Digital Products for Artists with Jen Wagner
Ever dreamed of making and selling products from anywhere in the world with just your laptop? It’s possible—our friend Jen Wagner is doing it!
Jen makes her living designing and selling digital products like fonts, textures, and courses, so obviously, we were super excited to pick her brain and learn more about how she does what she does!
>> Check out the full conversation on our IGTV. <<
Consistency Is Key
Jen’s number one tip for artists looking to create digital products is consistency. Posting new products consistently means more opportunities for people to see your work, and it means more time getting to know the backend of you sales platform, which sets you up for success. Each new product release gets easier and more successful as you go.
It doesn’t need to be every week, but by creating a release plan (maybe once a month) and sticking to it, you can build trust and a strong connection with your customers. Plus, the burden on each product becomes lighter when you have more options for people to purchase.
Create Products that Solve a Problem
When you create a product, make sure that it solves a problem for a specific group of people. It could be a problem they’re very aware of or even one they didn’t know they had. You should know exactly who you’re creating your product for and how it serves that audience. That clarity and focus alone has the ability to set a product apart and position it for success.
“If there’s no demand, there’s no money.
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The Truth About “Passive” Income
Jen loves digital products because they allow the capacity to grow your income without having to invest additional time after the product is made. Generating income from a product year after year allows you to try new things, stretch your creative muscles, and take some much needed rest.
However…there’s some misinformation out there about what “passive” really means in this capacity. So, let’s do some quick myth-busting about digital products.
“The beauty is not that it’s passive, it’s that it’s scalable.”
Yes—you can make money from the same product again and again, but you can’t just post a product and expect it to sell.
From marketing to product growth, there’s plenty of work that goes into maintaining and scaling digital products. With online courses, for example, you may need to answer student questions, add new material, update lessons, and so on. For something like fonts, you may add new ligatures, fix nuances, and even change the marketing materials so they stay fresh.
Digital products can be created and sold from anywhere (your couch, a van, or even from vacation), but they require hard work and attention too.
Avoid Productive Procrastination
If you’re saying “I’m not qualified,” it’s time to CHECK YOURSELF. Everyone feels this, and it’s time to nip this attitude in the bud!
Putting your work out there feels incredibly personal because it’s an expression of your creativity, but it’s something every artist has to learn to get comfortable with. The only way to get better is to get started and keep going.
So stop avoiding it and get to work! We know you’ve got great things to offer. Get out there and start testing your product. There’s such little risk with digital products—what do you have to lose besides a few hours getting creative?
Getting Started on Selling Platforms
There are a ton of great pre-existing websites out there for selling digital products, and you may find yourself using a couple of them. Each platform comes with their own built-in audience, and most of them are non-exclusive (meaning you can sell those same products in multiple places).
For Jen, moving to host products on her own website (while still keeping products on Creative Market) gave her the control she was looking for. She loves the ability to build a brand experience for her customers via her website vs. the one-time-purchase experience people get on Creative Market.
Before you get started on any platform, set some goals and expectations. Remember, your digital products (or any aspect of your creative career) do NOT have to bring in 6 figures. It can pay for a monthly massage or your water bill—this is YOUR business and you’re in charge!
