Busted! 5 Digital Product Creation Myths That Hold You Back

It seems like every week I talk to someone who is “getting ready to launch” a digital product.

Sadly, further conversation often reveals that they’ve been in that “getting ready” state for months, and sometimes even years! What’s the hold-up? Quite frequently it’s one of these 5 myths about digital product creation.

Full disclosure: I am guilty of ALL of these. It took me almost 8 years online before I finally gave myself permission to create and sell digital products. Don’t be like me. Banish these myths today, and launch that amazing product already. The world is waiting for you!

Myth #1: Digital products have to include a full multi-media experience.

Slide decks, video lessons, worksheets, checklists, Facebook groups for live support, interactive software–the list of things you CAN add to your digital product is long. But do you really have to have all those bells and whistles?

A while back I asked the community over at MastermindHub.com whether or not they actually watched video training. In most cases, the answer was no. Just like me (and like you, I’m guessing) buyers are queuing up the video and listening with one ear while doing something else.

Unless you’re demonstrating something on the screen, or using examples in a slide deck that have to be seen to be understood, feel free to skip the slide show. Chances are, your customers won’t even miss it.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Don’t like slide decks? Don’t use them. Most digital product buyers don’t like them either, and would rather have an audio download for listening on the go. via @cindybidar” quote=”Don’t like slide decks? Don’t use them. Most digital product buyers don’t like them either, and would rather have an audio download for listening on the go.” theme=”style2″]

Myth #2: It’s easier to sell ten $100 products than it is to sell 100 $10 products.

Like all good myths, this one sounds logical. Ten buyers is fewer than 100 buyers, so it must be easier, right? Not always.

There’s a lot of room for error when your price is $10. Most people are happy to part with $10 without much thought at all. That means your sales page doesn’t have to win any copywriting awards, and you can stop being such a perfectionist and just get it done already.

Not only that but if you’re brand new, it can be a lot harder to make a $100 sale–or even to say it out loud (you know it’s true)! Take some of the pressure off and give yourself permission to price your products on the low end of the scale. You can always raise your prices later.

Do resist the urge to pump too much into a low-cost product though. If you try to sell a 16-module course that teaches would-be authors how to get on the bestsellers list for $27, you’re likely going to get very few sales. That’s because we often relate price to value, and a low-cost product that promises big results can be seen as having less value than similar offers.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”It’s not always easier to sell a high-ticket digital product. Lower prices can bring big rewards if you do it right. via @cindybidar” quote=”It’s not always easier to sell a high-ticket digital product. Lower prices can bring big rewards if you do it right.” theme=”style2″]

Myth #3: It has to be perfect before you launch.

Most people don’t consciously think to themselves, “I have to make this perfect.”

But there is often a tiny voice in our heads that encourages us to reformat that document or add another case study or include one more lesson. If you let that kind of thinking take up residence, you will never release anything.

Here’s the truth. No one is more critical of you and your products than you are. It’s unlikely your buyers will flood your inbox with demands for more case studies.

If you find yourself always aiming for A+ work, take a tip from Brooke Castillo, as heard on Amy Porterfield’s podcast.

“B-minus work can change people’s lives. Work that you don’t produce at all, does nothing in the world.” Brooke Castillo

Myth #4: “I’m not quite ready yet.”

I hear from people all the time that they’re almost ready to launch their business or start a podcast or create a new product, just as soon as they decide what theme to use on their website.

WHAT?

We are not carving on stone tablets. In this digital world, change is as easy as uploading a new file. Don’t like your website theme? Upload a different one. Still think you should have included that case study? Go ahead and add it!

Bob Sparkins (formerly Jenkins) said it best: Take action, revise later.

Myth #5: You have to launch with lots of fanfare and an ad budget to match.

Webinars. Video funnels. Podcast interviews. 30-day challenges. Facebook groups. Retargeting campaigns. The list of things you can do to launch a product is longer than a CVS receipt.

But you don’t actually have to do any of them.

While it is true that the more you do in terms of marketing, the more traction you’ll gain, trying to do all the things is exhausting, especially if you’re just getting started and you don’t have a team of VAs to help.

Instead, pick a few key elements, and focus on those channels. For example, you can:

• Create an email campaign for your list. Not just a single email, but four or five emails over several days that highlight the features and benefits of your product from several different angles. Even if you have a very small list, this will often give you the biggest bang for your metaphorical buck.
• Share on social media. And remember, social posts are fleeting. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. Tools like Meet Edgar and Smarter Queue can automate the process for you.
• Write some guest blog posts. Getting seen on websites with more (or just different) traffic from your’s is an easy way to get more eyes on your offer. Hit up your friends and colleagues and ask for a spot in their editorial calendar. Most bloggers are more than happy to turn over the reins for a week.
• Partner with others. Create an affiliate program and invite your colleagues and even your competitors to promote your products for a cut of the revenue. You get to borrow their audience and their influence, and you both make money.
• Build a funnel. Future email subscribers will want to know about your product too, so create a juicy freebie that relates to your product, build an opt-in and thank you page, and

Remember too that your new product doesn’t have to earn a million dollars in its first week to be successful. By creating a sustainable marketing plan with funnels and long-term assets that bring in new customers over time, you’ll continue to profit from your product long after your launch is over.