If you’re in the business of selling digital products, you know that creating a great offer is only half the battle. Getting it in front of the right people and convincing them to buy? That’s where the real challenge lies.
But don’t worry, I’m here to walk you through some proven strategies for effectively promoting your digital product and turning browsers into buyers. Whether you’re peddling ebooks, online courses, software, or some other intangible goody, these principles will help you rise above the noise and make your marketing efforts count.
First Things First: Know Your Customer Inside and Out
Before you even think about drafting a single word of copy or selecting which marketing channels to focus on, you need to get crystal clear on who you’re trying to reach. I’m talking about painting a vivid picture of your ideal customer – their hopes, dreams, fears, and challenges as they relate to your product.
Doing your due diligence here will pay off big time down the line. You’ll be able to create messages that resonate on a deep level, choose platforms where they already hang out, and position your product as the perfect solution to their problems. Skimping on this foundational work, on the other hand, is a recipe for lackluster results.
So how do you go about getting inside your customer’s head? Here are a few tried-and-true tactics:
- Survey or interview your existing customers or people in your target market
- Pay attention to the questions and comments that come up again and again in relevant online communities
- Check out reviews of similar products to see what people love, hate, and wish they did differently
- Scope out how your competitors are positioning their products and who they’re targeting
The goal is to develop a robust understanding of what makes your people tick so you can tailor every aspect of your marketing to their unique needs and preferences. Trust me, it’s worth the effort.
Nail Down Your “So What?” Factor
With so many digital products clamoring for attention these days, you can’t afford to be just another face in the crowd. To really stand out and persuade people to choose you over the other guys, you need a strong, specific value proposition.
Forget generic platitudes or trying to appeal to everyone and their grandma. You’ve got to hone in on what makes your product uniquely valuable for your specific audience. What key benefits and outcomes does it deliver? What makes your approach different and better? Why is it hands-down perfect for the folks you’re targeting?
Distilling this down into a punchy, memorable value prop is part art and part science. Some pointers:
- Use clear, concrete language – no jargon or wishy-washy claims
- Emphasize the end results and transformation customers will experience, not just the features
- Highlight what sets you apart from the sea of alternatives
- Incorporate the exact words and phrases your target audience uses to describe what they want
Once you’ve nailed your value proposition, make sure it’s front-and-center in all your messaging, from your website to your ad copy to your email subject lines. Consistently reinforcing that core “so what” factor is key to attracting and converting your dream buyers.
Create Content That Can’t Be Ignored
Okay, so you’ve got a firm handle on who your target customer is and why your digital product is uniquely perfect for them. Now it’s time to start building a relationship and establishing your authority with some truly outstanding content.
I know, I know, “content marketing” has been done to death and you’re probably sick of hearing about it. But here’s the thing – it’s a cliché for a reason. When done right, publishing relevant, insanely useful content is still one of the most effective ways to get on your ideal buyer’s radar, win their trust, and prime them to eventually pull the trigger on your product.
The key is to approach it strategically:
- Do your keyword research to understand what topics and questions your people are searching for online, then create the best darn resource on those subjects
- Experiment with different formats like blog posts, videos, infographics, templates, tools – whatever will resonate most with your specific audience
- Don’t be afraid to show your work and give away your best stuff – the more actionable and valuable your content, the more people will share it and keep coming back for more
- Optimize for search engines and shareability to extend your content’s reach far and wide
- Have a clear plan for turning readers into email subscribers and customers, like including prominent opt-in forms and calls-to-action throughout
When you make every piece of content a true value-add that both educates and delights your target audience, you’ll gradually build a reputation as the go-to expert they can trust. So when the time comes to invest in a solution like yours, guess who they’ll turn to first?
Create Copy That Converts
Visit your digital product’s website right now and read it with fresh, skeptical eyes. Is it magnetic and engaging enough to turn a curious visitor into a convinced buyer? Does it pack an emotional punch and compel them to act now, or could it just as easily be describing any other product in your market?
For better or worse, the quality of your web copy can make or break your marketing results. It needs to work overtime to grab attention, stoke desire, overcome objections, and nudge people toward that “buy” button.
Some conversion copywriting essentials:
- Lead with an irresistible, curiosity-stoking headline that makes people eager to keep reading
- Write like you’re having a one-on-one conversation with your dream customer, reflecting a deep understanding of their situation
- Use vivid storytelling and future pacing to help them envision the awesome outcomes of using your product
- Load up on specifics like stats, case studies, and testimonials to lend credibility to your claims and squash skepticism
- End every section with a clear call-to-action so there’s no confusion about what to do next
- Mercilessly edit to eliminate any fluff that doesn’t propel your visitor toward making a purchase
Ultimately, your copy needs to build an airtight case for why your digital product isn’t just a nice-to-have, but an essential ally they’d be crazy not to invest in. Infuse every line with empathy and enthusiasm, and you’ll have a much easier time nudging those on-the-fence prospects over the finish line.
Unleash the Power of Paid Traffic
Once you’ve got your messaging and funnel dialed in, paid advertising lets you put your offer in front of exponentially more of the right people. With laser-targeting capabilities and unparalleled speed, it’s like pouring gasoline on all your other marketing efforts.
But all those perks can come with a hefty price tag if you’re not careful. To run profitable ad campaigns that don’t blow your budget:
- Start small and increase spending as you optimize your performance metrics
- Write ads that combine both direct response principles (clear call-to-action, sense of urgency) and branding to get both clicks and recognition
- Choose the platforms that best match your target customer’s demographics and online behavior
- Create dedicated post-click landing pages for each campaign, centered on a single conversion goal
- Obsessively A/B test every element – even tiny tweaks to copy, creative, and targeting can yield big gains
- Pay just as much attention to the metrics that happen beyond the click, like leads, purchases, and ROI
Paid ads can be a powerhouse way to scale your digital product sales, but they’re not a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. Expect to put in some serious elbow grease to find that sweet spot of high-converting campaigns at the lowest possible cost.
Don’t Neglect the Post-Purchase Experience
Okay, so you’ve done the hard part of getting people to actually buy your digital product. Time to pop the champagne and move on to the next promotion, right? Not so fast.
The way you support and wow your customers after they’ve entered their credit card digits can make the difference between one-time sales and lifelong superfans. If you want to maximize retention, referrals, and recurring revenue, you’ve got to overdeliver on the post-purchase experience.
Some ideas:
- Customize the heck out of your onboarding sequence – make customers feel like you’re welcoming them into an elite club, not just another name in your database
- Provide ample documentation and education to ensure they can hit the ground running and get the most out of your product
- Check in throughout their journey to celebrate milestones, solicit feedback, and nip any issues in the bud
- Surprise and delight them with bonus resources, thoughtful gifts, and other unexpected perks
- Make it outrageously quick and easy to get personalized support whenever they need it
When you go out of your way to provide five-star service at every step, your customers will be much more likely to stick around, spend more, and sing your praises. So think of the initial sale as just the beginning of what will hopefully be a long and beautiful relationship.
Build Buzz Through Strategic Partnerships
No matter how strong your product and marketing chops, there’s only so much awareness you can generate on your own. To really get the word out and borrow trust from others, you need to find the right promotional partners.
That could mean:
- Guest posting on authority sites that your target audience already reads and trusts
- Showing up for interviews on relevant podcasts to share your story and insights
- Teaming up with aligned influencers to get your product in front of their followers
- Running affiliate promotions to incentivize others to spread the word far and wide
The key is to choose partners who serve the same audience you do, but aren’t direct competitors. Then focus on providing massive value through your collaborations – don’t just phone it in for an easy backlink or @mention.
Over time, you’ll build a web of strategic alliances that lend instant credibility to your brand and help you penetrate new corners of your market. It’s a win-win all around.
Conclusion
Listen, marketing a digital product is no cakewalk, even for the savviest entrepreneurs. With so much noise and competition out there, it takes serious hustle and heart to get noticed.
But I firmly believe that creators like you – the ones who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves, put in the unsexy work, and experiment relentlessly – are the ones who ultimately win big in this game.
It all starts with laying that unshakable foundation:
- Intimately understanding your target customer and what makes them tick
- Nailing your unique value proposition and core messaging
- Mapping out a marketing strategy that fires on all cylinders to attract, nurture, and convert your perfect-fit buyers
Then it’s just a matter of putting in the elbow grease day after day – creating content, writing copy, running ads, serving customers, building partnerships – and trusting that your efforts will compound over time.
There will be challenges and setbacks along the way, guaranteed. But if you stay focused on delivering real value at every touchpoint and constantly improving your craft, you will build an incredible, enduring asset.
So get out there and do the work. Test and tweak and turn over every stone until you hit your stride. Your people are waiting for you!
Once you’ve crafted compelling copy that sells your ebook, use Designrr to package it into a visually appealing and professional format that will impress your readers