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The Wellness Creator Podcast is your go-to source for expert insights and actionable tips in the evolving world of health, wellness, and spiritual-based business. Join us as we explore proven online growth strategies, chat about current trends, and interview fellow wellness creators who’ve managed to turn passion into profit by helping people live better, healthier lives.
Jeni (00:00)
Hello and welcome to the Wellness Creator Podcast. In today's episode, we are going to talk about how to monetize your expertise with a digital product, how to get started if you've never done that before or if you've never done it for a particular interest or niche.
Marvelous (00:15)
Yeah, I think a lot of people are thinking this way, right? Like, you know, a lot of people have gone online and are doing really well, but there's still some people are like, could I, could I do this? And so we're just going to lay out some steps on if you've got, ⁓ an expertise and knowledge, a skill that you could teach, how would you bring that into the digital realm? And we're also going to cover some of the different like types of things that you could add. What, are the digital products that might work for you?
And this is different. just want to be really clear. This is like for paid digital products versus an opt-in or something. We've got some material ready to go on that topic, but we're talking about like selling, like actually selling a digital product.
Jeni (00:59)
Yes, and I mean this is a particularly good episode to listen to if you have started to build an audience on one of the social media platforms and you sort of haven't figured out what to do with that yet. listen in if that's you. Okay.
Marvelous (01:06)
Mm-hmm.
All right. So I first want to say that the first battle, like someone might be like, I've got an idea. could, I could teach this meditation technique to people. Second thought is always going to be like, my God, why would anybody pay for this? It's too simple. It's free on Tik TOK or YouTube, or I don't have enough credential. Like it's going to be all this mindset drama about like, no, you can't like your brain is instantly going to fight you because you're
starting something new, you've got an idea, it's not proven and it's going to keep you right where you are. So I just want people to recognize when that's happening inside their head and know that like, remember that people are looking, especially in wellness, people are searching for information. They're looking for some kind of transformation. They have a problem. And if you can get really clear that you can solve it.
then you can sell something. And there is room, and we did a whole other podcast on, is the wellness industry saturated? The answer is no. You can go listen to that, but sort of answer, no, there is room for you to do this.
Jeni (02:26)
Yes, and also when you have those negative thoughts, that's a self-fulfilling prophecy. I mean, I think a lot of us are into the woo and to like the affirmations and the manifestations and like just stop thinking that crap because you're creating that reality. So just.
Marvelous (02:31)
Yeah, yeah, it won't sell.
Yeah.
And one good thing to do, I feel like we just mentioned this on a recent podcast, but I'll say it again. It's like with your current audience, whether that is on social media or in like in person in a classroom or a studio or wherever, think about pay attention to what people are asking you. What are those questions? How do you meditate at home or how do you whatever prepare your meals for your five kids? ⁓
Those are the questions that are like key that that is something that you could package, most likely package and actually sell. So pay attention to what people are asking you. What are the questions they're asking you?
Jeni (03:20)
Mm-hmm. Yep, and that goes at like the specificity point, which is like we underscore this in every episode that the money is in the specificity. So you creating a digital product around a very the answer to a very specific question like your product answers that specific question that people have been asking you. That's the perfect thing to make and
Marvelous (03:31)
Mm-hmm.
Jeni (03:46)
Like perhaps you're just making the answer to one question at a time and packaging it and selling it. So we also are big fans of sort of minimum viable product. This idea like don't make something too big, like make the tiniest possible version of something that you can sell and sell that. And then like if you get feedback that I want more and I want more, make another, make another, and then maybe you make a bundle eventually, or maybe you make it into a bigger offering. But like start with the teeny tiny itty bitty thing. Prove to yourself that you can do it.
Marvelous (04:00)
Yes.
Jeni (04:16)
get some money in the bank and then go from there.
Marvelous (04:19)
Right, right. Okay, so let's talk about what makes a good digital product. Like what are the sort of the elements that are required?
Jeni (04:26)
So specificity, which I've already said because it's so important. And like the second point is to have like a very clear deliverable or result or outcome that someone's going to have once they use the product, right? They've gone through the material, they read the thing, they applied what you taught them. Like that promise of that outcome is how you market the whole thing. It's why someone buys it.
Marvelous (04:53)
Right. can you,
yeah, so it could be like, seven days to better sleep, like a very clear, desirable outcome, right? Or healing your gut with nervous system regulation or something, but very, like, again, there is this super specific, but also a clear outcome.
Jeni (05:04)
Yeah.
You know, our friend Kelly, Kelly deals, sent an email recently and it was, it was so good. Like I, I just like read it right away when it came in my inbox and it was something like no one buys a program. And it's like, yeah, no, nobody buys a program or coaching. Like they're buying and investing in the outcome of that program or that coaching. So you're like, if you're like, I'm going to go announce that I have a program or a book.
Marvelous (05:18)
Mm.
Mm, wellness program.
Right. Right.
Jeni (05:44)
Like come buy my ebook. Nobody cares. Like they want to learn how to calculate their macros. They don't care that it's an ebook. Like they don't care. Nobody cares. Can you help me with this thing? Great. Here's my money.
Marvelous (05:46)
Mm-hmm.
Right, right.
Right, right. So let's talk about more examples in a second. so just to, to the elements that you need are like a specific problem that you're solving. You want to have it delivered. The solution delivered in a very simple, accessible format. So you don't need convoluted courses with, you know, three different softwares that they need to download here and access videos here. You want it very, very simple.
⁓ And again, when you're starting, you don't need a massive audience. You just need, you know, a small amount of people that know you and trust you.
Jeni (06:38)
Yeah, I mean that's that's 100 % right. Like you just you you need shockingly few people to buy something for it to be worth your time. Like I think that that's like that's the beauty of the internet because you don't have the overhead that you have with a physical business or a brick and mortar business. Like you really don't need that many people. So you probably if you're listening to this and you're in this world you already have what you need. You already have the audience even if you have like we have
Marvelous (06:42)
Yeah.
Right. Right.
Jeni (07:08)
taught launching to people who have like under 100 Instagram followers and basically no email list and they've made pretty darn good money. Like we have some shocking testimonials from our own clients who have been able to succeed with a much smaller audience than you think.
Marvelous (07:13)
Yeah, like 50.
Yeah, exactly. Okay. So how do they choose what like what to create? Can you give us some examples or questions to ask to sort of narrow that in of what to create?
Jeni (07:39)
Yeah, I mean, I think it's sort of like at that intersection of like what people are asking for, like what you have expertise in and sort of what lights you up. Like that's always my response to that. It's like that golden trifecta of like, the first thing is like, is this needed? Are people asking these questions? Does this solve a problem that I know that they have for a fact, either through personal conversations or comments posted on a video or on
like an Instagram post or whatever. And like, is this something that I can provide that I know or that I have the skills to figure out? Like, I also want to say, even if you're just a little bit ahead, maybe you're not like the world's expert at the thing that people are asking you, but you've done, you know, a pro, you've done a class on it or you've read three books on it and you, you like can answer the question by going to those resources. Like that's good enough. Like,
I think that so often, and I know that you agree with me Sandy, as women, we get very ⁓ fearful that we're not like the world's leading expert at XYZ. And then we're like, well, I shouldn't, I don't have the authority to answer that. Like I couldn't create a product around that because I don't have a PhD in that subject. No, like, can you help them? Can you actually help them? That should be your criteria.
Marvelous (08:48)
range.
Yeah. And, and
I think just being one step ahead, I like that point that you made because how often I've like read a book or taken a online course or something from someone who's 10 steps ahead and absolutely has forgotten what it's like to be in my spot right now. I would much rather learn from someone who's like one or two steps ahead and it's very recent and it's very
Jeni (09:19)
Yes.
Marvelous (09:26)
You know, their wisdom comes from just having done it and they know what I'm experiencing. find that a much better experience, much more pleasant. Like, it's just so much more effective.
Jeni (09:41)
Yeah, you know, that's such a good point. I totally agree. And I think that that's really why social media has taken off. Like for me, that's one of my observations is like, I would much rather learn to cook from a person like me, a normal person than a professional chef on the Food Network. And I know that maybe that's not the same for everyone, but like, I don't have the same skills and time and tool and like,
Marvelous (09:47)
Yeah.
Right, right, exactly, that's good example.
Tools.
Jeni (10:07)
weird ingredients as that person, but like a person like me who has kids who has like ⁓ a job, a life, and like they're doing this, I can learn, if they can cook it, I can cook it. And so I think like it's also worth remembering, like this is how we relate to each other and help each other. And it's just really freaking valuable if you know how to do something, even if you think it's kind of silly or easy.
Marvelous (10:31)
Yes. And then the one point to add to that is like, you just have to remember that you're not charging by the hour. You know, you are charging people are, let me say it the opposite way. People are buying for their, the solution that you're giving what, you know, like going back to what Kelly Deal said, they are buying the answer. They are buying a faster path to solving their, their pain or their problem than having to just search and search and search for themselves.
you know, on social or YouTube or wherever.
Jeni (11:03)
Yeah, I mean, we have really experienced this in the online business world in particular. I just want to say so often, the answers to any, for example, every software tool pretty much has tutorials on how to use it for free on their website, in their help docs, on their YouTube, whatever. But I have always found it easier when we invest in a new tool to go find so-and-so VA who has a YouTube channel.
who's like learning the tool and teaching you how to do the thing you wanna do on it, then to go watch like the company's tutorial. So that's just an example of like, really not only are you like qualified enough, in many ways you're like better qualified to teach people like you.
Marvelous (11:48)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. That's a great mindset reframe, right? Like I am better qualified than the person who's done it for 10 years or whatever. Yeah. Okay. Let's go through some ideas. Like what are the different types of digital products that people can sell?
Jeni (12:05)
Yeah, well, there's a lot. The easiest, usually fastest thing to make is just an ebook. It's just like a digital printable book. can make, like with tools like Canva now, like there's templates. I mean, you can hammer that baby out in under an hour. So like, you don't have to have any kind of special expertise to know how to do that.
Marvelous (12:33)
Yeah, so eBooks and I think courses are another really great one. I would probably stay away from a membership initially until you've kind of proven the concept and there's definitely a demand for what you're teaching just because, you know, it's a low income in the beginning until you really get some traction with it.
Jeni (12:53)
Yeah. And then there's like a coaching program, especially something that has a container or like a six week long program or a three month long program. Again, I wouldn't do something very long. Even if it's not a membership, I wouldn't do like a year long program because you don't know. ⁓ don't do that. Don't get committed into something that you know, you don't know for sure it's going to be a good fit for you or your clients. Yeah.
Marvelous (13:06)
Right, right, right. We've seen them do that, yes. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
the other one that we've talked a lot about just cause it works so well on marvelous, or it's easy to create on marvelous is audio. Like people kind of get bogged down with like, video and I got to get my lighting right. And where am going to film? But audio is incredibly powerful and you can sell audio meditations or audio lessons or you know, whatever, teach whatever you teach, but just do the audio.
Jeni (13:35)
Yeah.
Marvelous (13:45)
of it and we, can do like private podcasts that you can, you can charge for and all that can be done on Marvelous. It's very easy. Yeah, me too.
Jeni (13:52)
Yeah, private podcast is one of my favorite features on Marvelous.
And I will just say, you know this, Sandy, I have harped on this for like two straight years, maybe longer. Like I don't wanna fricking watch any more videos. Like you have to be so good and so intriguing for me to watch a video-based course at this point. Like I just like put it in my ears so that I can not stare at a screen.
and that I can like do other things, be driving, be cooking, be whatever, cleaning. I do going on a walk. I do not, I resent the heck out of anyone that's trying to make me watch like a 30 minute plus long video for any reason. And I know that I'm not alone in this. Like I think after COVID, like so many of us are burned out. So it's not just like, an audio is good enough. Again, this is a situation where an audio in some cases is superior to making a video based.
digital product. So I just really want to put that out there that there are people that love that format and would pay more money to not have to stare at a fricking video screen or have their like screen on and be, you know, with their Bluetooth headphones, not too far away. Like I can't go to the other side of my house without my fricking headphones cutting off. So even though I like don't watch the video anyway, it's still fricking cuts off and I can't, whatever. So you get the point like,
Think about what is the minimum kind of effort on your part that will still get people the result that they want or need from your offering. And like, what are some of these other factors that we're throwing out there that actually might sweeten the deal and make it easier on you?
Marvelous (15:36)
Yeah, I totally agree with you, but I do think there's some courses that people are doing courses on Marvelous and are doing super well. It's not like a hard fast rule that Jenny just said that that's her opinion, but I like it does still work and there are some things that you do need to see, you know, and you have to.
Jeni (15:41)
something. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
No, no.
Yeah, no, for sure. that's when
you need to see it. Like if you're teaching a movement based practice where you're giving visual cues or you're teaching something like video editing where you're showing how to, yeah, your screen sharing, like obviously that, but if you're just yammering around, just consider it.
Marvelous (16:05)
Green sharing stuff, yeah, yeah, technical.
Yeah, yeah,
absolutely. Okay. Okay. And then the tools, like what we're talking about here, if you've got an ID and you're like, my God, I really think I do want to pursue this. The tools are simple. think number one, our platform is like just perfectly situated for this marvelous. ⁓ you can create things in Canva, Google docs, Google forms. ⁓ you know, you can use sub stack, you can use
You know, for emails you can use kit, is our favorite. Like it's.
Jeni (16:43)
Use a phone
to film yourself and record yourself. Like use the voice memo feature on your phone to record your audio and the camera on your phone is probably better than almost anything you can buy at this point that's like under $2,000. So like just use it's like your phone and marvelous pretty much. maybe, maybe Canva. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Marvelous (16:46)
You just... Yeah.
then yeah.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. That's all you need. And it's just, it's never, it's never been, yeah. Never been, never been simpler. Never been simpler. So, okay.
So just to wrap this up, you don't have to figure it out, have it all figured out. It doesn't have to be perfect. You just need one idea and the right mindset to create something and go and try with your existing audience. Um, we'd love to hear, you know, if you've got an idea, pop it in the comments, um, on any of our social challenges.
channels or on our ⁓ YouTube. We'd love to hear what you're thinking about.
Jeni (17:33)
Yeah. And I think if you also have built a digital product that's created some positive impact or freedom in your life and you want to share it in the comments anywhere too, to inspire other people, I think I know you're out there. I see your content getting uploaded all day every day. We know, you know, the incredible success stories and testimonials from our clients over the years. Like it would just be so great if any of you wanted to share that publicly just to inspire.
people to show them what's possible. I'm always so amazed by things that are sort of shockingly simple, that are doing exceptionally well on our platform. just, ⁓ as you said, Sandy, the market is not saturated. The world is sitting here waiting for what you have to offer. And it's easy.
Pick a date on the calendar to launch something honestly and then just do it. Give yourself like a few hours to get one of these small digital products off the ground.
Marvelous (18:35)
Amazing. Thanks Jenny. Thanks everyone. See ya.
Jeni (18:37)
All right, we'll
see you next time.