Making and Selling Your First Digital Product
You already have questions, but they are the wrong questions
When making and selling your first digital product, most creative people fit into one of three categories.
In the middle of making their first, or ready to jump on the idea today (10%)
Absolutely no interest, as that would devalue the scope of their work (20%)
Scared out of their minds, why would they start something they may not be able to finish, and will it even be the right thing? Because they don’t want to spend all that time creating it if it’s not going to sell, they have no idea what they want to make anyway. (1,000,000%)
Balderdash!
I can’t lie; it felt good to use that word, and yet it’s still true!
You may indeed have a significant amount of self-doubt on this topic, and you may be frozen with indecision, but there’s something I know about you that maybe you haven’t realized.
All Artists are Teachers at Heart
Many of my IRL artist friends are teachers in their day jobs, and those who aren’t teaching already are willing to share their knowledge and talent freely with the world. The potential for making a digital product that people will love is absolutely within you.
Side Note: I’m using the term artist liberally here. Painter, designer, illustrator, author, or maker, I’m talking to all of you.
What Should You Make?
Let’s stop right there because that is the wrong question. Other essential things need to be revealed before going forward, such as:
What are the right questions?
What are your barriers to entry?
What are the three types of digital products you should consider?
“What should you make?” is the wrong question to start with because you’re starting from a place of self, creating something you believe your customers may want, but you have no proof that they actually do want that thing.
I’ll address that later, too, but if you are part of Group 3 above, then the most crucial question you need to answer right now is…
What Is Holding You Back?
I know we mentioned fear, anxiety, lack of knowledge, and self-doubt as one or maybe all of the reasons, but if you want to move forward with this project, you must address these issues first, or one of two things may happen.
You’ll create the wrong product
You’ll quit before it’s finished
If you impulsively make the wrong product and it doesn’t sell, you might give up and never try again.
If you don’t address your insecurities and get clear on your intentions for the project, and that causes you to quit in the middle, you’ll never go back to it, and you may not try again.
The Problem Is Not Tech Related
I refuse to allow anyone to tell me they’re not good with technology, claiming it’s too complex and complicated. You’ve done many challenging things in your life and made it through those without issue.
You’re reading this on a technological device right now. You may not be a leading expert, but you figured out how that works.
You cook meals on an appliance that spits actual fire, and you probably haven’t burned your house down.
You likely own a vehicle and learned how to drive that vehicle on busy streets without killing anyone.
You might be a parent and haven’t murdered them yet (even though there were moments).
It’s not an inability to do hard things. It’s an inability to be patient.
As adults, we’ve learned how to do all these complicated things and are fluid with them. We have a certain level of pride around our ability to navigate life, so when faced with something foreign and challenging our skill set, we push away if it doesn’t come easy.
Before going any further, please agree that even though the technology and delivery systems for making and fulfilling digital products are all new to you, the idea of providing quality content is not.
We can move on if you’re willing to push aside your misplaced fear of technology.
The Barriers to Entry
This is a partial list, and aside from technology, these are the most common reasons that keep people from moving forward with digital products.
Aptitude with content creation
Understanding product fulfillment
Audience engagement
Indecision on product types
Content Creation
First, there are numerous ways to create content; there is only one way to get good—do the work! You must make the content to get good at the content, and you must be patient. You will suck for a while, and that’s ok. You need to be good enough to share things in a way that helps others.
I’m not Seth Godin or James Clear, but I'm a competent writer. How I got here is by being okay with being bad first.
Did I wait until I was good before I published my first digital product? Nope, it sucked compared to what I can make now, but I published it anyway.
Product Fulfillment
There are many ways to get your products into the proverbial hands of your customers, before asking, “What should I make,” you’ll want to understand the best way to deliver what you want to sell to your people.
Audience Engagement
I use that phrase, and you instantly think about your followers on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or whatever app you spend the most time on. But what if your real customers aren’t on that platform?
What if the best way to reach the people who buy from you is with ::gasp:: ADVERTISING!
I know Facebook and Google ads are intimidating (that damn technology again), but they are not impossible. I can admit this has been my Achille’s heel for years, so I empathize with you, but I’m about to embark on my first ad campaign related to my digital products.
I’m not going to get it right at first, and I will probably waste a little bit of money, but the only way to figure it out is to move fast and break things.
Indecision
I’m going to throw you a bone—here’s a broad list of digital products that you may consider, and when you read that list, I’m asking you to think about the best way to provide your ideas to your customers.
Before you dig into that article, though, to figure out what products you should produce, you must ask yourself the most important question.
What Problem Are You Solving?
As artists, whenever we have an impulse to create, we charge in and make whatever feels right. That should never change for the art, but when creating information products and digital assets, if we go in with that impulsiveness, we risk missing the mark and disassociating people because we didn’t first ask about the problems they need solving.
Nobody buys a drill because they need a drill. What they need is a hole.
To better guarantee the success of your digital product, you need to know what problem you’re solving for others. That sounds heavy, but the answer may be more straightforward than you think.
Before you ask your audience, it’s possible they don’t even know their problem. Your customer thinks they need a drill, but you know better. Customers don’t know what they want until you open their eyes to the real problem, which requires some forethought.
When you think about how you can share your knowledge and skill, start by asking yourself how it gets your customers to a final solution. One way to get there is to ask the 3 Whys.
“I want to share a course on making modern minimalist poster designs.”
“Why?”
“Because people appreciate what I’ve shared on Instagram and have asked if I would show my process.”
“Why do they want to see your process?”
“So they can learn how to make their own to decorate their home, or maybe sell to others.”
“Why do they need to sell them?”
“Because they want a creative outlet that helps them supplement their income from their day job and supports their family.
In this scenario, the problem is the need for supplemental income. You create a product that starts them on that journey, and how you share it should help them along the path.
Modern Minimalist Poster Design for Fun and Profit
Start Your Side Hustle With Modern Posters
How to Sell Posters on Etsy
And now that you know the problem, you make the product that solves the problem. Your course on posters doesn’t just talk about design but how to think about poster design that sells.
Bringing You to Tiers
You may have answered all the right questions, and you’re ready to jump in, but it’s important to consider one final concept before you start—the funnel.
Most successful digital content creators have figured out that the best way to create lifelong customers is to give them options, which are produced in tiers to move them from one product to the next.
The most traditional approach (and the one I’m currently working on):
Free
Small Ticket
Big Ticket
I start with a free item that’s chock full of value, easy to consume, and not overwhelming for people. It should solve a problem but not be intimidating.
Next, I make a paid product that solves a bigger problem, is still easy to consume, and is more in-depth than the free offer. The price point on this one will be low but high enough to make people realize it has value.
Finally, I will create a more robust training course that creates significant opportunities for people. This one would be substantial and require considerable work; they will pay a premium for it.
Stop Freaking Out!
Allow me to relieve that anxiety I just created. You only need to make some of these products right now. You don’t need to know what they are, but let’s do some visualization.
Before you decide on your first product, take some time to think about how that thing fits into a bigger plan. If your product would make a good small ticket item, brainstorm ideas on the other tiers surrounding it. There may be multiple options on either side, which may create new opportunities for you and your customers.
The benefit of brainstorming these ideas now is that it gives you options, some of which may be easier for you to execute and lessen the burden of some or all of those fears and anxieties you initially had.