point lists
  
• Compelling graphs
  
• Testimonials
  
• Photos or graphics
  
• Mini headlines

Use the prompts below to guide your de novo writing and to help you pull in the strongest “tiles” for each story point.

Start with the problem and its context.

What paints the clearest picture of the world your problem exists in? 

What framing draws the reader in emotionally and helps them understand the need?

Then, bring in your solution and transformation to create a clear, energizing narrative.

What contrast can you show between “before” and “after”? 

Which tiles make the impact real—whether that’s through data, testimonials, or a simple, striking phrase? 

What is the simplest way to express how big of an impact you make?

Finish with your Call to Action.

Every good story needs a climax, and your CTA is just that. As you write it in, ask yourself how can you lead naturally from your transformation into the next step you want your audience to take. (Need a refresher? Revisit Step 3: Call.)

You may even start to see how your core story could lean in a few different directions depending on which content tiles you choose. That’s a good thing. For now, focus on what will resonate most with your primary audience. But keep those other versions on the back burner—now that you’ve done the foundational work, it’ll be easy to adapt your one-pager later for different audiences or use cases.

Bonus Tip: If you’re feeling stuck or unsure whether your story flows, I highly recommend the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Die and Others Survive by Chip and Dan Heath. Their SUCCES model—Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Story-driven—is one of the best frameworks out there for making ideas resonate, and it’s super relevant to one-pagers.

The Process in Action

Here’s a quick example of what a story might look like using the Mosaic Model of brand storytelling. I’m using my own business as the example in this post, but this same process works whether you’re promoting a service, an event, a program, a product, or a campaign. In a future post, I’ll show how this raw draft turns into a full one-pager layout.

1. Center

Who We Help: Leaders and teams making things happen—with limited time, budget, or backup.

Nonprofit workers, small business owners, creative entrepreneurs, and freelancers are often juggling a lot with limited support—too many responsibilities, too few resources, and not enough hours in the day. It’s a recipe for overwhelm.

Studies show 95% of nonprofit leaders worry about burnout in themselves or their staff, and nearly 50% of entrepreneurs experience high stress and anxiety tied to their business.

They’ve got great ideas and a passion for the work, but often need relief with strategic planning, operational support, technical setup, or crafting a story that ties it all together.

They don’t need more hustle. They need a sharp outside partner who can cut through the chaos and help them move forward—with strategy, creativity, and less stress.

“Anna Beth was AMAZING!!!!! Such a wealth of knowledge – WAY more than I have. I would still be stuck without her!” – Holly Schoenbauer, Founder and Executive Director, This Is Me (Northfield, MN)

2. Problem

The Challenges We Address

We tackle the root causes of burnout, anxiety, overwhelm, and stalled progress by addressing the challenges that cause them.

“[We] worked with Anna Beth on a web project that was long overdue, but we didn’t have the capacity to tackle… Her support was invaluable. She was thorough, thoughtful, and helped us create a project plan that made sense for our organization’s needs… and the results were better than we could have hoped for. Working with her was the best decision!” — Anna Masi, Communications Director, DC Greens (Washington, D.C.)

3. Solution

The Tree Frog Solution

Tree Frog Solutions offers expert partnership for leaders and teams doing meaningful work with limited time, resources, or support. We help untangle the things they don’t have capacity to solve alone—without the fluff, the jargon, or the budget-breaking rates.

We combine strategic insight, operational know-how, creative copywriting, and event expertise to help organizations stop spinning their wheels and start moving forward—effectively and sustainably.

Whether they need a one-time consultation or ongoing support, we work across four key areas: Strategy & Systems · Operations & Infrastructure · Messaging & Communications · Event Planning & Support

• Strategic advising and systems that reduce stress and support sustainable growth
• Step-by-step help with projects across strategy, operations, technology, communications, and events
• Fractional team support when an extra brain, hands, or voice is needed—without the cost of hiring a full-time staffer
• Infrastructure design for stronger teams, smoother systems, and clearer workflows
• Messaging, marketing, and storytelling that drives clarity, connection, and action
• Creative event planning that pairs big-picture vision with detail-oriented execution

“She has an amazing ability to turn long-term dreams into short-term goals and transfer those goals into action steps that she accomplishes with drive and fortitude.”— Abigail Olson, Former Colleague

4. Transformation

What Changes When You Partner with TFS

• You know what’s working, what needs attention, and what can wait
• Your systems run smoother—and your people do, too
• You stop wasting time, money, and energy on the wrong things
• You generate more revenue—with less stress—through systems that actually work
• You make confident, well-informed decisions backed by strategy—not guesswork
• Your events, messaging, and infrastructure finally support your mission
• You gain a trusted partner who’s invested in your mission

“I highly recommend Anna Beth as a fundraiser consultant. Her creativity, attention to detail, and encouraging approach make her a dynamic and effective partner in achieving (and surpassing) fundraising goals.” — Katherine Myers, Executive Director, LiveMore ScreenLess (Minneapolis, MN)

Real Results: 

Turned around a struggling ad department—generated $250K in two years through streamlined systems and strategic partnerships.

Drove 59% of all site traffic by building an organization’s first comprehensive communications and customer engagement strategy.

Transformed a traditionally in-person conference into an immersive virtual experience with global reach (26 countries)—80% of attendees preferred online or hybrid formats going forward.

5. Call to Action

Let’s Work Together

Tree Frog Solutions helps leaders and teams move forward with clarity—whether through a tailored plan they can run with, or as a hands-on partner to help execute it with excellence.

Schedule a free consultation today to explore what’s working, what’s not, and where to go from here—without the overwhelm, or the overhead.

“ABR is a creative problem-solver with innovative ideas to rethink traditional strategies and ideas. She has an eye for detail, excellent leadership skills, and always shows up with a positive mindset.” — Curtis Pavey, Former Colleague

What’s Next

Okay, you’ve got all your story tiles on the table, and your one-pager mosaic is starting to take shape. For me, this is the exciting part—there’s something really special about taking all your dreams and all your data and combining them into something that captures the magic of your initiative (that’s great brand storytelling right there!).

Before the “grout” dries, we’ll move on to a super simple process for cleaning everything up and making sure your message is as tight and clear as possible. Not only will this make your story more powerful—it’ll make your visual layout way, way easier to build.

Drop any questions or thoughts you have in the comments (I love hearing from you!). See you for Step 5: Condense.

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