96: The Best Way to Sell Digital Products (Hint: It’s Not a Shop!)
Thinking of launching an online shop for your digital products? Listen to this episode first!
Heather shares why she rarely uses her Shopify store, Kindergarten Ready Shop, and the smarter, more profitable strategy she uses instead. Hear why she moved away from the “sell everything” approach and how focusing on just one product with a dedicated sales page completely transformed her results.
If you’ve been overwhelmed trying to sell all the things, this episode will show you a better approach – one that’s streamlined, sustainable, and actually converts. Heather also shares her favorite tips for creating sales pages, using templates, and making your content do the heavy lifting.
If you’re ready to simplify your sales strategy and see better results, this episode’s for you!
Key Takeaways:
- (03:30) Overwhelming customers with too many options
- (05:00) Transitioning to sales pages
- (08:30) Optimizing your workflow with templates
- (10:30) Strategies for selling multiple products
- (15:40) Heather’s April Fools Day sale results
Episodes mentioned:
#03: Turning a Hobby into a Helpful Online Business with Erin Leonard
#04: 3 Reasons to Sell Your Products on Your Own Website (not on TPT!)
#50: How a Digital Product Shop Can Change Your Business with Monica Froese
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Avoid Overwhelm: Using Sales Pages Instead of Shopify for Your Teacher Products
For many educators, transitioning from a traditional teaching role to an entrepreneurial venture can seem daunting. In this episode of the Teacher Biz Podcast, Heather shares the strategy she employs to achieve greater fulfillment and income flexibility: focusing on sales pages instead of traditional online shops like Shopify.
The Inefficiency of Traditional Online Shops
Heather explained why she doesn’t utilize her Shopify shop, even though it’s beautifully set up.
In her experience, directing potential customers to a shop with multiple product options can be overwhelming. This often results in distractions that prevent customers from completing a purchase.
When they are presented with too many choices, potential buyers may hesitate, second-guess, and ultimately abandon their cart without making a purchase.
Heather’s personal example of a failed “April Fool’s Day” sale in her Shopify shop further highlights this inefficiency.
Despite having an email list with 150,000 subscribers, this broad sale only resulted in a single purchase, starkly illustrating the shortcomings of channeling customers to a traditional shop interface.
The Power of Sales Pages
Contrasting sharply with the traditional online shop model is the targeted sales page approach.
Heather advocates for focusing marketing efforts on a single product per campaign and sending potential customers directly to dedicated sales pages.
These pages are designed to channel the buyer’s attention with minimal distractions—no menu bars or multiple product choices. The call to action is clear: proceed to checkout with the specific product being promoted.
Sales pages allow entrepreneurs to guide potential customers through a personalized journey. By addressing pain points and illustrating how the product solves these issues, educators can craft a compelling and persuasive pitch.
In Heather’s experience, this methodology substantially increases conversion rates; sales pages consistently outperform traditional shop listings.
Streamlining the Creation Process
Heather emphasizes the importance of creating templates for sales pages. By doing so, educators can save time and streamline their workflow, creating a scalable system to launch future products swiftly.
She suggests starting with a simple template featuring placeholders for images, product descriptions, and testimonials, which can then be customized with ease for new campaigns.
The initial creation of a sales page is labor-intensive but becomes exponentially more manageable with the right template.
As proficiency develops, teachers can construct effective sales pages—for even low-priced products—within a few hours.
Limited Product Offerings: Quality Over Quantity
A crucial tip Heather shares is the philosophy of focusing on a few core products rather than attempting to flood the market with numerous offerings.
This approach promotes in-depth understanding and refinement of messaging, which helps build a strong brand foundation.
Educators new to entrepreneurship are encouraged to resist the urge to perpetually develop new products and instead hone in on the value and promotion of a select few.
Advanced Strategies for Multiple Products
Heather outlines advanced strategies for those with multiple product offerings, such as creating an intermediary sales page that links to individual product sales pages.
This method maintains the advantages of a sales page’s focus and personalization while offering customers a curated selection of options.
However, she cautions that such strategies should only be employed after mastering the basics and establishing a routine that efficiently utilizes sales pages.
By investing in sales pages over traditional online shops, teachers-turned-entrepreneurs are more likely to achieve higher conversions and long-term success.