Digital Products Guide: Build Something Worth Selling

Want to know what’s worse than failing at digital products? Succeeding at the wrong ones. Three times.

I spent years building what looked like success on paper. Multiple digital products that hit six figures but made me want to stab myself in the eye with a fork every morning. One in productivity apps (ironic, I know), another in online education, and a third in ecommerce.

Each time, I’d build to 80% completion, hit six figures, then feel this overwhelming urge to burn it all down and start fresh.

Everyone had a theory. Lack of focus. Poor follow-through. The entrepreneurial equivalent of commitment issues.

Then at 42, I got an ADHD diagnosis that explained everything. Those “commitment issues”? Actually my brain’s inability to stick with things that didn’t light it up. The constant product hopping? My superpower for seeing patterns and opportunities, just wearing a problem mask.

But knowing why I built and abandoned successful digital products didn’t solve the bigger issue. That revelation came from my kid, of all people.

Picture this. It’s 7:13 AM on a Tuesday. I’m flipping pancakes, trying to get him ready for school. Steam rising from the coffee maker. Rain tapping against the kitchen window. He’s sitting at the counter, feet swinging, watching me work my weird dad magic with the spatula.

“Dad, what do you do for work?”

I tell him about the current digital product. The numbers. The growth. The success.

“Do you love what you create?”

I hesitate.

Right there, between flips of a pancake, everything changed. Because that hesitation? It meant I’d failed at something far more important than building digital products. I’d failed at building a life worth living.

That’s when everything shifted. Not because the world needs another guide about digital products. Not because I’ve got all the answers (spoiler alert… I don’t). But because I’m done watching talented people translate their joy into cages and call it success.

So here’s what we’re going to do instead. We’re going to talk about building digital products that actually mean something. Products that make you want to jump out of bed at 5 AM to work on them. Not because some guru told you to wake up early, but because you can’t wait to keep building.

First though, let’s get clear on what digital products actually are, without all the corporate jargon that makes everyone’s eyes glaze over.

Ready to explore different ways to package your weird obsessions? Check out our complete guide to types of digital products

What Are Digital Products (Without the MBA Jargon)

Most people would start with some boring dictionary definition of digital products. Maybe throw in some stats about market size or growth potential. Make it sound all professional and corporate.

But we’re not doing that.

Digital products are pieces of your brain that you package up and sell while you sleep. That’s it. That’s the definition.

Could be an ebook that teaches someone how to finally make sense of their finances. Maybe it’s a course that shows people how to turn their weird obsession with vintage postcards into an actual business. Or perhaps it’s a template that helps someone skip three weeks of banging their head against the wall trying to figure something out.

The magic happens because once you create these things, they can sell over and over without you having to do the work again. No shipping physical products. No trading hours for dollars. No constantly repeating yourself until your brain melts.

But here’s what nobody tells you about digital products. Just because you can create something once and sell it forever doesn’t mean you should. The internet is already packed with half-baked courses, generic templates, and ebooks that should’ve stayed in someone’s drafts folder.

The real opportunity isn’t in creating more digital products. It’s in creating the right ones. The ones that:

• Actually solve real problems (not just imaginary ones you made up to sell something)
• Transform someone’s life or business (not just add to their digital clutter)
• Make you excited to work on them (because if you’re bored making it, imagine how bored they’ll be buying it)

Think about it this way. Every time someone buys your digital product, they’re not just buying a file or a login. They’re buying a piece of your expertise, your experience, your weird way of seeing the world.

That’s powerful stuff. When it’s done right.

When it’s done wrong? You end up building another beautiful prison. One that looks great in your business plan but makes you die a little inside every time someone buys it.

I’ve built both kinds. Trust me, one feels a lot better than the other.

The difference comes down to something most people miss entirely. Something we need to talk about before you waste months building the wrong thing.

But first, let’s make sure you don’t fall into the trap that catches most people when they start creating digital products.

The Digital Product Trap

Want to know the fastest way to build a digital product that fails? Copy what’s working for someone else.

I see it happen every day. Someone looks at a successful course creator and thinks “I’ll just do what they did.” Or they spot a profitable ebook and figure “I can write something like that.”

Spoiler alert… that’s how you build a prison, not a product.

Here’s what happens. You start with good intentions. You see other people crushing it with digital products and think “Yeah, I could do that.” So you:

• Research what’s selling well
• Study the “proven” formats
• Copy the “winning” frameworks
• Follow the “perfect” launch strategy

And somehow you end up with something that looks exactly like everyone else’s stuff. Another course that promises six figures in six weeks. Another ebook that rehashes the same tired advice. Another template that looks professional but solves nothing.

But here’s what nobody tells you about successful digital products. The ones that actually work? They’re usually weird. They break the rules. They do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.

Think about it. The last digital product you bought that actually changed something for you… was it just like everything else out there? Or was it different somehow?

I learned this the hard way. Remember those three six-figure businesses I mentioned? Each one was built on digital products that followed all the “right” rules:

• Professional sales pages (that made me cringe every time I read them)
• Perfect pricing strategy (that felt wrong in my gut)
• Proven marketing approach (that made me sound like everyone else)

The products sold. The money came in. But every sale felt a little bit off. Like I was adding to the noise instead of actually helping people.

You know what changed everything? When I stopped trying to build what should work and started building what actually excited me.

Instead of creating another “how to make six figures” course, I built something about turning weird obsessions into businesses.

Instead of writing another “proven marketing strategy” ebook, I created a guide about breaking free from beautiful prisons.

Instead of selling another “perfect template pack,” I made tools that help people think differently about their whole business.

The weird part? These products sold better than my “proven” ones. Not because I followed some magic formula, but because I finally built something that mattered.

But here’s the real trap most people fall into. They think the choice is between building something profitable or something meaningful. Between making money or making impact.

That’s garbage thinking.

The most profitable digital products are usually the ones that break the mold. The ones that come from someone’s weird obsession, not their market research.

Because when you build from what actually lights you up, two things happen:

1. You create something unique (because nobody else has your exact weird mix of experiences)
2. You attract people who resonate with your weird (and those people tend to become your best customers)

So before you start building your next digital product, ask yourself one question…

Are you building this because you’ve seen it work for someone else? Or because you can’t NOT build it?

Your answer tells you everything about whether you’re building a product or a prison.

Building Digital Products That Light You Up

Most people start building digital products backwards. They look at what’s selling, then try to figure out how they can make something similar.

That’s like trying to fall in love with someone because they have a good credit score.

Instead, let’s start with what actually gets you excited. Those weird things you can’t shut up about. The stuff your friends are tired of hearing you talk about.

Here’s how this works.

Start With Your Weird

Grab a piece of paper. Write down everything you geek out about. Not what you think you should be interested in. Not what might make money. Just the stuff that makes you lose track of time.

For me? It was helping people break free from doing business the “right” way. Every time someone told me about their successful-but-soul-crushing business, I’d light up explaining how they could build something different.

Your weird might be:

• Teaching people how to make sense of their finances without wanting to cry
• Showing folks how to turn their plant obsession into actual money
• Helping others organize their digital life without losing their mind

Whatever it is, start there. Because that excitement? That’s your superpower.

Find Your People’s Pain

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Take your weird obsession and ask yourself:
“Who else loses sleep over this stuff?”

But don’t do market research. Don’t send out surveys. Don’t ask Facebook groups what they want.

Instead, pay attention to:

• Questions people already ask you
• Problems you’ve already solved
• Stuff that makes you angry when you see others struggle with it

When I noticed people building beautiful prisons instead of businesses they loved, it made me mad. Not at them. At the system that told them that’s what success had to look like.

That anger? It’s pointing you toward your perfect digital product.

Build From Joy (Not Obligation)

This is where most people mess up. They take their excitement and try to squish it into whatever format is popular right now.

Don’t do that.

Ask yourself:

• How would I teach this if nobody told me how it “should” be done?
• What format gets me excited to create?
• How can I make this fun for both me AND my customers?

Maybe you hate recording videos but love writing. Cool. Make it text-based.

Maybe you can’t stand writing but love talking. Awesome. Make it audio.

The format doesn’t matter nearly as much as your energy while creating it.

Test Without Terror

Here’s the part nobody talks about. You can test your digital product idea without building the whole thing first.

Write one piece of content about your topic. Share it somewhere. See what happens.

Do people:

• Ask questions?
• Share it with others?
• Tell you their similar stories?

That’s better validation than any market research survey.

I tested the whole “beautiful prisons” concept with one LinkedIn post. The response told me everything I needed to know about whether this idea had legs.

Start Small But Significant

You don’t need to build a massive course or write a 300-page ebook to start.

Pick ONE problem you can solve. ONE transformation you can create. ONE thing that gets you excited to work on it.

Could be:

• A simple template
• A short guide
• A recorded workshop

The size doesn’t matter. The impact does.

Remember this… every massive digital product empire started with someone solving one specific problem they actually cared about.

The rest? That’s just scaling what works.

But you can’t scale what you hate working on. So start with what lights you up. The money part is actually easier when you’re building something you believe in.

Trust me. I’ve built both kinds. Building from joy is way more profitable than building from “should.”

Types of Digital Products That Work

Time for some real talk about which digital products actually make money and which ones just waste your time. Instead of giving you some boring catalog of every possible thing you could create, let’s focus on what actually works.

We’re talking about products people not only buy but actually use and get results from. Because a digital product that sits unused in someone’s downloads folder isn’t helping anyone.

Let’s start with quick-win products. These are your entry-level digital products that typically sell between $27-97. Think of them as the gateway drug to your bigger stuff. The secret to making these work is focusing on solving one specific problem fast.

I learned this firsthand when I created a simple World Building template pack that helps people map out their brand story in under an hour. Priced it at $47, and it sells like crazy. Not because it’s packed with information, but because it gives people a quick win without overwhelming them. Nobody needs another massive info dump they’ll never read or generic template they could find anywhere else.

Then we’ve got transformation products, usually priced between $197-997. These are your meaty offerings that create actual change in someone’s life or business. They’re more comprehensive but still focused on one core transformation. When I built the AI World Architect program, I didn’t try to teach everything about AI. Just focused on one thing… helping people use AI to build their brand world. Priced it at $497, and it works because it’s focused on that single clear transformation.

The key here is avoiding the temptation to teach everything you know. Nobody needs another course about everything under the sun or a framework you copied from someone else. They need something that takes them from point A to point B without a detour through the entire alphabet.

At the top end, we’ve got ecosystem products at $997 and up. These are your high-end digital products that create entire worlds for your customers to live in. The Makers Mob ecosystem isn’t just a bunch of random courses thrown together. It’s a complete world where every piece connects to everything else. That’s why people stay and actually use it, unlike those ghost town communities and resource dumps nobody can navigate.

Here’s what most people miss about digital products though. The real money isn’t in having tons of different products. It’s in having the right products that work together. Quick wins get people in the door, transformation products create real change, and ecosystem products keep them with you.

The price point matters way less than how badly people want the solution and how quickly they can see results. I’ve seen $27 products make more money than $997 ones simply because they solved a real problem people actually had.

Want to know what type of digital product sells best? The one you’ll actually finish creating and be proud to sell. Because a half-finished course you hate working on makes zero dollars. But a simple template you loved creating and believe in? That could be your next big winner.

The truth is, you could pick any of these types and make it work, but only if you’re excited to create it, know it actually helps people, and can sell it without feeling like a sleazeball. That’s why we started with building from joy.

Pick the format that feels right to you. Just make sure it solves a real problem and fits into your bigger world.

The Digital Product Success Framework

Most digital product frameworks feel like beautiful prisons. They give you a rigid structure that works on paper but kills your soul in practice. Let’s build something different.

I’m going to walk you through the framework I developed after burning down three successful-but-soul-crushing businesses. It’s not about following rules. It’s about building something that works without making you hate your life.

First up, ideation that doesn’t suck. Instead of starting with market research or competitor analysis, start with what makes you mad. Seriously. What problems do you see that make you want to flip tables? Those moments where you catch yourself saying “why hasn’t anyone fixed this yet?”

That anger? It’s pointing you toward something worth building. When I got frustrated watching people build businesses they hated because they followed someone else’s blueprint, that frustration became AI World Architect. The anger showed me what needed fixing.

Next comes the build phase. But here’s where most people mess up. They try to build the perfect thing right out of the gate. That’s like trying to bench press 300 pounds on your first day at the gym. You’re gonna hurt yourself.

Instead, start with the minimum viable transformation. What’s the smallest thing you could build that would still create real change for someone? When I started Makers Mob, I didn’t launch with a full ecosystem. I started with one workshop that helped people break free from their beautiful prisons.

Marketing is where most digital products die. Not because the marketing didn’t work, but because the creator hated doing it. They tried to copy some guru’s perfect marketing plan and ended up sounding like a bad AI chatbot.

The secret to marketing digital products isn’t some magic formula. It’s telling the truth about what your product actually does. When I talk about AI World Architect, I don’t use fancy marketing speak. I tell stories about people who used it to build worlds instead of prisons. Real stories. Real results. No BS.

Then there’s pricing. Most people either undercharge because they’re scared or overcharge because some expert told them to. Both approaches suck.

Price based on the transformation, not the time it took you to create it. My World Building template pack took me maybe a week to create but saves people months of frustration. That’s what they’re paying for. The transformation, not the time.

But here’s the most important part of the framework. The part nobody talks about. You need a feedback loop that doesn’t make you want to cry. A way to know if what you’re building actually works.

I don’t mean customer surveys or feedback forms. I mean real conversations with real people about real results. When someone messages you at 2 AM because your digital product just helped them figure something out? That’s better data than any survey.

The framework looks like this in practice:
Start with anger (it shows you what needs fixing)
Build small but significant (minimum viable transformation)
Market with truth (real stories, real results)
Price for transformation (not time)
Get real feedback (not just data)

But remember, this is a framework, not a prison. Use the parts that work for you. Ignore the rest. The goal isn’t to follow some perfect system. The goal is to build something that works while keeping your soul intact.

Because at the end of the day, the best framework is the one you’ll actually use. The one that feels right for your weird way of doing things. The one that helps you build digital products that make you want to keep building more.

Common Digital Product Mistakes

After watching thousands of digital products launch (and building plenty of bad ones myself), I’ve noticed some patterns. The same mistakes keep showing up, dressed in different clothes but causing the same problems.

The biggest one? Building what’s popular instead of what’s needed. I see this all the time. Someone notices courses are selling well, so they decide to build a course. Doesn’t matter if their content would work better as a template or a workshop or something else entirely. They picked the format before they understood the problem.

I did this with my first digital product. Built a whole course because courses were hot. Spent months on it. Know what I discovered? My audience wanted quick wins, not long lessons. The whole thing would’ve worked better as a series of templates. But I was too busy following the crowd to notice.

Another massive mistake? Making things too complicated. We’ve all done it. We think more features means more value. More modules means more money. More bonuses means more sales.

Wrong.

People don’t want more stuff. They want more clarity. When I simplified AI World Architect down to its core transformation, sales went up. Not because I added more. Because I removed everything that wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Then there’s the pricing trap. Most people either price based on their own bank account or their own self-worth. Both approaches are garbage. If you’re pricing based on what you can afford, you’re probably charging too little. If you’re pricing based on what you think you’re worth, you’re having the wrong conversation entirely.

Price based on the transformation you create. That’s it. If your $27 template saves someone 20 hours of work, that’s worth way more than a $997 course they’ll never finish. But most people get this backwards. They think higher price means higher value. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is a quick solution to a specific problem.

Another killer? Building in isolation. Look, I get it. Creating digital products can feel vulnerable. Putting your ideas out there is scary. But if you’re building something without getting feedback until launch day, you’re asking for trouble.

Not talking about focus groups or formal beta testing. Just show people what you’re working on. Share pieces of it. Watch their reaction. When I started talking about the idea of beautiful prisons in business, the response told me everything I needed to know about whether this concept would resonate.

The perfection problem kills more digital products than anything else. People waiting until everything is perfect before they launch. Here’s the truth… if you’re not a little embarrassed by the first version of your product, you probably waited too long to launch it.

My first version of the World Building template? Looking back, it was pretty rough. But it helped people. And that’s what mattered. Each version got better because I was getting real feedback from real users instead of trying to perfect it in my head.

But the deadliest mistake of all? Not believing in what you’re selling. When you don’t fully believe in your digital product, every sale feels a little off. Every piece of marketing feels a little forced. Every customer interaction feels a little fake.

I know because I’ve done it. Sold products I knew were good but didn’t fully believe in. The money came in, but it felt wrong. Now? I only create and sell things I believe in so much I’d feel bad not sharing them.

Because here’s the truth about digital products. The tech part is easy. The marketing part can be learned. But believing in what you’re building? That’s not something you can fake. And your audience can tell the difference.

These mistakes aren’t fatal. I’ve made every single one of them and lived to tell about it. But you don’t have to. You can learn from our collective face-plants and build something better right from the start.

Just remember… the biggest mistake is letting the fear of mistakes stop you from building anything at all.

Getting Started With Digital Products

Most people never start creating digital products because they’re waiting for perfect conditions. The right time. The right tools. The right audience size. The right tech stack.

But perfect conditions are a myth. A beautiful prison that keeps you stuck in planning mode forever.

Here’s what actually matters when you’re starting out.

First, you need something worth saying. Not a perfect message. Not a complete system. Just one thing you know could help someone else. One problem you’ve solved that drives you crazy watching others struggle with.

When I started talking about beautiful prisons in business, I didn’t have a complete framework. Just anger about watching people build successful businesses they hated. That was enough to start.

Second, you need a way to capture your ideas. Could be Google Docs. Could be Notion. Could be pen and paper. The tool doesn’t matter. What matters is getting your thoughts out of your head where you can work with them.

Most people waste months researching the perfect tool stack. Meanwhile, someone else is building a six-figure digital product empire using nothing but Google Docs and Gumroad.

Third, you need one person to help. Not a thousand followers. Not a massive email list. One person who has the problem you want to solve. Talk to them. Understand their struggles. Build something that would help them.

When I was building AI World Architect, I started with one conversation. One person struggling to make AI understand their brand voice. That conversation turned into a template. That template turned into a workshop. That workshop turned into a whole system.

But none of that would have happened if I waited for perfect conditions.

Here’s what your first 30 days should look like.

Week 1, pay attention. Notice what problems make you angry. What questions do people keep asking you? What stuff seems obvious to you but trips others up? Write it all down.

Week 2, pick one thing. One problem you could help solve. Doesn’t matter if others are already solving it. Doesn’t matter if it seems too simple. Just pick something that lights you up.

Week 3, create a minimum viable solution. A template. A checklist. A short guide. Something someone could use today to start solving their problem. Don’t overthink it.

Week 4, share it with someone. Could be free. Could be paid. Doesn’t matter. What matters is getting it into someone’s hands and seeing if it actually helps.

The tools you actually need to start? A way to write stuff down. A way to share it with people. A way to take payment. That’s it.

Everything else is just procrastination wearing a productivity mask.

But here’s what you really need to understand about getting started with digital products. The timeline that actually works isn’t measured in days or weeks. It’s measured in action steps.

Some people will read this and create their first digital product next week. Others might take six months. The timeline doesn’t matter. Taking action does.

Because digital products aren’t really about the product part. They’re about finally giving yourself permission to share what you know. To help how you want to help. To build what you want to build.

The tech can be learned. The marketing can be figured out. The systems can be built. But first, you have to start.

Not when conditions are perfect. Not when you feel ready. Not when someone gives you permission.

Now.

Because someone out there needs what you know. Needs your weird way of solving problems. Needs your unique take on things.

They’re just waiting for you to build it.

Time to Build Your World

Look, we’ve covered a lot about digital products here. The good, the bad, and the beautiful prisons that most people build by accident.

But here’s what this is really about.

It’s not about building perfect digital products. It’s not about following some guru’s blueprint for success. It’s not even about making money while you sleep (though that part is pretty nice).

This is about finally giving yourself permission to build something that matters. Something that comes from your weird obsessions, not someone else’s playbook. Something that makes you want to jump out of bed at 5 AM to work on it.

Because digital products aren’t just files people download. They’re portals into worlds you create. Worlds where people can solve problems your way. Think about things your way. Build things your way.

Remember my kid asking if I loved what I create? That question changed everything because it made me realize something crucial. The best digital products aren’t just solutions. They’re expressions of what we believe is possible.

When you build from that place, something interesting happens. You stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. Stop trying to copy what’s working for others. Stop building beautiful prisons that look good but feel wrong.

Instead, you start building things that actually help people. Things that reflect your weird way of seeing the world. Things that make both you and your customers feel alive.

That’s the real opportunity here. Not just to make money (though you will). Not just to help people (though you will). But to build something that’s uniquely, unabashedly, profitably yours.

The world doesn’t need another copycat course or generic ebook. It needs your weird obsessions turned into something useful. Your unique insights turned into something actionable. Your way of solving problems turned into something shareable.

So here’s my challenge to you.

Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Stop waiting for someone’s permission. Stop waiting for everything to be figured out.

Start building something today. Something small but significant. Something that solves one real problem. Something that comes from your weird.

Because that digital product you’ve been thinking about building? Someone out there needs it. Not the polished, perfect version you’ve been planning forever. The real, raw, helpful version you could start creating right now.

Your move.

Ready to dive deeper into specific types of digital products you could create? Check out our complete guide to types of digital products that actually sell. No beautiful prisons included.

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