How to Pre-Sell a Digital Product Before You Even Make It
You don’t need to build a whole digital product before making your first sale. In fact, that’s one of the biggest time-wasters for online business beginners.
There’s a better way: pre-sell it.
Pre-selling means offering your digital product idea to paying customers before it’s complete. You validate demand, bring in early income, and grow interest, all before you’ve spent hours designing or recording anything.
Whether you’re planning to sell Canva templates, ebooks, courses, or planners, this approach helps you test your idea and avoid launching to crickets.
Step 1: Start With a Real Problem
Skip the guesswork. Focus on the problem you’re solving.
Ask yourself:
What’s frustrating your ideal customer right now?
What shortcut or resource could help them get a result faster?
Is this something they’d actually pay for?
Even a small offer like a one-page planner or checklist can be powerful, if it solves something specific.
Step 2: Write a Simple Preview Page
You don’t need a full website. Just a one-page preview with:
What the product is about
Who it’s for
What’s included or what’s coming
How soon they’ll get it
What they’ll pay (and why early access is special)
You’re not pretending it’s finished. You’re inviting people in early, and they often appreciate the honesty.
Step 3: Collect Interest or Payments
You’ve got two options:
Waitlist approach: Let people sign up for early access
Direct pre-sale: Add a payment button and start taking orders
You can use Systeme.io, ConvertKit, or even a simple Google Form if that’s all you have. The tool doesn’t matter. The offer does.
Step 4: Share the Journey
Let people in on the process. It doesn’t require a big following, just real connection.
Tell them:
Why you’re creating this
What it will help them do
When it’s coming
Show sneak peeks. Share your notes. Invite feedback. Post behind-the-scenes updates on Instagram, email, or stories. You’ll build momentum and trust before launch day even arrives.
Step 5: Build the Product for Real Buyers
Now that people have signed up or bought, it’s time to create.
Keep it simple:
Deliver what you promised
Stick to your timeline
Add a bonus if you can
These first buyers are your biggest fans. Treat them well, and they’ll share your offer with others.
Final Thoughts
Pre-selling flips the typical business model on its head, in a good way. You don’t waste time making something no one wants. You get paid to build something people have already said yes to.
And that’s the foundation of a freedom-based business.
So before you spend hours designing that ebook or recording your course, try pre-selling. You might be surprised who’s ready to buy right now.
Want to learn how to create digital products like this step by step?
