Last Updated on June 22, 2024 by Jan Barley
For many years, I put off creating digital products. I thought I’d have to create an ebook or course from scratch, and I couldn’t face it. I knew it would be time-consuming, and I was busy with client work.
I bought my first digital product with master resell rights at the end of November 2023. It cost $600! However, I quickly realised there were too many customer friction points for me to feel happy about selling it. For instance, it isn’t fully automated, there were problems with the payment processor and it was just a biy icky.
Why I Don’t Like the Master Resell Rights (MRR) Business Model
I wasn’t comfortable with people paying me directly and I decided I didn’t like the master resell rights business model. Buying a product to sell a product shouldn’t be the goal. For me, it’s about learning high-income skills and I’ve learned more from YouTube tutorials than with that course.
I see many people struggling with the tech setup and they aren’t allowed to be vulnerable if they aren’t getting sales. The entire business seems to be about broadcasting how much money some people are making.
A Better Option Than MRR
I decided to let that business go. Thankfully, within a couple of months, I found a done-for-you business that (imo) is more sustainable, ethical and less focused on the rah rah rah of making a lot of money. It’s a calmer community grounded in integrity that encourages collaboration rather than competition and everyone is delighted with the business and their results.
You get a Shopify store with over 200 products and there’s no monthly fees EVER. There is no tech setup or dealing with payment processors. Instead, we get paid 70% commission when someone joins the business and we can promote the store products from our shop and earn a commission from that.
It more closely replicates a “proper” business model.
The Process I Followed to Make Digital Products
I will bullet point my process because I’m sure you don’t want to read reams of pages.
- I bought low-cost PLR (private label rights) products with resell rights
- I bought from people I knew in digital marketing groups, Facebook ads and platforms that sell PLR, such as Etsy
- These products were Canva templates so that I can edit and personalise/improve
- I reorganised the content, adding elements, changing fonts, images, and colours and creating new covers
- I opened a free account with Gumroad
- I created mock-ups on Canva for images for my shop listings
- I began promoting on Pinterest
Gumroad was my first shop, but I didn’t realise they don’t allow PLR or MRR products. It took them five months to actually tell me, after I had published fourteen products! So, don’t publish on Gumroad!
I also plan to put more digital products on Systeme. I may use a few as lead magnets and sell the rest cheaply so others can make money by reselling them. For now, I’m busy with my DFY store becuase that’s done all the work for me.
Was it Easy?
Yes and no. I have undiagnosed ADHD with some elements of ASD, so my natural inclination is to simplify, problem-solve and improve. That meant it took me a long time to edit the courses. It didn’t help that I manually changed fonts and colours on every page for three courses before realising that Canva has a “change all” option.
<<<Slaps forehead>>>
What I Would Do Differently if I Created Digital Products
I wouldn’t buy other people’s low-ticket PLRs. Instead, I would create my own from scratch. Though that is the longer route, there’s no guessing about the quality and you can create something unique and personalised. I would start a YouTube channel and commit to marketing rather than relying on a marketplace like Etsy. They are notorious for randomly closing people’s accounts and it’s happening more lately.
I would consider creating a video course and becoming a specialist in one subject. I’m leaning towards Pinterest because that platform generates results. Instagram is dead in the water for many and TikTok is just plain weird.
So, I’m studying pin design and may later focus on helping businesses get traction on Pinterest. I may create pins to sell on Creative Fabrica, which imo is better than Etsy.
What’s Next?
I am focused on getting to know the DFY business. I’m leaning into affiliate marketing because MRR is NOT passive. It’s a lot of grunt work that never ends. Affiliate marketing is a better option if you want passive income. For esample, the DFY business has three tiers of commissions:-
- 70%
- 10%
- 5%
A year down the line, you’ll be receiving regular passive income from the second and third tier, and that can add up. My focus in on Pinterest marketing. I promote articles on this website, affiliate products I use and, each week, share some of the products from the DFU store. Pinterest is one of the best platforms for marketing your business. I’ll be sharing more content here and on YouTube when I have time, so I can show others what I am learning.
If you’re thinking about starting a digital products business, I recommend building one product. Decide which social media channels to use for marketing and practice until you have mastered the process.
Conclusion
I’m not saying don’t create digital products. Still, it’s essential to establish what you want from a product. If you just want to make money, you’d be better off buying a product you can market. Learn as much as you can about digital marketing, and focus on building high-income skills.