Imagine you have no audience, no products to sell, limited funds, and no online business… yet you dream of selling digital products online and earning a comfortable monthly income, enough to leave your day job. Can you achieve this while keeping costs low? Absolutely! We'll guide you through it step by step.
Starting an online business may seem daunting at first, but with a clear strategy, it's achievable. Let's explore how you can turn your dream into reality. Because I'm a practical person, we're going to start with the practical aspects first. The great thing about doing it this way is not only the sense of achievement you feel as you do it, but also you'll find as you create you generate ideas.
Step 1 – Create a Systeme.io Account
Getting started with Systeme.io is simple. You can sign up for an account here. For just $27 a month, you’ll gain access to all the tools you need to build a thriving digital product business.
If your budget is tight, don't worry. You can always start with a free Systeme.io plan and upgrade later when your online ventures start making a profit. This is the reason I love Systeme. It's flexible to your needs.
Step 2 – Create a Landing Page on Systeme.io
Creating a landing page is crucial for capturing email addresses in exchange for an incentive, often called a lead magnet or ethical bribe. Lead magnets are freebies designed to attract potential customers to your email list. Examples include e-books, checklists, templates, or exclusive access to content.
Crafting a Lead Magnet
Your lead magnet should be relevant to your audience and provide value. For instance, if you offer a mini-course, you could create a related checklist or guide. You can easily draft this in Word and save it as a PDF. If you don’t have Word, consider using Open Office, which is free and offers similar functionality.
Building the Landing Page
With Systeme.io, building a landing page is straightforward. The platform allows you to maintain an email list of up to 2,000 contacts on the free plan. The $27 plan offers even more flexibility, with up to 10 sales funnels and 5,000 contacts. This means you can sell more products and increase your profits with the upgraded plan.
Systeme.io provides easy-to-use drag-and-drop templates for creating landing pages. You can select a template that suits your needs and customise it with your own words and images. The key is to make the offer clear and appealing to your audience.
Setting Up Email Delivery
Once someone provides their email address, Systeme.io can automatically send them an email with a link to download your lead magnet. This feature ensures a smooth and professional experience for your new subscribers, making them more likely to engage with your future communications.
Writing Your Landing Page for Conversions
To encourage visitors to take action, focus on clear, concise messaging and a compelling call-to-action (CTA). Your landing page should highlight the benefits of your lead magnet, making it irresistible for your audience to sign up.
1. Craft a Strong Headline
The headline is the first thing visitors see, so it should grab their attention and address their needs. For example, if you're offering an e-book on productivity tips, a headline like “Boost Your Productivity in Just 10 Minutes a Day” might resonate with your audience.
2. Keep the Page Simple and Focused
Avoid clutter on your landing page. Stick to essential information and use white space effectively. Highlight the key benefits of your lead magnet and keep the focus on encouraging sign-ups.
3. Use Engaging Visuals
Include images or videos that align with your offer. Visuals can help illustrate the value of your lead magnet and make your landing page more appealing. For instance, if you're offering an e-book, a visual mock-up can help potential subscribers visualise themselves reading it.
4. Write a Compelling Call-to-Action
Your CTA should be clear and direct. Use action-oriented language, such as “Get Your Free Guide Now” or “Start Improving Your Skills Today.” Place the CTA prominently on the page to guide visitors toward signing up.
Testing and Improving Your Landing Page – This Comes Later
After creating your landing page, test different elements to improve conversions. Experiment with different headlines, CTAs, and visual elements. Pay attention to analytics and use feedback to refine your page over time.
By following these steps, you can build an effective landing page and start growing your email list, which is vital for building relationships with potential customers and boosting sales.
Step 3 – Grow Your Audience
How you choose to grow your audience will depend on your traffic generation skills. Some may choose paid traffic, while others might prefer free options. Both approaches are fine, as long as you’re directing traffic to your landing page on Systeme.io.
As you build your email list, you’ll gauge how eager your audience is for solutions to their problems. The faster your list grows, the more enthusiastic your audience is. If you offer value and make an effort to get your content noticed, you’ll inevitably attract more people to your list.
Step 4 – Create Your Online Course
Now it's time to focus on creating your digital product, this case a mini-course. This is where your hard work pays off. Your online should be of high quality and address a specific issue that your audience faces.
To maximise sales, you should consider creating a smaller product as a bump offer (usually a PDF product like a planner) and a slightly larger product for an upsell (usually 1-2-1 coaching). However, if this feels overwhelming, you can start with your mini-course and add the rest later. If you can't decide, just do the mini-course. Make money first. The rest can be added in after.
The key to a successful product is ensuring it solves a pressing problem. When people see that your product offers a solution to their needs, they'll want it.
For example, if you’re creating an online course, make sure it covers a topic your audience is eager to learn about. I recommend you start with 3 or 4 5 minute videos talking the viewer through the problem, why it's important to make it right, and then how to get the result that they want.
Remember, quality matters. Take the time to ensure your product is polished to the best of your ability. You do not need a full-scale, high production value product to make money and meet your audience's expectations. After completing your course, you can move on to the next step.
Note: If you are going to procrastinate, this step is where you will do it. You'll start to doubt yourself, your audience etc – Don't. Just focus on doing what you need to do. Nothing here is being carved in stone. Which means it's all editable. It can all be changed. The reason I suggest 5 minute long videos is that re-recording a 5 minute segment isn't going to stress you. Re-recording an hour long video will.
Step 5 – Build Your Sales Page and Funnel
In this step, you'll create a compelling sales page and funnel using Systeme.io. If you have a bump offer and upsell ready, you're all set to build a complete funnel. Systeme.io provides templates, so creating your sales page doesn't have to be stressful.
Creating Your Sales Page
Your sales page is crucial for attracting and convincing potential customers to purchase your course. Focus on clear, persuasive writing. Start with a strong headline that grabs attention and highlights the main benefit of your course. Use short, punchy sentences and avoid unnecessary fluff. Include clear calls to action (CTAs) that guide visitors toward purchasing.
Adding Visuals
Images play a significant role in your sales page. Use course mock-ups to help potential buyers visualise taking the course. Mock-ups of course materials, such as video thumbnails, lesson outlines, and downloadable resources, give people a tangible sense of what they’ll receive. Make sure your visuals align with your course's branding and add to its appeal.
Building the Funnel
If you have a bump offer and an upsell, you can create a sales funnel to maximise revenue. A bump offer is a smaller product offered during the checkout process, while an upsell is a larger, often more advanced product offered after the initial purchase. These offers help increase the average customer value and boost profits.
The free plan on Systeme.io allows you to build one funnel with one bump offer and one upsell. Use this opportunity to test different offers and see what resonates with your audience.
Tagging Buyers
Tagging buyers who purchase your product is essential for future marketing. This allows you to target them in future email campaigns. For example, you might want to offer them a related product or invite them to a special event. Tagging helps you personalise your marketing and keep your buyers engaged.
Final Tips
- Keep It Simple: Focus on the essentials. Your sales page should be easy to navigate, with clear information and straightforward CTAs.
- Highlight Benefits: Focus on the benefits of your course rather than just the features. Explain how your course will solve a problem or fulfil a need.
- Test and Refine: Before launching your sales page, test it to ensure everything works smoothly. Gather feedback and refine your page as needed.
By following these steps, you can create an effective sales page and funnel that converts visitors into buyers, boosting your profits and helping your course succeed.
Step 6 – Continue Marketing Your Product
Now that you've created and launched your course, the key to success is persistent marketing. By continually driving traffic to your landing pages and sales pages, you’ll inevitably attract buyers.
1. Focus on Effective Sales Copy
Craft compelling sales copy to persuade potential customers to purchase your course. Highlight the benefits of your product and how it addresses a specific need. Your sales copy should be clear, concise, and focus on the unique value you offer.
2. Use Systeme.io’s Marketing Features
Leverage the marketing features available on Systeme.io to boost your sales. The platform offers integrated email marketing tools, allowing you to create targeted campaigns and follow up with potential customers. Use these tools to nurture your audience and keep them engaged.
3. Drive Consistent Traffic
Drive consistent traffic to your landing and sales pages to keep attracting new customers. Use a mix of paid and organic strategies, such as social media marketing, SEO, and email campaigns. By consistently driving traffic, you increase the chances of converting visitors into buyers.
4. Maintain Low Costs
One of the advantages of Systeme.io is its all-in-one platform, which helps you keep costs low. You have access to all the features you need to build a successful digital product business without spending excessively on separate tools and services. This cost-effectiveness allows you to reinvest in other areas of your business.
5. Keep Improving Your Skills
Continuously improve your skills in marketing, product creation, and customer service. Stay updated on industry trends and seek feedback from your audience. By refining your skills, you enhance your business's value and ensure continued success.
6. Reap the Rewards
Over time, your efforts will pay off as people purchase your products around the clock. The key is persistence and ongoing improvement. By following these steps, you can build a profitable and sustainable digital product business.
To get started, create a Systeme.io account today and begin selling your digital products.
Sarah x
Course Catalyst
Successfully launch and market your online course! Each month we enrol 50+ members each month in our Online Visibility Academy.
We'd love to show you how to do the same... at 67% off the usual investment
