Should You Sell Physical Or Digital Products (Or Both)?

Whhhoooo Wheee! I’m getting some great questions today… and this one is a doooozy!  This friend want’s to know if she should switch to selling (marketing) digital products instead of selling physical products as an affiliate…

And then – she get’s even deeper and thinks maybe she should have a slew of her own digital products to sell. And… then… set them all up so that “affiliates” could sell her products.

WoW zeers. That’s a 10 million dollar question!

Well – I’ll let you read it right here:

Debra

I am nearly convinced that I need to move my online marketing towards a business that markets information products instead of physical products.

I’ve been thinking this for some time. I’ve been  encouraged  to stick with the site that I have, but. . . I’m  hearing ONLY about information products marketing.

Some of the direct advice I’ve been given is that I should give up physical product affiliate sales unless I could wait 2-3 years for any real income and wanted to sell products that retailed at $500-$1000.

I’m considering doing small reports and selling them for income.

For those that do well, try to expand the information into larger ebooks. Sell those through affiliates.

Really, I’m not sure what I’m thinking.

Your use of Public Domain material seems more likely to give me tools towards a direction of information marketing. With a result of income in the immediate future – not 3 years down the road.

I’d very much appreciate your thoughts on all of this – Unlike so many, you seem to have a good, solid, profitable business and, obviously, a good head for business.

You’ve also been very generous with your time and advice  (for which I again say, THANK YOU), and I believe that you know your s*#t. I also trust you to be honest.

See what I mean? What a question!!! But this gal… knows – I am “Always” honest and sometimes a bit harsh with critiques of content, websites and overall I just tell most everyone to put their “Big Girl Panties On and Do Something!”…

So… I guess she came to the right person – If – she wants honest!

What does being honest mean to me? Well – it means two things to me (concerning this topic):

1. I will tell it like it is “For Me” – which means – I don’t give facts, figures and mumbo jumbo that are not “TRUE”.
2. I will try to help her figure out “where” she really needs to focus (because you know I’m the Find-Focus-Finish Gal) and get off the hump of “thinking about it all”.

Here we go… hang on to your britches….

Remember – this is how “I” see this… of course I am not one of the “rich” people making a ton of money online! Nope… but I am making enough (finally) to see a real difference in our budget and each year my accountant says “what are you doing again? and how do you make all this profit?”  LOL… no one understands – unless you “just do it”.

First – Where Did (name guru) get the idea that you had to wait 3 years and only sell high ticket items to make a living online??? I guess it depends on what type of income you are shooting for. If you are shooting to make $50,000 this year… well you better get some snake oil and hit the streets.

Second – I know (because I’m smart that way) that this gal can make money online. Duh… anyone can. If  -IF – they put in the time and effort and really apply what they learn along the way.

Third - I don’t know why anyone has to Choose Between Selling Physical Or Digital Products.

Forth - You can sell Physical – and – Digital products as an affiliate AND sell your own products… all at the same time. That is exactly what I do!!!

Okay… now for some juicy stuff.

I know what the niche is that this gal is working in. What I can tell you is this… I think she is trying to set up an Amazon.com type store (but only in one niche). That’s not really the whole picture – but it’s the BIG picture I can share.

She is frustrated and has spent time and money chasing after this “thing” – that isn’t really clear in her head to begin with.  Not that this type of site is a BAD idea… far from it. But …..  I don’t have any sites like this “store” type site and I don’t want to… to much work – and you know I do work (like a dog) but I still like the work to come easy.

What am I going to suggest that she do? I mean she “Isn’t sure what she is thinking” right now... which means she has hit a “frustration point” and is ready to throw in the towel and go get a J.O.B.!!!  NOOOOO…. I’ve go to help her “figure out what to do next… and then next … and then next.  Right? You betcha.

Take A Deep Breath…. Close Your Eyes…. Breath…. (sounds like therapy huh?)  and think of exactly what you want to do. Not – NOT – NOT!!! What someone else (including me) thinks you should do.

One of the things I learned early on (well several things)….

• I didn’t want to be a “GURU” and try to sell all the crap I could find to market.
• I didn’t want to make millions and have employees and a big “physical” office.
• I needed to keep a visual of what I was working towards… my ultimate (BIG Picture) goal.  I want to retire on the beach in Mexico – Someday – but the place must have Wireless Internet Connections!!!
• I want to be able to “connect” with people in a meaningful way. I mean personally “connect” with them.  This means I had to commit to answering lot’s of questions and emails.
• I needed to stop learning and start doing. (And stop getting distracted by every new “shiny object” that dropped into my inbox.
• I absolutely had to find a mentor.
• I also absolutely had to find a partner. Y’all know that Logan isn’t my husband – Right? He’s my business partner (in crime).
• I’ve had to learn how to “complete” projects. How many projects have you started that are not “complete”? That many huh?  Yeah me too… still working on getting that part right – every time.

What am I going to suggest???? Should You Sell Physical or Digital Products (Or Both)? -  You know the answer to that already… right?  Of course you should sell (market) both. I think everyone should know how to do it all!!!

The point to this conversation is really not the question of Physical vs. Digital products.

I believe that a much deeper question is being asked of me…

Where do I go from here? And How Do I Get There???
(or their – spelling is Not on of my strong suits).

One other question was asked of me (same gal)…

She is interested in learning how to work with Public Domain and Google Blogs to make little income streams.  She isn’t sure if she should!

Again – Two ways to look at this:

1. She hasn’t really “finished” the website she is working on now… and should really finish that site (take it to profit).

2. When you have had “enough” of a project – sometimes it’s a good idea to start over with something new and learn new ways to do “stuff”… and then go back to the original project with a fresh outlook.

On a personal note: I’ve set up and spent money and effort and time on more websites than I will “EVER” want to admit. Most of them are looong gone.  I didn’t have a clue what I was doing… and what I was doing – I was doing wrong.

Nuff said.

About The Author:

Debra Conrad is an online entrepreneur, information publisher, and author that has been using Public Domain material to create profitable products and businesses since 2007. She is also co-author of "The Public Domain Treasure Hunter's Survival Kit" available here. For more info Debra, click here.

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