How to Start Selling Printables (Fast) Even If You’re Not a Designer
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Struggling to launch your first digital product? If you’ve got a blog or online audience, selling printables is the simplest way to start earning—without mastering complex tech or spending weeks creating a course. In my latest Blogger Genius Podcast episode with Sherry Smothermon-Short, founder of Printables & More Club, we break down how to get your first printable live in minutes, what sells, and how to turn freebies into tripwire sales.
Show Notes:
- MiloTree Free Plan
- Printables & More Club
- Digital Product Empire AI Prompt (Free Download)
- 6 Purchasing Triggers Test
- Join The Blogger Genius Newsletterc
- Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group
Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast:
The Problem
You want to monetize your audience, but…
- You’re short on time and design skills
- “Making a full course” feels overwhelming
- You’re unsure what will actually sell
The Simple Solution
Start with printables: checklists, planners, activity pages, wall art, party kits—small, useful downloads that solve a specific problem for your audience. Use templates to speed up creation, then launch with a freebie → tripwire funnel to validate and sell quickly.
Why Printables Work Right Now
- Low lift, high leverage: Customize a Canva template (fonts, colors, logo) and publish—often in under an hour.
- Evergreen sales: Once published, they can sell on autopilot for months or years.
- Niche = pricing power: Generic planners might be $3–$7, while niche planners (e.g., Cub Scouts, ADHD students, cosplay) can command $27–$30+.
What Sells: Printable Ideas You Can Launch This Week
- Niche Planners Social media manager planner, homeschool unit planner, event vendor planner, cosplay build planner. (Niche = higher price.)
- Checklists & Trackers “Publish a blog post” checklist, budget tracker, habit tracker, kids’ sports gear checklist.
- Kids’ Activities (Seasonal wins!) Holiday scavenger hunts, coloring pages, word searches, puzzle packs.
- Party Printables Theme decor + games (e.g., unicorns, secret agent kits), ready to print and assemble.
- Wall Art Quote prints, nursery sets, bold geometric scripture posters for a younger aesthetic.
Pro tip: Mine your top 3 blog posts and create a hyper-relevant printable for each. Ask: “What’s the reader’s very next step after this post?” Build that as a checklist or mini-planner.
Your 60-Minute Launch Plan (Step-by-Step)
00:00–10:00 — Pick the idea Choose a printable tied to one of your highest-traffic posts (or a pain point you solve).
10:00–40:00 — Customize a Template Grab a Canva template (e.g., from Printables and More Club) and make quick edits: brand fonts/colors, logo, page titles, swap graphics. Keep it simple.
40:00–60:00 — Publish with MiloTree (Free)
- Create a freebie (e.g., Easter scavenger hunt) to collect emails.
- Add a tripwire on the thank-you page (e.g., full Easter activity pack).
- MiloTree hosts/delivers both, and your AI-generated sales page is done for you—free plan available.
Funnel That Converts: Freebie → Tripwire
- Lead Magnet (Freebie): One valuable page (checklist, scavenger hunt, mini-planner page).
- Tripwire (Paid): Right after signup, offer the bigger, done-for-them pack (e.g., 20-page activity bundle or full planner) at a limited-time price. This works because the freebie pre-qualifies intent—buyers already want more of the same.
Tools & Tactics That Make It Easy
- Templates in Canva: Perfect for non-designers; update in minutes.
- MiloTree Free Plan:
- Spin up AI-generated sales and opt-in pages
- Deliver freebies automatically
- Add social pop-ups to grow followers
- Set up tripwires without extra tools (all on the free plan)
- Optional Digital Planning: Many customers still print PDFs, but some use GoodNotes on iPad; simple PDFs work great.
Pricing Hints
- Starters: $5–$9 for checklists/trackers
- Bundles/Activity Packs: $9–$19
- Niche Planners: $27–$30+ (specific beats generic)
Quick Start Checklist
- Pick 1 printable tied to a top post
- Customize a Canva template (fonts, colors, logo)
- Upload to MiloTree (Free) as a paid product
- Create a matching freebie to grow your list
- Add a tripwire offer on the thank-you page
- Promote the opt-in link in your post + sidebar + social bios
- Iterate weekly (new seasonal or niche variation)
Final Takeaway
You don’t need a huge course to monetize—you need one helpful printable aligned to a real problem your audience has. Use a template, ship a freebie today, add a small paid upgrade, and let MiloTree handle the delivery and sales page for you. Rinse and repeat, especially for seasonal content. Your first $7 sale is the hardest; the rest compound.
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