Why Digital Products Are the Secret to Substack Success (Even If You Have 50 Subscribers)

I just got this testimonial for my Digital Product Class and had to share it:

“Just a quick note as I finish the MC vimeo. All I can say is WOW! I've never seen such an immediately digestible, covers-all-the-bases class. Not only is this eminently do-able, I'm actually excited to dig in.

So, thank you, in advance, for the wisdom, the expertise, the transparency...and most of all, for the hands on my back at this early stage.” (from Lyn C.)

Getting emails like this just reinforce that we’re on the right track here folks.

This is exactly why I keep saying that digital products are the best way to monetize your newsletter from day one. Even if you only have 50 subscribers.

You don't need thousands of subscribers to start monetizing. You need one good digital product that solves a real problem for your audience.

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Why Digital Products Beat Everything Else

Here's what makes digital products so powerful for newsletter creators:

You create it once, sell it forever. Unlike consulting or coaching, you're not trading time for money. You build it once and it can generate revenue while you sleep, travel, or focus on growing your newsletter.

You can start with a tiny audience. Paid subscriptions require hundreds or thousands of subscribers to generate meaningful revenue. A $97 digital product only needs a few sales per month to make a real difference in your income.

It's sustainable. You're not burning yourself out creating custom solutions for every customer. You're solving the same problem for multiple people with one solution.

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The One Tip That Changes Everything

If you're creating a digital product right now, here's the most important thing I can tell you:

Solve ONE specific problem really, really well.

Don't try to create a comprehensive course that covers everything in your niche. Don't try to solve 10 different problems in one product.

Pick the ONE problem your audience asks about most often, then create the simplest, most direct solution to that problem.

My best-selling products aren't my most comprehensive ones. They're my most focused ones. The products that take someone from Point A to Point B without any detours.

When you try to solve everything, you solve nothing. When you solve one thing exceptionally well, people will pay for it.

And, if you don’t think you know enough to create a product, please don’t sell yourself short. All you need is to be a little bit farther along than the person you’re teaching:

• If you’ve lost 20 pounds, you can teach someone who is just starting their weight loss journey

• If you’ve grown a small audience on Medium or Instagram, you can teach someone who is just getting started

• If you’ve learned how speak well in front of small audiences, you know enough to teach public speaking to someone who is brand new

See where I’m going here? You know something that you can teach inside a digital product.

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Ready to Build Your First (or Next) Digital Product?

If this resonates with you and you're ready to create a digital product that actually sells, I'd love to have you join my Six-Figure Digital Product Masterclass.

Inside, you'll get my complete system for creating, pricing, and selling digital products that generate consistent revenue for your newsletter—even if you're just starting out. It’s the same system that’s helped me generate $65K+ from digital products in a little under 10 months.

And, this is the same approach that's helped hundreds of other newsletter creators build sustainable income streams without burning out or constantly trading time for money.

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Question: What's the ONE problem your audience asks about most often? Share in the comments—it might be your first digital product idea.