Create Once, Sell a Bunch?
The Asset Power of Digital Products
I know you’ve heard the phrase, “Create Once, Sell Forever” when it comes to digital products, but I think that’s a lazy phrase. You don’t just create once. You research, create, test, modify, re-test, and then sell, and then probably modify again a few more times over the years. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s do talk about digital products and why you might not yet be on that bandwagon.
Digital products have nothing to do with physical storefronts, warehouses, or shipping delays. Instead, it’s built on something far more transient: creations that exist entirely online, that require no inventory, and that you can sell an infinite number of times with little to no additional effort.
Imagine writing a workbook once and selling it for years. Or designing a single planner template that thousands of people download. Or recording an online course or a song that generates income while you (hopefully) sleep. This is the beauty of digital products.
The downside is market glut, so you need to stand out. There’s a lot of trash out there, and if consumers learn over time that digital downloads=trash, then your work becomes a hard sell. There are ways to work around those obstacles, but first let’s look at what you can create, both the good and the bad…
Why Digital Products Are the Ultimate Asset
Traditional businesses rely on physical inventory, supply chains, and the constant cycle of selling, restocking, and shipping. But digital products eliminate many of these headaches. In the process, they create new pains and it’s best to be aware of them:
No Manufacturing Costs: Once created, there are no additional production expenses. This also means you pay additional taxes when you don’t have deductions.
Instant Scalability: Sell one copy or one million—without added effort. Uh…well…marketing efforts should be ongoing.
Passive Income Potential: Unlike services, where time equals money, digital products allow you to step back and let the sales roll in. Again, this works only if you’ve snagged the audience for your asset.
Global Reach: Anyone, anywhere, can buy your product instantly. Unless, of course, your platform breaks down, shuts down, or becomes too pricey for you to participate.
Many entrepreneurs have shifted toward creating digital assets as a key part of their income strategy. That’s a solid sentence if you’re an influencer. I hate to break it to you, but you really can’t count on friends and relatives to keep you afloat. The “buy nothing” crowd still exists, and you’ll be very lucky to get an endorsement from your favorite famous person (I refuse to drop names).
Let’s break down what you can sell if you feel inspired…
The Many Faces of Digital Products
1. eBooks: Share Your Knowledge, One Download at a Time
Before, writing a book meant long publishing processes, printing costs, and hoping for a publishing deal. Now, anyone can create an eBook and sell it directly to their audience. Hopefully, after undergoing an editorial process and proofreaders.
Authors, educators, and industry experts turn their expertise into valuable guides, tutorials, and even fiction or memoirs. Whether it's a recipe book, a genealogy guide, or a step-by-step business manual, eBooks are one of the easiest ways to create a sellable, passive income product.
Where to sell: Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Gumroad, Etsy, your website (eBay currently doesn’t offer download options for sellers).
Profit example: A niche eBook priced at $9.99, selling 500 copies, brings in nearly $5,000 with no additional work.
Pros: All the above.
Cons: Expenses on the front end can prove daunting if you want a professional look and feel. Most professional writers know that proofreaders, editors, and designers are lifeblood to any book. Note that I removed publishers and beta readers. You are the publisher, and beta readers are a toss-up. Beta readers can be helpful for early feedback, but a professional editor is the real game-changer. Sometimes editors prefer to read the piece first. That said, beta readers can prove invaluable for positive reviews, even after editing.
2. Online Courses: Teaching Once, Earning Forever
Whether you have expertise in history, gardening, copywriting, or even beginner yoga, people are willing to pay for structured learning experiences. Take note that learning is changing, and perspectives on online learning have changed for the better since the pandemic. Globally, online learning has surged. That’s a plus.
Profit example: A $99 course selling just 20 times a month brings in $1,980 monthly—without ongoing work.
Pros: All the above.
Cons: Creating an online course takes effort upfront—recording video lessons, writing course materials, and setting up a learning platform. Plus, there are personal questions: How comfortable are you in front of a camera? Are you a good speaker? Can you hire someone to teach the course for you or are you able to change the format to faceless presentations?
3. Printables & Templates: Done-For-You Digital Products
People love ready-made solutions, and that’s exactly what printables and templates offer. From digital planners and business templates to wedding invitations and resume designs, these low-cost, high-volume products are some of the easiest to create.
Where to sell: Etsy, Creative Market, Gumroad, The Leap
Profit example: A $5 digital planner selling 1,000 times in a year brings in $5,000 without extra work beyond the creation.
Pros: Customers download them instantly, meaning no shipping, no hassle. Also, most places do not offer refunds on digital downloads, so no returns.
Cons: Few. If you love to design and have a knack for ready-made solutions, dive in. Just remember you are known by the quality of your products, and that can either help or hinder sales.
4. Memberships & Exclusive Content: Recurring Revenue Without the Hassle
While selling individual products is great, subscription-based models can create ongoing, predictable income. Platforms like Patreon or Substack allow creators to charge monthly fees for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, or premium digital resources.
Profit example: 200 members paying just $5 per month equals $1,000 in passive income every month.
Pros: Building cred, obviously, as you are out there with a platform. You can sell your courses in bits and pieces, your books one chapter at a time, or your opinons and insights.
Cons: Slow starting, and—unless you already have an audience—time is required to build interest and fandom.
5. Stock Photography & Digital Art: Sell Your Creativity Over and Over
Photographers and artists can turn their work into digital assets by licensing stock images, vector illustrations, and digital art. Once uploaded, these assets can be sold an unlimited number of times, providing a steady income stream.
Where to sell: Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Etsy, Redbubble, and the list goes on and on…
Profit example: A single digital art piece that sells 100 times at $15 brings in $1,500—for one file.
Pros: If you are a talented photographer or a skilled artist, there’s no stopping you from selling prints globally. Conserve your originals for the galleries.
Cons: If you are an amateur, it will show (same with writing and music). You will know by the lack of sales. Oversaturation is real. If your art gets shared like Banksy’s, you've made it. But first, you need to learn how to format and market images effectively.
The Secret to Success: Create Once, Sell Forever
So, how do you turn a digital product idea into a profitable asset? The process is simple but requires a strategic approach:
Identify a Need and Conduct Market Research: What problem can your digital product solve? A busy professional needs a planner, a beginner needs a tutorial, a small business owner needs marketing templates. Before creating a digital product, it's essential to see if there's a demand. Check your competition, use keyword research, and survey potential buyers. You might find your idea is a bust, or you may find more enthusiasm than you expected. A great resource? Neil Patel. His free tools for keyword research and online marketing can help you validate your idea before you invest time.
Create with Quality: Even digital products should feel premium. Well-designed eBooks, polished video courses, and easy-to-use templates stand out in a crowded market. While the general return policy for digital products is “once you’ve downloaded, you’ve consumed,” you might be held to country or state standards that oblige you to refund a product that you can no longer possess. Mainly, that product is represented by $$. So, creating quality work is a must, as well as using a professional platform that uses reliable payment and download systems.
Choose the Right Platform: Each product has an ideal marketplace—Amazon for eBooks, Etsy for printables, Udemy for courses. Then you have the mashups. Beware the platform that appears confusing, as your customers may also be confused. That said, be aware that many new platforms are emerging to challenge the status quo, and they may develop the following you need.
Market & Scale: Unlike physical products, digital assets sell best when actively and constantly promoted—via social media, SEO, and email marketing.
Customer Support & Maintenance: Digital products aren’t always “set and forget.” Buyers might have questions or issues (e.g., accessing downloads, file compatibility, etc.). Even templates and courses require occasional updates to stay relevant.
Piracy & Unauthorized Distribution: This is a challenge for digital products. Some marketplaces have built-in protections, but creators should be aware that their work might be copied, shared, or even resold illegally. There are many legal options for creators these days, including templates for cease and desist letters. Be very careful about using online templates from lawyers. Legal Zoom is an option, but you also can find attorneys who specialize in creating all the legal aspects you need for online sales (privacy notices, terms of service, cookie policy, disclaimer, etc.). Some platforms, like Gumroad and KDP, offer built-in protections. Watermarking PDFs, limiting downloads, and using licensing agreements also can help.
The Learning Curve for Selling: Setting up an online store, formatting an eBook for KDP, or uploading a course to Teachable isn’t always intuitive. First-time sellers may need to invest time (or money) in learning how to use these platforms efficiently. You can always take a course, of course…
Conclusion: Your Work, Working for You
In a world where time is the most valuable resource, digital products offer an unparalleled advantage: the ability to generate income without constant effort. Whether you’re a writer, artist, teacher, or entrepreneur, you already have knowledge and skills that can be turned into sellable assets.
Just remember that every silver lining has a cloud attached. Go in with eyes wide open. Create once? Yes. Sell forever? Well, in theory, yes…in fact, you might want to learn how much your digital assets are worth as well as compile those digital assets for your will or trust.
Now…the question isn’t if you should create a digital product—it’s which one will you create first?
Photo by Alexander Grey at Pexels — another resource for online photos and art.
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