How I've Sold $3.3 Million in Digital Products & Courses

Podcast

Nov 20

Episode 902: Show Notes

Ever wondered what it really takes to build a multimillion-dollar digital product business? In this episode, I pull back the curtain to give you a transparent look at the strategies, hard-earned lessons, and yes, even mistakes that took me from running a small marketing agency to generating over $3.3 million in digital product sales. If you're ready to get paid to build a list full of qualified leads and create scalable offers that serve your audience, this episode is for you!

We dive into everything from understanding your audience’s needs and structuring a product ecosystem to using low-cost products as lead generators and the best way to balance live launches with evergreen strategies. Along the way, I share the importance of building a strong community, maintaining client experience, and staying resilient when things don’t go as planned. Want to find out what it takes to either pivot your service-based company into a digital product and course business or scale your current one? Grab your notebooks and let’s dive in!

Listen on your favorite podcast player

Listen to the Strategy Hour Podcast on Spotify

Listen to the Strategy Hour Podcast on Apple Podcasts

The Role of Community & Networking

When I first started, I had no intention of building a digital product and course business. My work began as a marketing agency focused on helping local clients, especially in the food industry, with everything they needed to grow their small businesses, from website design to branding, packaging, and more. So, how did I quite literally go from an agency to selling my first digital product and course? Well, it started because I became a part of a community.

Looking to connect with other female entrepreneurs, I joined the Savvy Business Owners Facebook group where I met Emylee, a photographer with similar goals. We quickly bonded, supporting each other's content and eventually co-hosting my first webinar, which featured her course, Pricing for Profit. The experience was so rewarding that Emylee became my contractor and we started marketing together as if we were one business (a partnership that would eventually lead us to co-found Boss Project!) Initially, courses and digital products were just a side passion, but after we both experienced major life shifts, we decided to pivot entirely to education. This move allowed us to build something scalable and impactful, supporting our full-time incomes and, eventually, a full-time team of 10. Through it all, our mission stayed the same: to help people create sustainable, profitable income for their families.

How Digital Products Offer Freedom & Growth

So many business owners reach a point where they’re ready for something bigger but don’t know how to get there. I’ve seen people who are experts in their field and successful in high-end services, coaching, or consulting, yet they’re burnt out and craving more time freedom. I know that feeling well. After a traumatic brain injury, I needed to find a way to work when I felt good and rest when I didn’t. Digital products and courses felt like an opportunity to do the work when I was having good days while still building something impactful. I wanted to move beyond the limits of one-on-one work and connect with thousands of people on their journey.

It wasn’t always easy! What people don't tell you about this kind of business is that it is very front-loaded. You spend a lot of time in the beginning building an audience and developing your content and intellectual property. You don't necessarily see the rewards immediately, but I fully believe that digital products and courses are one of the few ways to work with a large audience in a truly scalable way. I remember launching my first digital product, Trello for Business, and being amazed that it went absolutely gangbusters, bringing in over $8,000 in just the first 30 days! Seeing that impact showed me what was possible and gave me the confidence to keep pushing forward. Building a digital product business means I can help more people while keeping things lean and flexible, and that’s why I’m grateful every day that I chose this path.

Building a Product Ecosystem that Works for YOU!

Now, I don’t want to tell you that there is one “perfect” way to build a digital product business. Whether it’s low-end products, premium membership programs, live support, or audio-only content, the best approach is the one that fits YOUR unique goals and the lifestyle YOU want! Don't let anyone else dictate what that looks like. My approach might look different from yours, but I’m here to share the strategies and hard-earned lessons that got me here in the hopes that they’ll support you on your journey.

From my experience, building a digital product business requires balancing both low-cost and higher-value offers. Early on, the things that were my primary focus had a more specific tilt towards low-end, with products in the $30 to $2,000 range. Low-end products are a great entry point. They help you get paid to build a list full of qualified leads while nurturing them toward higher-ticket offers over time. However, most small businesses don’t have the audience size they need to rely solely on low-cost products. If you’re just starting out, I recommend having a more advanced offer in the $2,000 to $5,000 range, as you are going to build the most income the quickest that way. Don’t be afraid to charge a premium for what you offer! Low-cost products are a conversation starter, but higher-priced programs provide the revenue you need to make your business sustainable.

Why Visibility & Messaging Are Key to Success

I’ve had low-end signature offers that brought in nearly $800,000 and premium digital products that only sold once. Not every product you make is going to be a winner, but most people give up on their digital products or courses before they’ve put enough effort into promotion. The key to growing sales is visibility! If your offer truly solves a customer need but isn’t selling, the issue is more than likely the messaging, NOT your product. Inside Digital Product Jumpstart, I walk you through how to properly assess your offer and reverse engineer any issues you encounter because if you don’t know how to assess what is or isn’t working, you’re never going to grow!

Creating a strategic product ecosystem is essential too, allowing you to support clients at different stages and preventing the constant need to bring in new customers. I recommend starting with live launches to learn how your audience responds, and then evergreen the strategies that work for consistent reach. My biggest lead drivers have been low-cost products and strategic partnerships, which helped me gain nearly 10,000 subscribers in just six months! Next is pricing. You don’t have to choose between high-end or low-end offers. If you’re looking to build fast income, start with a high-end offer first, then diversify. Memberships are another way to build recurring revenue, but they typically work best when you already have a large audience. Instead, try funneling customers from a low-cost product to a higher-end offer for stronger results.

The Power of Resilience and Long-Term Vision

If cash flow is a problem, it's because leads are a problem. If leads are a problem, visibility is the problem. I’ve learned the hard way. I'm in a high-volume business. The way my business is structured, I need far more leads than the average small business simply because of my product mix. Ultimately, the thing that is going to grow your business is momentum: consistency and resilience are what fuel the snowball effect you want! You don’t have to overcommit, but you do have to keep showing up, even if it’s with a manageable amount of work. By consistently engaging, you build exposure, increase traffic to your sales pages, and convert more people into customers. It's all about staying in motion and being smart about what you can handle!

Building a sustainable business comes down to understanding your ideal client’s needs and creating offers that serve them. I want you to create an offer that's scalable and consider an entry-level product to generate leads. Unsustainable commitments can lead to burnout. The lower-end offers should be more DIY while the higher-end ones can provide support, but remember, your time is finite! Business growth requires flexibility and innovation is essential. Showing up consistently, being mindful of customer needs, focusing on delivering a quality product, and giving your clients a great experience so you have solid stories to sell your offers in the future is what will make a difference long-term. As I’ve discovered, offers may fail or succeed, but each step provides valuable lessons. I’ve learned through trial and error that the businesses that don’t innovate die.

If you’re ready to start or scale, I encourage you to take action, whether that’s through Digital Product Jumpstart or diving deeper with The Co-op. Building generational wealth isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely possible if you stay focused and consistently deliver value!