I’ve tried a variety of ways to make an income online and while some of the methods were fun at times, I was still feeling drained.
Some of the methods I tried included affiliate marketing and selling print-on-demand t-shirts.
Both models were quite draining energy-wise and both began to burn me out after awhile.
So much so that I ended up taking a long break from it all. The break gave myself time to think about what I wanted out of an online business.
How Creating a Simple PDF Changed Everything
I decided that I needed to have control over my online business and I wanted the produce to be simple.
The first thing that came to mind was creating and selling a PDF (also referred to as an eBook.)
I’ve always liked the idea of having my own product and creating an information product is one of the easiest products to create.
Plus, I’d have full control over it. I can price my digital products for whatever I want. I can create as many products as I like.
I also get payments a lot faster because I’d be using a separate payment processor such as Stripe.
How I Create My Information Products
This process is not complicated. You don’t need any fancy tools or expensive software.
Here is all that I use to create my PDFs:
- Google Docs
- Canva (for creating a book cover)
- Systeme.io (sales platform)
That is literally it and you can use all three for free. If you need additional features, you can upgrade.
Writing Your PDF
I like to type up my PDFs in Google Docs and exporting them as a PDF file. There are no rules to how long your eBook should be.
If your PDF is only 20 pages but conveys your message, that is completely fine. If it ends up being 60 pages, that is fine too!
The only thing to be concerned with is that you are putting a ton of value into your content.
That is what will make your customers happy and keep them coming back to buy your future products.
Coming Up with a Topic
You’ll need a topic for your PDF. Don’t overthink this. The goal is to help a specific group of people.
Have you accomplished something that you know could help other people?
For example, maybe you discovered a way to reduce stress through a meditation practice.
Or maybe you created a fitness routine that helped you reach a healthy weight in your mid-forties.
Do people ask for your help on a particular topic?
You don’t need to be an expert about the topic. If you know something that can save people time, frustration, and stress, it is worth putting into a PDF and selling it.
Where to Sell Your PDF
You’ll be glad to know that you can also sell your PDF without paying a monthly fee. This is great for beginners who want to test the waters or are on a budget.
A good sales platform to start with is Payhip. They have a free forever plan that you can start with. They take a small percentage of every sale that you make
Other options include (free and paid):
- Gumroad
- Sellfy
- E-Junkie
- SamCart
Marketing Your PDF Files
Once you have your PDF up for sale, the hard part is done. Your focus can now be on marketing.
You’ll need to get traffic to your sales page. Organic traffic is the way to go if you cannot pay for ads.
I don’t recommend paying for ads without learning how it works beforehand. Also, it’s a good idea to have a set budget that you want to work with. Otherwise, ads can get really expensive and most beginners will lose money.
Organic traffic is great because it doesn’t cost anything but your time. You can use traffic sources such as:
- Social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)
- Medium.com
- Blogging
The difference between running ads and organic traffic is that with paid ads, the traffic is instant.
Organic traffic is slower but it can last much longer (sometimes for years.) When you stop running ads, the traffic stops as well.
You can do a combination of both organic and paid ads if possible. However, for beginners, I recommend learning organic traffic first.
The Benefits of Selling PDFs
There are so many wonderful benefits to selling information products in the form of PDF files.
As an introvert, I believe it is the ideal online business model. Here’s why:
- You are in control of your own product
- There is no inventory to keep track of
- Nothing to ship
- Customers receive their orders instantly
- Higher customer satisfaction
- Low refund rates
- Receive payments faster
- Your business is automated
How Much to Charge for Your PDF
I’ve noticed that the average price most people charge for a PDF is between $17 and $27.
You can definitely test out different pricing. Remember, the information you’re providing is specific and will likely save your customers time and offer convenience.
Don’t undervalue your work. Ebooks are already low-ticket products and those who want the information you’re offering won’t hesitate to spend $20 or more for the info.
Get Started Today
Does the thought of having a quiet path to digital income sound like the ideal online business for you?
It is not as difficult as you may think to get started. Click the link below to start your online journey and start creating your first digital information product today.