Toying with the idea of launching your first digital product, but not quite sure where to start? You’re in the right place.
I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of online entrepreneurs who launched their first digital product and killed it right out of the virtual gate. You’ve probably also heard of just as many entrepreneurs who poured their heart, soul and entire business bank account into a product that just didn’t pan out.
How can you make sure you’re in the first group and not the second? I’ve got you.
Over the years, I’ve created hundreds of digital products, and below I’ve rounded up 10 of my best tips for brand new digital product sellers:
1) Do Your Research
Before you launch any product, it’s important to do your due diligence so you truly understand your target market. Who is your product for? Which of their needs does it address? What outcome or big benefit can you promise they’ll receive when buying this product?
Answering these questions will help you determine the best way to position and market your product.
Your digital product needs to offer something of value to your target market. It should solve a problem or meet a need that they have. If it doesn’t, no one will want to buy it.
2) Proper Positioning Matters
In that same vein, how you talk about and position your product totally matters. You absolutely need to make sure your product has a super clear outcome or benefit. You also need to think about how to position your product so it shines alone and stands out from the competition. For example, an Instagram Reels Guide sounds like a great idea in theory, but literally any business coach could offer it. What can you uniquely provide that others can’t? Or which segment of the audience could you target with your product–for example, “Instagram Reels Guide for Introverts”?
3) Build an Engaged Audience First
The biggest mistake I see digital product creators make? Trying to launch products without building an interested audience first. Don’t wait until you launch to start getting people on your email list who actually care about the topic of your product. Use social media, content marketing (like a blog, podcast or video series) to get people interested in what you’re doing long before you release anything for sale. This will not only help you validate your idea, but also practically guarantee you’ll at least make a few (if not many!) sales.
Bottom line: Your pre-launch content matters a lot. You need to get people on your list who are specifically interested in the topic of your product.
4) Promote, Promote, Promote (and Then Promote Some More)!
Before you officially launch, you’ll want to start teasing your upcoming digital product. Create buzz and hype around your product. Get people excited to hear more details! Show them sneak peeks of the behind-the-scenes process, show snippets of what’s included and generally let them know it’s coming.
Then, once your product is live, unfortunately you can’t just sit back and wait for people to find it. It’s time to get out there and promote it! Use paid advertising, social media marketing, email marketing, paid ads and any other aligned strategies to get the word out and drive sales.
Honestly, a lot of entrepreneurs struggle with this part, but you’re going to need to promote your first product a lot. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself, send multiple marketing emails (probably more than you’re comfortable with) and talk your followers ears off about it on social media (in between other, valuable content, of course).
5) Outsource What You Can
Struggling to get it all done? I get it. The truth is, you don’t have to create your first digital product alone. Seriously! If you have the cashflow and/or the connections (or are willing to look for them), you can tap in the experts when you want to tap out. Maybe you hire a copywriter to build your digital product sales funnel, or bring on a graphic designer to give your products a shiny, professional finish. You can even use AI for help in the content department–Jasper is my go-to, and you can use it for everything from brainstorming blog ideas for pre-launch content to writing marketing emails.
6) Don’t Sweat Your Sales Numbers (At First)
I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out: Lots of people will say want to buy a product, but shy away when it’s time to put their credit card where their mouth is. There are so many reasons this can happen. It might be that positioning or messaging is off (see #2), you didn’t market or promote it well enough or often enough or it could simply be because they’re scared to invest in something brand new. (Not everyone is an early adopter!) That said? If your 1st product is a flop, give it time, build up your audience (again) and launch it one more time before you decide to scrap the whole show.
7) Evaluate Feedback
You’ll likely learn something (or a lot of somethings) the first time you launch your first digital product. Instead of giving up on your idea altogether, try implementing what you learned to see if you can get a better outcome. Be sure to ask for feedback from both buyers and non-buyers alike to get the most insight.
8) Start Small
Creating your first digital product can feel like a massive undertaking. From actual creating the content to writing what feels like 300 launch emails, it’s a lot. As a first-time digital product creator, you don’t have to craft some massive, signature course to start. Instead of putting major pressure on yourself to pour all your expertise into a large course, start small. Try creating a mini-course, pre-recorded workshop or short e-book, checklist or PDF to start. This way, you’ll actually be able to get it out the door–and income coming in–in a timely manner. Then, you can decide whether you want to revamp your current product or go on to create a dazzling new one.
9) Be Realistic About Your Goals
You should absolutely set income and sales goals for your first product. That said, you’ll want to crunch your actual numbers, too. How many people are on your email list? How many social media followers do you have? What price is your product? All these factors will influence how much money you can realistically expect to make. (And then, if you make more, it’s simply a super sweet bonus–versus a letdown when your expectations don’t match reality!)
10) Craft a Refund Policy (Because People Will Ask)
And one last note: Be sure to create a refund policy for your digital products. Some creators offer refunds on digital products, others don’t. Either way, make sure yours is clearly visible to your audience before purchase. And if you have people inquire about a refund, do your best not to take it to heart. Every digital product creator receives refund requests. It all comes down to how you deal with it!
It can be daunting to take that first shaky, not-super-confident step into the (oh-so-wonderful) world of digital products, but with the right tips and guidance, I know it’s possible for you to create a profitable, helpful product you’re passionate about, too.
