If you’re thinking about starting a digital product business, you might be wondering which product is best to start with. Should you create an eBook? Or a course?
Courses are great and you can generally charge a lot of money for them. But are they the best place to start?
I say no.
Here are 5 reasons why you should have started your digital product business with an eBook (and not a course!).
@marybethsantos eBooks have the lowest barrier to entry. Start with one then try a course or workshop. #digitalproduct #onlinebusinessforbeginners #digitalproducts #howtowriteanebook #digitalproductstosell ♬ original sound – MARTIN
Disclaimer: I have nothing against courses for your digital product business
Real quick, before we get to why you should start your digital product business with an eBook, I want to say, I have nothing at all against courses.
I would encourage you to create one. Later. Just not right at the beginning.
I’ve worked with thousands of people over the course of several years and I’ve been on this journey for many years myself.
I know exactly how difficult it is to actually make money online from a digital product business (or any online business).
My goal is to quickly remove as many obstacles as possible for you so that you can start to gain the confidence you need to keep moving forward.
Starting with an eBook is going to help with that.
You can create your course when you’re done with the book, ok?
#1: eBooks take the least amount of time & effort.
Before you get all huffy, I don’t mean that you should do an eBook because it’s the lazy way to start.
What I mean is that it will require the least amount of time and effort to create, but it still needs to solve a specific problem that your audience is facing.
You can write an eBook in as little as 10 Days. That means in a week and a half (ish) you could have a new offer ready for your audience that you could make money from.
Now instead of working on a whole COURSE for months and making ZERO dollars, you can have a little income from that eBook.
Even if it is just a little income, knowing that you’ve created something that people are ACTUALLY BUYING is going to help a WHOLE lot if you suffer from mindset issues like impostor syndrome.
#2: eBooks Can Be Created with SIMPLE Technology
If you are new to this, writing an eBook can be done with very simple tools.
Google Docs template. Google Slides template. Canva template if you’re feeling adventurous.
This is stuff you probably ALREADY know how to use.
When you start with something like a course or workshop, you’re going to probably need to learn some new software.
Or how to record and edit video.
These are things you SHOULD do someday. But at the beginning, there are enough things that will stop you from moving forward.
I do NOT want technology to be one of them.
This post will show you the steps that teach you how to write an ebook for free.
#3: Your Audience MIGHT NOT Want a WHOLE Course
eBooks can be written in a small amount of time and with the least amount of effort.
But that’s just the YOU side of the equation. Maybe you feel ready to jump in and create something more substantial.
But what about your audience?
Is a course or workshop the RIGHT format for them?
For example, if your audience is busy mothers with little kids, do they really want to take a whole course?
Or do they want a short guide that gets right to the heart of one small problem and solves it for them?
Now, they MIGHT want to take a whole course. It can depend on what you’re trying to help them with.
But if your product is something that helps busy mothers save time, I’d start with some type of guide or eBook.
They want to save time. Not sit down at the computer and learn a whole framework for time management.
#4: eBooks Are Easy to Set Up to Sell
Your eBook is a .pdf. There are a million (ok, maybe not quite a million but a lot) of services you can use to get your eBook set up to sell, quickly and cheaply.
My favorite at the moment is ConvertKit.
Yes, the email service provider will also let you create a REALLY simple sales page from a template, and do payment processing and delivery (you can even start on their FREE tier).
I have a guide that I wrote about finding your money-making digital product idea set up to sell on ConvertKit.
I’ve set up digital products to sell in lots of different ways with lots of different tools. ConvertKit is the easiest I’ve used so far.
Here’s what the sales page looks like:
You create it from a template that is simple to edit and customize. Once you create it, you can link to it from your social media or blog posts and you are now capable of making money.
(psst, Check out this post on social selling examples if you aren’t sure what type of content you should be creating for social media!).
#5: Quick Wins Are Really Good for Your Mindset
If you know anything about trying to make money online, you know that the biggest hurdle you’re going to face is going to be getting past your own brain.
I am an expert at HAVING Impostor Syndrome, so unfortunately I can’t tell you what solves it or other mindset problems, but I can tell you that writing an eBook will help a little.
First of all, you’re going to get this amazing information you have in your head out of your head and onto paper and you’re going to realize “wow! I know a lot about this and I can see how it could actually help someone improve their life!”
And secondly, when you follow through and set that eBook up to sell and actually SELL one, well, let me tell you. You won’t fit through the door.
For at least a few hours. That’s usually when the mindset monsters start to creep back in for me, but even just that little short-term confidence boost helps keep you moving forward.
If You’re Overwhelmed at Creating a Course, Then, DON’T!
Start with an eBook. Please take my advice on this, especially if you suffer from mindset issues like impostor syndrome (as I did!).
It doesn’t have to be as complicated as everyone makes it sound.
Ok? Get started.
