Digital products have become incredibly popular as the internet advances. A digital product has no shape or physical form and requires no factory.
One of the reasons they’ve become so popular (either as standalone products or as supplements to a separate product) is because of their very digital nature. There’s no cost of manufacturing or prototypes. No raw materials to consider. The main cost is time and a bit of skill, and the rewards can be near infinite because the product can be repeated and replaced ad infinitum since there’s no manufacturing process involved. You pay your start-up costs up front, and then from there is profit.
Sounds like a dream, right? Here are some other benefits of digital products:
- May be able to work from home
- Save on commuting costs (gas, car wear and tear, etc)
- No need to lease a space, which can be prohibitively expensive in high cost-of-living areas)
- No need for manufacturers and engineers
- No negotiating a product with stores put it on shelves
- Low start-up costs
- No shipping costs (delivers instantly via the internet!)
- Can be replicated ad infinitum
Now you know what digital products are and how good successful ones can be. What products can you actually make?
The brainstorming process should be like any other product in the sense that nobody wants to buy something that doesn’t do anything for them. You need to solve a problem for an audience that you can reach, or offer them something that they find valuable in some way. Think about your experience. What do you know how to do? What are you good at (Hint: it doesn’t have to be a digital skill in order to be turned into a digital product)? If you’re a woodworker, you may think that digital products aren’t possible because you’re selling furniture, a very physical thing.
But think about it this way: you’re not just selling furniture. You’re selling your skills, your craftsmanship. You could turn that skill into educational videos on how to make furniture, and voilà! You have yourself a digital product.
Depending on your personal skills and background, any of these digital products may be able to work for you:
- Ebooks and PDF instructional guides
- Videos (entertainment or tutorials)
- Audio Mixing Courses
- Music (Jingles, songs, ringtones)
- WordPress themes or other website themes
- Stock photos
- Photography
- Software
- Apps
- Graphics
- Digital art
- Language lessons
- Selling domains
- Patterns (Sewing patterns, knitting patterns)
- Customized planning (nutrition, meal-prep, workouts, vacations, etc)
You’re only limited by your own knowledge base and how much you’re willing to put into your new digital product. What do you know, and how can you sell it?
There’s also the option of professional services online. While these aren’t technically digital products, it can be a fine line between product in service in our market culture. Customers won’t care about which category your product/service falls into as long as it makes their lives easier or helps them in some way.
- Coaching (life, nutrition, business, etc)
- Consultants
- Copywriters
- Translators
- Consultants
- Trainers
- Web design
- Legal services
Keep in mind that online, anyone can say they’re qualified for anything. Make sure that you establish your credentials and your expertise while you promote yourself. Show that you know your stuff, and your digital product or service is worthwhile! Both the product and your website should be visually appealing to help establish credibility. Use your talents, passions, and knowledge to your advantage, and best of luck!
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