HOW TO SELL DIGITAL PRODUCTS ON ETSY IN MIDLIFE
Hey there Bestie! When the world slowed down in 2020, like many of us, I found myself craving something creative and productive to pour my energy into. What started as a simple way to stay busy during the pandemic soon became an exciting opportunity to earn extra income for my family. The goal was simple, build a business that could fit seamlessly into our lives once things returned to normal.
Creating and selling digital products on Etsy turned out to be the perfect solution. It offered the flexibility to work around my family’s busy schedule and the freedom to build something that felt truly mine. No deadlines, no pressure from others, just a steady, meaningful income I could grow on my own terms.
Like you, I had been looking for a way to live a more rewarding Midlife as a Mompreneur and to make an extra income for my family. I knew I needed my own thing. My own purpose. Something that lit me up inside again! Just because my children were growing older and more independent did not mean that I was ready to go back to the daily grind of the Corporate world. Life is just as busy as it was when they were younger (hello, travel sports!) and I was looking to build a business that was truly flexible with our busy schedule. That is when I discovered the unlimited possibilities of selling Digital Products on Etsy! It was finally something that didn’t feel icky or that I had to twist the arm of my closest friends and family to buy.
With Selling Digital Products on Etsy, I had finally found something that lights me up again in addition to being a Mom. I just celebrated my 1166th digital product sale this week and can’t wait to share with you the step by step process that I used to start and grow my own Digital Product business.
Selling Digital Product on Etsy in Midlife is a great way to make passive income but it’s important to know the basics before you get started. If you also have been wanting to start a Digital Product business as a Midlife Mompreneur, but didn’t know where to start, you’re in the right place!
Thinking about opening your own Etsy digital product shop? Let’s get started!
WHAT ARE DIGITAL PRODUCTs
Digital Products are pdf files or Canva templates that are downloaded to your computer. No inventory, no shipping, no packaging and no post office runs. Just create it once, list it, and let Etsy do the rest. Multiple customers can purchase the same digital product over and over again. Once a customer purchases your digital product, it is sent to them immediately via email for them to enjoy.
The variety of digital products to create and sell are truly endless! Think digital planners, printable wall art, Canva templates, SVG files for Cricut projects, social media templates, digital invitations, business cards, and logos. And that’s just the beginning! If it can be created on a computer, chances are, someone out there on Etsy is searching for it.
Selling digital products is one of the easiest ways to step into entrepreneurship in midlife, especially if you’re craving more flexibility, creativity, or just a fun new way to earn income from home.
what is passive income
First, let’s talk first about what exactly Passive Income is. When you work a Corporate job where you are paid for your time you have actively worked, you are trading your time for dollars. Passive Income is earning an income without actively working. You do the work up front and are paid over and over again for an unlimited amount of time. Even when you are not actively working! As a Midlife Mom, your time is so valuable and also very unpredictable when you have kids to tend to all day! The time that you are able to work isn’t always when your job wants you to work. You need an income that is consistent even when the time that you are able to work isn’t!
There are days I can easily put in a few hours creating Digital Products. Typically it’s when the kids are at school or at night after they have gone to bed. Then there are other days when life gets in the way…a child gets sick and is home from school with strep for three days and before you know it, an entire week has gone by that I am not able to work on my business at all.
I used to get so stressed when I would have to call off work due when my daughter was sick. Our entire life would get turned upside down and I felt pulled in so many different directions. Not to mention the extreme guilt that I felt disappointing my boss but would have felt that much worse not being there for my daughter. I was always so torn! Now I work when I can, especially when life throws you a curveball, without all of the guilt.
You’ll spend a few hours upfront creating your digital product, building your sales funnel, and planning your marketing strategy — but that’s the beauty of passive income. The work you put in once keeps paying off long after. Once your product is ready, it can sell over and over again without any extra effort on your part.
SETTING UP YOUR ETSY SHOP
When setting up your shop, Etsy will walk you through the entire process. Have your bank account information ready and any other relevant business information such as payment preference, a business email address and your Etsy shop name. I use a separate business email address for my shop. When naming your Etsy Shop, you will want to choose a name relevant to your niche. This is why choosing your niche from the very beginning is so important! Before you can open your shop, Etsy will also have you list your first product. Be sure to have that ready to go before you are open for business.
When setting up your Etsy Digital Product Shop, fill out all of the information sections that are available to you. This allows your potential customers to get to know you and your shop better. The more they know about you, the more they will like and trust you!
BRANDING YOUR ETSY SHOP
When setting up your Etsy shop, you want to set yourself apart from others within your industry. After spending the last 2 years as a successful Etsy Digital Shop owner, I have found the key to success is setting yourself apart is to brand yourself. In a noisy platform such as Etsy, you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of your customer. If you are inconsistent in your branding and not setting yourself apart from the crowd, you will quickly go unnoticed. How do you grab your customer’s attention to keep them from scrolling by? Branding is the key!
Branding is more than just fancy fonts or logos, it is also your authentic voice and what makes you, YOU! A clear brand will allow your clients to get to know you, your personality and your message. Clients typically buy from people they know, like and trust which is the ultimate goal when it comes to building your own unique brand on Etsy.
choosing a niche for your etsy shop
The first thing you must do before opening your Etsy Digital Product Shop is to come up with a niche. You need to identify 3 simple things so you know what to focus on and who you are serving:
- A problem that needs to be solved
- A person who wants that solution
- Proof that you are the person to help this person with this problem
There are so many benefits to choosing a niche for your Etsy shop such as:
- It helps you to better understand your customers specific needs.
- You become the expert in your market.
- You stand out from your competitors.
- You stand out in a saturated market.
- Builds credibility and trust.
what digital products to create in your etsy shop
Start creating your digital products by building on the niche you’ve already chosen for your Etsy shop. First, get clear on who you serve. Then, identify the specific problems your audience faces and how your products can solve them. Finally, show some social proof, let people know why you’re the right person for the job and how your experience makes your products stand out.
That winning combination is what’s going to keep you motivated and focused through this entire process.
Here’s the truth: as a mom over 40, you are already an expert at so many things. Parenting. Problem-solving. Organizing chaos. Managing busy schedules. All of that wisdom is valuable and digital products give you a way to package and sell it.
A few examples of digital products moms are creating:
- A how-to guide for moms planning college visits
- A Canva template for organizing family schedules
- A checklist for decluttering before downsizing
Keep in mind when coming up with Digital Product Ideas, you will always need to focus on a specific niche. Digital Products that are vague and serve too many people will get lost in the noisy on line space. For example, Instagram Templates are a popular item to sell, however, Instagram Templates designed for a certain niche, such as Real Estate Agents, will sell even better because their content is already created for them.
If it solves a problem, saves time, or reduces stress people will happily pay for it. Want even more ideas? Grab my FREE GUIDE for midlife friendly digital product idea inspiration
HOW TO CREATE A DIGITAL PRODUCT FOR YOUR ETSY SHOP
I know the word “digital” can sound intimidating. But don’t worry, you don’t need to know coding, web design, or fancy tech. Tools like Canva and Etsy make it simple to design, sell, and deliver your digital products.
Go to Canva.com to create an account or log on to your existing account. If you are new to Canva.com, you have the choice to sign up for a free or pro account. Upgrading to Canva Pro is so worth it for any niche, but there are loads of free tools too! Confirm your account via email and you’re ready to go!
And if you ever feel stuck, I’ve got you! I love walking moms through the step-by-step process of creating, launching, and growing a profitable Etsy digital product business.
MARKETING YOUR ETSY SHOP
One of the great things about Etsy is that it has millions of customers already looking for your digital products! Etsy is a search engine where customers type in a search bar what they are looking for or what problem they want to solve. Etsy relies on SEO (search engine optimization) and their own algorithms to show which digital products will best meet their needs. Hopefully it will be one of yours!
Another way to attract buyers to your Etsy shop is to drive your own traffic through social media. Driving your own traffic to your Etsy shop will not only generate your own sales but it will boost your Etsy listing score to give your product a better chance of showing up in the Etsy algorithm.
ready to sell digital products on etsy in midlife?
My Etsy Shop has been such a blessing to our family that I couldn’t wait to share my knowledge and experience to help other Midlife Mompreneurs build one of their very own!
Are you ready to start or do you currently sell digital products on Etsy? I have put together a 85 Page How to Sell Digi tal Products on Etsy Guide just for you!
My amazing guide will help guide you through step by step to opening a successful Etsy Digital Product Shop.
If you have been wanting to start an Etsy Digital Product business in Midlife but didn’t know where to start, you’re in the right place!
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