The first time I learned about selling digital goods online, I remained doubtful since I knew no one who operated in this field. The online success stories about digital products seemed too perfect since I did not know anyone who made them, nor did I personally know anyone working in this field. My main goal at that time was to earn additional money on the side during my remote job search. I also lacked experience in design work and technology, and had no experience with any form of selling products, nor had I even used bicycles. Despite my uncertainties, I made up my mind to solve the problem.
A few months later, I uploaded my first digital product to Gumroad featuring a basic job application checklist. It wasn’t fancy, but it sold. Then it sold again. And again. The accomplishment revealed the extent of what I could achieve. I have since developed my business to include ebooks and templates, and planners while utilizing basic tools for all creations. No warehouse. No inventory. Just me, my laptop, and an internet connection.
This instruction guide will help you establish your digital product side business if you want to get started. I will explain every detail of my journey to success that started with zero revenue while using the services of Canva and Gumroad or Payhip. I hope this information serves as a friendly starting point which would have assisted me at the beginning of my journey.
Why Digital Products Are the Ideal First Step
The beginning of my digital product sales came after countless attempts with side hustles such as freelancing and surveys, affiliate marketing, and all other ideas. The vast majority of these options needed significant resources, including lots of time, technical expertise, and monetary investment. Digital products were different. Furthermore, the products I created were affordable with low risk, and I managed them throughout the process.
Your single product creation allows you to sell it repeatedly since customers have infinite purchase potential. No shipping, no packaging, no overhead. The change in my business approach was revolutionary for me. I had the freedom to develop this product during my spare time and whenever I needed to separate from my job search activities. Furthermore, the process of developing this product also helped others achieve fulfillment. Working on this creation provided true purpose beyond money-making, along with utility to others.
Here are some popular and profitable types of digital products:
- Ebooks and guides
- Printable planners and calendars
- Notion and Airtable templates
- Resume or cover letter templates
- Budget spreadsheets
- Checklists and how-to lists
- Social media post templates
- Digital journals and trackers
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Many people succeed by offering helpful, polished versions of what they’ve already built for themselves.
Step 1: Find a Real Problem You Can Solve
Starting a good product demands solving an existing problem. The purpose behind developing my initial checklist involved job search organization. Additionally, I developed a spreadsheet-based tracking system to monitor my applications and follow-ups, and application stages. The solution worked even though it lacked style points.
My friend approached me for permission to also use the tool during that specific day. That was my lightbulb moment.
Start by asking yourself:
- What problem have I solved for myself recently?
- What do people often ask for my help with?
- What information do I always seem to be organizing or explaining?
- Have I created a system, tool, or shortcut that saves time or makes life easier?
Your product doesn’t have to be huge or revolutionary. Think micro-solutions. For example:
- If you’re good at organizing, make a productivity planner.
- If you’ve learned how to land remote interviews, create a job interview prep kit.
- If you’re a hobby baker, sell a template for recipe cards.
Your project must begin with useful and genuine materials as the foundation. An additional bonus exists if you have experience using the product personally.
Step 2: Design and Build It Using Canva
You will find a perfect match with Canva due to its simple design tool interface. I employ Canva for producing product PDFs and business cover images in addition to posting social media Graphics. The interface makes perfect sense to users while the learning process remains simple along with enjoyable.
Here’s how I build my products with Canva:
1. Pick the right template: Select the proper template by searching among choices like “ebook” and “checklist” and “planner” according to your product concept. Canva provides thousands of available templates between its free and paid offerings.
2. Customize it: Rephrase the content and replace stock images by adding your specific text. Embed your company brand colors together with brand logo (if available) and select appropriate fonts for the design. Maintain a visual appearance that promotes readability.
3. Format it well: The product needs proper formatting through headings and bullet points, as well as strategic usage of white space. People like easy-to-digest layouts. Don’t overcomplicate it.
4. Download it properly: Most digital products use PDF delivery, but Canva offers customers PNG or JPG downloads primarily for images in printables.
And don’t worry about perfection. The basic appearance of my initial product compared to the current work did not matter since its ability to help others was most important to me.
Step 3: Choose a Selling Platform
Your product needs an appropriate marketplace after finishing its development. You have various choices, though two practical choices for beginners remain:
Gumroad: Clean interface, easy setup, and no upfront costs. You need only several minutes to become a seller.
Payhip: Another great option with similar features. You can enable continuous payment options through memberships and subscriptions offered on the platform during your growth expansion phase.
I began using Gumroad for product sales because I liked its sleek design coupled with its basic user interface. Here’s what to do:
1. Create a free account.
2. Upload your product file.
3. Set your price. Customers can begin their business with free and low-cost options to establish their presence before increasing pricing.
4. Formulate a brief description that highlights the benefits of your products.
5. Use Canva to design a product cover image that will increase its visibility.
6. Hit the publish button, then retrieve the distinctive link for your product.
Your establishment becomes active immediately after publishing your product. The world shows off the fantastic sensation of seeing something you created.
Step 4: Share and Promote (Without Feeling Gross About It)
A marketing approach can exist without creating any uncomfortable feelings in customers. Think of it like storytelling. You communicate a valuable solution that brings value to people’s lives through ease or improvement. When I changed my thinking strategy, it altered my entire viewpoint.
Here are the effective methods I used to promote without discomfort:
Social media: I distributed workable ideas about my product through LinkedIn and Instagram networks. When I offered free job search tips, I would mention that readers could access my no-cost organization tracker as well.
Content marketing: I composed brief articles and forum threads that explained what my product accomplished while slipping in a discreet promotional statement at their conclusion.
Behind-the-scenes posts: Previews of your product development process should be posted to create greater engagement from your audience.
Email signature: People stumbled across my product after I added it to my email signature thus leading to several product sales.
Freebies: I produced a scaled-down free version from my product range to attract email subscribers who received subsequent useful advice and upcoming product information.
Furthermore, The purpose here is to offer assistance more than making sales pitches. A product that tackles genuine issues will attract people who feel gratitude towards the solution.
Step 5: Improve as You Go
The initial sales performance of my debut product reached very few customers. I could’ve given up. Also, Understandably I took this as evidence that distant Internet users would pay me for my creations. That was huge.
So I asked for feedback. Multiple readers suggested having the content available for printing. Some users wanted the headings to become more easily understood by readers. I entered Canva to change my design and then uploaded this updated version to the platform. The Gumroad system allowed me to distribute free automatic product updates to my buyers.
The production of a second product followed. And a third.
Every new attempt to improve my online business surpassed the previous version. The process allowed me to construct a basic digital shop front. Nothing huge or fancy, but consistent. The small PayPal payments, which began entering my account, totaled between \$10 to \$25 at a time. My earnings from those sales grew to produce monthly profits between \$100 and \$200.
Creating my online products became the source that boosted my self-assurance beyond monetary returns. I had created something valuable. I moved beyond job application status because I constructed my professional project through continuous work.
Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner
Done is better than perfect: Launch your idea even when it lacks perfection to receive better results. The product can receive additional improvement in later stages of development.
Build a system: I designed an easy-to-action template in Canva, which became my standard format to make product creation faster.
Price smartly: Set your prices moderately rather than underestimating them, but make them suitable for new clients who need budget-friendly options.
Leverage feedback: Solicit direct information from your buyers about their positive and negative perceptions of your products. Use it to improve and expand.
Batch your work: Devote your time once per week to complete multiple tasks related to content generation and promotional activity. It adds up quickly.
Final Thoughts: You Can Start Today
For everyone who remains undecided, I want to step in and advise you to begin right now. You have no necessity for obtaining anyone’s approval, and you don’t require excellence to launch.
The digital product creation and selling process revealed entrance opportunities beyond my wildest expectations. Through product creation I gained artistic expression and increased confidence and began to profit financially. This path leads toward either achieving small supplementary earnings or establishing a complete full-time business. One simple product at a time.
So, pick a problem. Open Canva. Build something small. Share it. See what happens.
Your initial profitable sale is guaranteed to happen sooner than you expect. One instant of achievement will help you realize that you possess all the skills to succeed. The initial success is only the start of what lies ahead.
Also Read: How to Gain Remote Work Experience When You’re Just Starting Out