Latest / Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs / 45: The joy of making sales from digital products

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45: The joy of making sales from digital products · Online Business Uncovered: Simple Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 45, and in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about the joy of making sales from digital products.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in and get started.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Karen and I'm here to lift the lid on what it actually takes to create a successful business.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you are an ambitious creative ready to build a business on your own terms and without compromise, then this podcast is perfect for you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: With my award-winning approach to marketing and expert knowledge in creating online courses, this show will leave you feeling inspired, energized, and ready to bring those big dreams to life.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Join me each week for a dose of motivation and marketing know-how, along with actionable step-by-step strategies to help you accelerate your business's growth.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in and don't forget to subscribe to all my upcoming episodes, which drop every Wednesday.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me today.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host Karen and I really appreciate you hitting the play button to listen to today's episode.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in today's episode, I'm going to be talking about selling digital products in your business and the joy that it brings when you make those sales.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: But before I do dive in to today's episode, I just wanted to let you know that I will once again be running my free online workshop called Kickstart Your Online Course.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is going to take place on Wednesday, the 24th of May at 5 pm UK time.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where I'm going to be talking about how you can get started with creating an online course for your business.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And it's going to include how to nail that golden idea that you currently have sitting inside your head that is waiting to get out into the world and what you need to do to get started.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Now it's going to be 60 minutes of jam-packed goodness that I promise is going to leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and most importantly, ready to get started.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because, and I've said this before, now is the perfect time to create a business that works for you, that supports your goals, your ambitions, and gives you time back so that you can bring your dreams to life.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are ready to take your business to that next level and stop trading your precious limited time for less money than what it's worth, then I want you to visit my website www.pink-lemendigital.com forward slash kick start to sign up.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, over the past few months, I've been running this workshop and spaces have completely filled up because I do limit the amount of people I allow on this workshop.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are interested on coming along and finding out more about how you can get started with creating an online course, then book your place today.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: So as I said, visit www.pink-lemondigital.com forward slash kickstart.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive into today's episode.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: And as I said, today I wanted to talk about the joy of selling digital products because I've recently come back from Florida.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: I've just had this amazing family holiday.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: It's been in the diary for a while, and it was something that we wanted to do with my parents who are kind of getting to an age now where they're getting into their 70s, and we don't know really how long they're going to be able to really do this kind of holiday.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: And for those of you who have been out to Orlando and you've been fortunate enough to visit the theme parks and whatnot, you know it's not a relaxing holiday by any means.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is something we've been talking about for years, and it's something that my parents have just wanted to do with the grandchildren.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: I suppose before they get to that age where, like I say, they they're starting to feel as though they just feel too old to do to do it.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so we we decided that this was going to be the year, and so we booked the the holiday over Easter, and we've only really recently just gone back actually.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it was amazing, it was it was brilliant, it was just one of those holidays that's really super full on.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: Every day we were busy, we were either visiting a theme park or we were doing something with the children, um, and then of course, there is so much to do out there, there's so much to do at night, and so we would literally come in from a day at the park, we'd have a rest, and then we'd go out of an evening.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: So we were knackered by the time we came back.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I spent all of last week in recovery.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if it's because maybe I'm getting a little bit older or you know, it was just a super full on obviously with the children, but yeah, last week I wasn't operating at my best at all.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: The kids had an amazing time, and you know what?
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: I was just really appreciative of the fact that I was able to do this, not just with my children, but also with my parents as well, because as I said, they're they're they're kind of getting on a bit now.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: They're my mum turned 70 in June, my dad turned 70 last year, and it's just a really lovely thing to be able to do with them.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: And it was one of the things that you know, during lockdown, when we were all restricted and we weren't able to see our family, those feelings of right, okay, we need to make the most of the time that we have because we don't know what's around the corner, and I think that was probably what inspired the holiday, if truth be told.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: I think we all felt that um, you know, we all felt the the difficulty of being locked away, and so being able to, you know, book something and have this holiday where we all get to enjoy each other, I think is is it was really important.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and and what's been really sad though is since I've come back, I've I've sort of spoken to a couple of friends, and two of my friends have recently lost parents very suddenly through heart conditions, and and both were younger, I suppose, than my fat my parents, and it really does make you think that time is super super precious, and we do need to make the most of the time that we have and the people that we have around us as much as we can, and I know life gets busy.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think we're all guilty of you know being in our bubbles and getting caught up with work and family and just life in general, but being able to take some time out and spend it with the people that actually do matter, I think is really important, and so I do feel really blessed that we were able to do that.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as entrepreneurs, it can be really challenging to take time off work when you work for yourself because there's that fear of if you're not working, then you're not earning.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like being employee being an employee for a company that pays you when you're on holiday leave.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: We have to feed ourselves, we have to hustle and find clients and bring that money into the business in order to keep the lights on.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Being a being taking time out to go off and enjoy two weeks in the sun isn't always possible for many entrepreneurs or business owners that that have the responsibility of keeping their businesses going.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: So it's something that I was really conscious about, especially as an entrepreneur.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to be at my desk for for two weeks.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: Well, in reality, maybe three weeks by the time I get back and I've I've actually got myself back into work.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: And how am I going to earn in that time and keep the lights on?
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: Over the past few years, I have been working to create a multi-revenue business that supports me, my family, and I also told me the life that I want to create.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not saying I'm where I want to be because for me I have big aspirations and there are goals that I want to achieve, but I am on my way, and the one thing that this holiday proved was that what the things that I put in place to support me were working for me and were supporting me as I was taking time out to be with my family.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I talk a lot about this about creating freedom from the products that we create because I believe that our businesses are the vehicles that can take us to any destination that we want to go.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: I think what's really important is that you understand where that destination is, but once you understand where you want to go and what you want to create, then you can build this vehicle to support you.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't have to be just in the way of selling one-to-one services to clients.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now, for many years, I was running a service-based business that where I was working on creative projects, and I was doing that through the branding studio that I'd created.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: And looking back, there was I had very little freedom because what had what happened was that I replaced the one employer I had when I was employed to multiple employers in the form of clients.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now, we don't tell ourselves that as business owners, as entrepreneurs, we say to ourselves that we are creating this freedom in our business because we're not bound by the an employer.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: But when you run a creative business and you run multiple projects and you have clients that have expectations and demands, they become the people that you are answering to, and so we have to be realistic with that.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: We are in fact replacing one for multiple, and then we have to do what we can to deliver that service to make sure that we keep them happy, we keep them satisfied, so that we don't disappoint.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when I first started my branding studio, I thought that I was creating a business that was my route to freedom, and of course, businesses can be, and I'm talking purely from the perspective of creating or having created a branding studio, so a creative business.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you have clients that are waiting for specific deliverables, if they have certain expectations and you are that person that's delivering them.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, yes, of course, you can plan things out in advance, and you can bring people on board to support you with this, but ultimately you're still on the hook because you are answerable to that client.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, before COVID hit back in 2020, I was managing a lot of design projects in my business, and all of them were at very different stages, and I had a small team supporting me, but it was still exhausting.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: No matter what boundaries I put in place, no matter what expectations I set, everything was ultimately on my shoulders.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: My life was governed by deadlines and you know, dates where I needed to get things to clients, or I needed to get work over to my team members, or it was very much led by my calendar and the deadlines that had been mapped out in front of me.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the nature of the beast.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: When you run creative projects, you are essentially running projects based on timelines, so it's not like a coaching service where somebody books a coaching package and you deliver it over 10 weeks.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: With a creative project, such as a website project, you have certain milestones that you're working towards, and those dates are what you're ultimately working towards and what will guide you in that project, and something like a web design project, that there are multiple milestones, so you have those key dates that you're constantly working towards.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: So, again, when you've got a big project on the table that you're working on, it's not always easy to just take time out to go on holiday because you have those milestones that you're working towards.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what I realized during lockdown when we had that time, and I had that time to reflect and review and to really look in on my business in a more objective way.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: I realized that this is where running a business isn't sustainable because you cannot be there 24-7 to respond to clients and to support clients, it's just not feasible.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: We can show up in and serve in ways that supports both us and clients, but it's just about looking at your business different, differently with a different perspective.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: I think for for many years I was just so caught on this never-ending hamster wheel of one, I'd be working on multiple projects, and I'd be like I say, I'd be I'd be working hard towards these timelines, these you know, certain time frames, and then once one project would be finished, another project would come on board, and again, it's like that never-end-ending hamster wheel.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: In one way, I was really fortunate because I was always busy, so I always had multiple projects that I was working on that my team were working on, um, but I lived in reactive mode, which is not a great place to be because ultimately you're never really in control.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, just before lockdown, I signed on a project that was going to be year-lot, a year-long project, and looking back, that was never the right project for me.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: But at the time, I was so ingrained in the work that I was doing, this was where it was leading me.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so for me, lockdown came at a time when I really needed to just stop and review what it was I was creating so that I could quickly take control of it and shift it into where it needed to be.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: Because ultimately, I'd created a business to support me and my family and to give me time to be there for my family, but then very quickly I got busy and I became caught up with constantly responding to clients and their requirements and supporting them through these creative projects.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I've talked a lot about this before on the podcast, but lockdown for me really was that time to reflect, to review, and to really shift my focus because I never intended on creating a business that took everything from me, and then when I look back, I think it really did because of how busy I was.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think it's important to stay in control when you're creating or scaling your business and not to lose sight of who you are and why you're doing it and what your core purpose is.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in truth, I became really disconnected with my purpose, which I didn't realise until lockdown, and so I had to find my way back and reconnect to why I'd created my business in the first place.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are at that place where you feel like you are stuck on this never-ending hamster wheel of having to constantly find clients to feed your business, then believe me when I say there is another way, a different way that gives you what you need while supporting those people that you ultimately want to help.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: You just need to be prepared to look at your business differently and shift your mindset because it does take time to go from being a hundred percent service provider to somebody that maybe creates digital products and that creates ready to ready-made offers that can be purchased there and then.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I believe that we can all create simple products in our businesses to help support our financial growth because we are all solution providers, which means that we have an abundance of knowledge that people need.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, selling one-to-one services brings in revenue revenue in the here and now, but we need to be thinking about the future and what that's going to look like, and we need to be thinking about the longevity of our businesses.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: What happens when you're not able to work because something has happened that take you away from you being at your desk?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I think it's a smart thing to think about the unthinkable so that you can put whatever is needed in place so that if anything wants to happen, you've protected yourself and that you can also position yourself and your business in the best uh place possible.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, my trip to Florida reminded me that it's really important to build freedom into your business because as I mentioned, it's not possible to be there 24-7.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: And who wants to be?
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: Who wants to be at their desk day in and day out working to support clients?
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as entrepreneurs, we all want to show up and serve, of course, we do.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: We all want to be of value and of use to people, but it should not dictate our life.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Our businesses should be supporting us and the life that we want to create and not get in the way of creating it.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: I remember a conversation that I had with an accountant at a networking event a few years ago, and we were talking just generally about you know that work-life balance, and I remember him saying to me that over the previous few years he's had to work through Christmas in order to catch up with client work, because for accountants in the UK, January is one of the most busiest times because it's when the self-assessments are due in.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I remember feeling horrified at what he was saying because what he was doing was sacrificing that time with his family in order to get on top of his workload.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now, props off to him that he was committed enough to do that, because I do think that takes a lot of commitment, but I did also think that that is a huge sacrifice, not just for him, but for his family as well.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, our businesses, as I said, should be should be created to support us, to support our life.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're finding that you're just stuck at your desk 25 24-7, then if anything, it's probably you know, it's probably doing the opposite, because it's taking you away probably from those occasions that actually do matter.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, with regards to this colleague, I was really curious about what would happen if something happened to him, if he couldn't be at his desk working, if he couldn't be there during that Christmas period, because uh unfortunately life had happened and he needed to be somewhere else.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now he had a small team of people working for him, so I guess.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, in reality, he probably would have passed his workload over.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: But if it's all on his shoulders, then that is a huge load to carry.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're so caught up in the weeds of your business because you're having to be there 24-7 to support your clients, then your business, in fact, is never going to move forward because you're always going to be caught up in those weeds.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's really important to be conscious of the amount of time that you're spending in your business because the only way to truly grow the thing that you've created is actually by spending time working on your business where you can create offers and products that are really going to help the financial growth of what you're creating.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if your business is demanding that amount of time from you and that you do end up missing out, then I do think it's time to maybe reassess the business that you are creating because I don't believe that's what running a business is about.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: That age-old saying of work smarter, not harder is so true, and I think it's what we all need to be doing.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it starts with looking at your business, connecting to your vision, defining your goals, and then creating a simple but strategic plan that helps to get you there.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I love what I do, I've spent a huge amount of energy trying to create a business that brings me the joy because that to me is the most important thing.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't want to be at my desk all of the time, I don't want to be constantly working in order to be able to survive.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: I want my business to support me.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: I want to be able to go on holiday and I want to be able to enjoy that time with my family because my children aren't going to be young for long.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: There's going to come a time when naturally they're going to be at an age where they're not going to want to go on holiday with mum and dad because they'll have reached that time in their life where they're looking for independence.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: And so for me, I want to be able to enjoy that time now, and it's really important that the business that I create supports me with that.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are like me and you are looking at ways to build strength and financial abundance into your business, then I want you to start shifting your thinking about what your business looks like.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to think about what you can create in your business that can be a ready-to-go offer.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I've got four questions that I'd like to share with you and that you will need to answer.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: And these four questions are going to help you to get really clear on what those products may look like.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: So the first question is what is your client's biggest challenge?
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: So think about who you currently support in your business.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_00: Why do they come to you?
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what is that challenge that they're currently facing?
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: What does that look like?
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: Are you being asked the same thing over and over again?
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are, what does that look like?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_00: Question two how do you currently help your clients?
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, what is it that you do that gets them a result?
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_00: And what I want you to do here is really map it out.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have a framework?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have a system?
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: Do you follow something that gets your client from point A to point B?
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: Question three, what specific results do you currently provide?
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, what does that look like for your clients?
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: What do they walk away with?
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then question four is what is the transformation that you provide?
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, for this question, I want you to look beyond the results.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to look at what your client's life looks like once they've worked with you.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: What do they walk away with and get really clear on what that looks like.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by knowing these the answers to these four questions, you can then start to work out what your clients need.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then from knowing that, you can start thinking about how you can support them in more of an off-the-shelf offer.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_00: So let me give you some examples.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a bookkeeper and you work with sole traders helping them with their bookkeeping, then maybe think about creating something like an expense tracker that helps them to record their expenses in their business.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you could create a bundle of spreadsheets that has various bits and pieces in that they can then purchase from you that is going to make their life easier.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: For you, it's great because it means that when they come to you, they'll have everything in order.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_00: But for them, you're you're teaching them how to get really clear on what they need to do to stay on top of their expenses.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: Or if you're a coach, could you create a workbook that helps your get helps your clients to get clear on what their goals are, what their vision is, and maybe what they want to create for themselves?
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you're a social media consultant that works with entrepreneurs creating visibility online, in which case maybe creates a social media calendar or you know a list of prompts that helps them to generate content on a monthly basis.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: Ready-made templates are also great, especially reels, because they're great time savers and people will pay for these.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_00: There is so much that can be repurposed and sold, probably from what you're already using in your business.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to be a little bit more creative with what you're doing.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there is so much joy that comes from selling digital products.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've not yet considered selling digital products in your business, then I really do encourage you to think about it because not only are you increasing your revenue but you're also doing good and you're supporting your customers in a way that really does support them.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: Not everyone has the money to pay for one-to-one services, and so it makes sense to create other offers in our businesses that provide value, that delivers results, and also gives you money back in the bank.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so before I finish today's episode, I just want to remind you to book your place on my free online workshop called Kickstart Your Online Course that is taking place on Wednesday, the 24th of May at 5 pm UK time.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_00: To book your place, visit www.pink-lemondigital.com forward slash kickstart.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: Spaces are limited, so if you are interested in coming on board, then I encourage you to book your place today.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to today's episode.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you found this episode of value, and of course, please feel free to share it with others who you may think will also benefit from listening to today's episode.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, today I have some exciting news that I want to share with you because I have just launched my free Facebook group called Online Courses with Karen.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are looking for further support or inspiration to get you started, then come and hang out with me in the group.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Just go to Facebook.com forward slash groups forward slash online courses with Karen or visit my website www.pink-lemondigital.com for more information.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_00: I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a great week.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Digitally She Does It Show.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: New episodes drop every week on a Wednesday, so why not rate and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today, and I will see you next time.