One-pager

Most buying decisions are discussed in rooms the seller never enters. Whatever the person you spoke to can forward is what the rest of the committee sees. A one-pager makes sure that message is accurate and consistent, whoever sends it. It also replaces slides rebuilt from scratch for each prospect with one document that is tailored to a small number of buyer types.

• Open with a headline that names the problem solved, not a label such as "Our solution".
• Describe the reader's situation and pain point in two or three sentences before mentioning the product.
• Put a number on each benefit. A specific figure is remembered and repeated far more readily than a vague claim.
• Include one strong piece of proof, such as a short customer quote, a measured result or a comparison.
• End with one next step, not three competing ones.
• Write a separate version for each buyer type.

A one-pager is a single sheet, printed or as a PDF, that carries one message to one kind of reader. Salespeople send one after a call so the buyer can forward it to colleagues who were not on the call. A founder attaches one to an investor email. A team writes an internal version to get a decision approved without a meeting.

The constraint is the point. One page forces a choice about what matters most, and that choice is the useful part of the work.

• Treating it as a shrunken brochure with every feature squeezed in.
• Leaving out contact details or a clear next step, so a good page leads nowhere.