So, you’ve decided to create and sell printables as your first digital product—congratulations! You’re on your way to building a profitable online business. Printables are fun, easy to make, and incredibly useful. Whether you want to sell planners, checklists, or worksheets, creating a digital product like printables can help you bring in extra income with minimal upfront costs.
If you’re new to this, don’t worry! In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the exact steps to help you start selling printables and turning them into a successful online business. Let’s dive in!
1. Choose Your Niche
The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of printables you want to create and who you want to create them for. This is called finding your niche. Your niche is a specific group of people who will benefit from your printables. For example, do you want to help busy moms organize their homes? Or are you interested in creating planners for women entrepreneurs? Maybe you want to help students stay organized with schoolwork. Picking a niche will make it easier for you to stand out in the market and attract customers.
Some popular printable ideas include:
- Planners (daily, weekly, or monthly)
- Checklists (to-do lists, home organization)
- Worksheets (budgeting, goal setting)
- Calendars
Tip: Try narrowing down your niche even further to stand out from the crowd. Instead of making generic planners, you could create “business planners for women entrepreneurs” or “meal planning checklists for busy moms.” The more specific you are, the easier it will be to attract the right customers. Get my Weekly Planner: for Business Women now!
2. Design Your Printable
Now that you know who your printables are for, it’s time to design them! The best part is, you don’t need to be a design expert to create something amazing. There are plenty of free and easy-to-use tools to help you design your printables.
Canva is a great starting point. It has tons of templates and allows you to drag and drop elements to make your design unique. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try more advanced software like Adobe Illustrator for extra customization. But if design isn’t your strong suit, don’t stress—you can always purchase pre-made templates from marketplaces like Etsy and customize them to match your style.
Make sure your printables are:
- Clean and simple
- Easy to read
- Visually appealing
Ready to start designing? Check out my blog post on the Top 5 Free and Paid Design Tools for Creating Your First Printable!
3. Set Up Your Selling Platform
Once you’ve created your printable, it’s time to choose where to sell it. There are several platforms that make it easy to sell digital products, even if you’re a beginner. Two of the most popular platforms are PayHip and Etsy. These platforms are user-friendly and have built-in audiences who are ready to buy.
If you already have a blog or a website, you can sell your printables directly from your own site using tools like WooCommerce or Shopify. This option gives you more control and allows you to avoid platform fees.
Tip: Consider offering a free printable in exchange for email addresses. This way, you can start building a list of potential buyers. Once someone is on your email list, you can send them updates about new products, special discounts, and more!
Get My Epic Planner is designed specifically for the New Online Business Owner! Let this planner save you time and make you money!
4. Price Your Product
Pricing your printable can feel tricky, but don’t overthink it! The key is to find a balance between the value you’re offering and what your target audience is willing to pay. Many new sellers start with lower-priced products to attract buyers. For example, you can sell your printables for anywhere between $2 and $10. As your business grows, and you build a following, you can slowly increase your prices.
Tip: Start low to attract customers, then raise your prices as demand increases. You can even create a bundle of printables and sell them for a higher price as a value pack.
Need help with pricing? Check out my quick guide to pricing digital products here!
5. Market Your Printables
Now that your printables are designed, priced, and ready to go, it’s time to let the world know! Marketing is key to attracting buyers, so focus on using social media platforms where your target audience spends time.
Here are some great platforms to market your printables:
- Pinterest: Pinterest is perfect for marketing printables because it’s a visual search engine. Create eye-catching pins that link back to your product listings.
- Instagram: Share your designs on Instagram and use hashtags to reach more people.
- Facebook: Join Facebook groups where your target audience hangs out and share your products there.
Tip: Make sure to use keywords in your product descriptions and listing titles to help your printables show up in searches. For example, if you’re selling a planner for women entrepreneurs, use keywords like “planner for women business owners,” “digital business planner,” and “printable business planner.”
6. Rinse and Repeat
Once you’ve sold your first printable, congratulations—you did it! Now, it’s time to rinse and repeat. The beauty of selling digital products like printables is that you can create them once and sell them over and over again. Keep creating new designs, updating old ones, and finding fresh ways to help your customers.
As you grow your business, you’ll start to see more consistent sales. With printables, you can build a steady stream of passive income that grows over time. The more products you create, the more you can sell—and the more money you can make!
Final Thoughts
Starting an online business with printables is a fun and simple way to make money from home. With the right niche, tools, and marketing strategy, you can grow a profitable business without needing a lot of upfront investment. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your laptop, start designing, and get ready to make your first sale!
This blog post is packed with tips, tools, and encouragement to help you succeed, but remember—the most important thing is just to get started. You’ve got this!