How to Whip Up a Digital Product in a Weekend (Yes, Really)
Ever dreamt about waking up, stretching, glancing at your phone—and boom, you made money overnight? No, not some sketchy crypto thing. I’m talking about turning your random knowledge, weirdly specific skills, or hyper-nerdy obsession into an actual digital product people pay for. And, trust me, you can do it by Monday. Don’t believe me? Watch this.
Zero tech skills? No clue what to sell? Never hawked a thing online except maybe that old PS2 on Craigslist? You’re still good. Here’s the play-by-play. Spoiler: it doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to exist.
So, What Counts as a Digital Product?
Basically, anything you can sell online and not have to pop it in the mail. One-and-done. People grab it off the internet and that’s it—no schlepping to the post office required.
Popular stuff includes:
Why even bother?
What You Need (It Ain’t Much)
Saturday: Build Mode (aka Eat, Drink, Create)
Step 1: Nail Down Your Product Idea (1–2 hrs)
Obsess over stuff? People always ask you how you do _____? Some struggle you kicked that others still whine about? Start there. Your life cheat codes = someone’s shortcut.
You DO NOT need to be a guru. Just be, like, two steps ahead.
Steal these ideas if you want:
Too scared your idea sucks? Post a poll on Insta, stalk Etsy for bestsellers, check #digitalproducts on TikTok. If other people make money with it, so can you.
Step 2: Pick a Format (30 min)
Don’t complicate it. What’s the quickest path?
Tip: For first-timers, aim for simple. If it’s gonna take all weekend, bail. Stick to something you can bang out in a few hours.
Step 3: Outline That Thing (1 hr)
Every product = solves a legit problem. Don’t waffle.
Stick to this:
Problem → Solution → Results
Example:
Sketch an outline. Keep it SO basic.
Step 4: Build It (3–4 hrs...the slog)
Open up Google Docs, Canva, Notion—whatever fits.
If you’re running behind, cut corners. People want solutions, not Shakespeare.
Sunday: Polish, Publish, Pimp It Out
Step 5: Make It Look Good-ish (1 hr)
Ugly sells, but pretty sells faster.
Step 6: Quick-n-Dirty Sales Page (1 hr)
Host on:
What goes on the page:
Real-life-ish example:
Tired of going blank on Instagram? Grab my 30-Day Content Calendar—get daily prompts, snappy captions, and tip-offs so you can finally show up like the pros. Download and quit the last-minute scramble.
Gumroad’s editor is as easy as typing a tweet. Don’t overthink it.
Step 7: Price This Bad Boy
Ever dreamt about waking up, stretching, glancing at your phone—and boom, you made money overnight? No, not some sketchy crypto thing. I’m talking about turning your random knowledge, weirdly specific skills, or hyper-nerdy obsession into an actual digital product people pay for. And, trust me, you can do it by Monday. Don’t believe me? Watch this.
Zero tech skills? No clue what to sell? Never hawked a thing online except maybe that old PS2 on Craigslist? You’re still good. Here’s the play-by-play. Spoiler: it doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to exist.
So, What Counts as a Digital Product?
Basically, anything you can sell online and not have to pop it in the mail. One-and-done. People grab it off the internet and that’s it—no schlepping to the post office required.
Popular stuff includes:
- Ebooks (yeah, you don’t need to be Hemingway)
- Printable planners and random templates
- Online mini-courses
- Notion/Canva templates (the internet loves these)
- Communities or memberships
- Audio tracks/podcasts/ringtones of you screaming (kidding… mostly)
- Stock photos (if you’re one of those camera people)
- Spreadsheets, toolkits, checklists
Why even bother?
- No boxes, tape, or “warehouse” (aka your bedroom closet)
- Once it’s made, it’s pure profit
- Set it and forget it (well, mostly)
- Works for 1 or for 1,000 customers, same effort
- Start for basically nothing. Free tools everywhere.
What You Need (It Ain’t Much)
- Time: Block out 8-12 hours, split over the weekend.
- Tools: Freebies like Canva, Google Docs, or Gumroad.
- Mindset: Seriously, "good enough" beats "polished and never done".
Saturday: Build Mode (aka Eat, Drink, Create)
Step 1: Nail Down Your Product Idea (1–2 hrs)
Obsess over stuff? People always ask you how you do _____? Some struggle you kicked that others still whine about? Start there. Your life cheat codes = someone’s shortcut.
You DO NOT need to be a guru. Just be, like, two steps ahead.
Steal these ideas if you want:
- Freelancer Proposal Template (for hustlers)
- 30-Day Instagram Content Calendar (for the clout-chasing crowd)
- Beginner’s Forex Guide (you gambler)
- Simple Budget Spreadsheet (you made one for yourself? Share it)
Too scared your idea sucks? Post a poll on Insta, stalk Etsy for bestsellers, check #digitalproducts on TikTok. If other people make money with it, so can you.
Step 2: Pick a Format (30 min)
Don’t complicate it. What’s the quickest path?
- PDF/Ebook: Google Docs + Canva
- Spreadsheet: Google Sheets
- Notion: Build a template, share the link
- Canva: Create a design or template
- Audio: Record in Anchor/Audacity
- Video: Record on Loom or honestly, your phone is fine
Tip: For first-timers, aim for simple. If it’s gonna take all weekend, bail. Stick to something you can bang out in a few hours.
Step 3: Outline That Thing (1 hr)
Every product = solves a legit problem. Don’t waffle.
Stick to this:
Problem → Solution → Results
Example:
- Problem: Flaky Instagram posting
- Solution: Here’s 30 days of prompts/built-in ideas
- Result: Consistency AND more followers
Sketch an outline. Keep it SO basic.
- Intro: Who needs this?
- Section 1: What sucks now (the big problem)
- Section 2: Steps/strategy/fix
- Section 3: Any cheat sheets, templates, or bonus stuff
- Wrap-up: Next steps or pro tips
Step 4: Build It (3–4 hrs...the slog)
Open up Google Docs, Canva, Notion—whatever fits.
- Use free design templates. No shame.
- Bullet points > long rambles
- Copy-paste your blog posts, notes, whatever
- Perfection is a trap, skip it. Just make sure it works.
If you’re running behind, cut corners. People want solutions, not Shakespeare.
Sunday: Polish, Publish, Pimp It Out
Step 5: Make It Look Good-ish (1 hr)
Ugly sells, but pretty sells faster.
- Canva: Search “ebook cover” or “mockup”
- Drag, drop, make a halfway decent cover
- Snapshot the product or fake it with mockups
- Thumbnails for socials = more clicks
Step 6: Quick-n-Dirty Sales Page (1 hr)
Host on:
- Gumroad (super easy and free)
- Payhip (another easy freebie)
What goes on the page:
- Headline: What is it + who cares?
- The pain: Why does life currently suck for your customer?
- Your fix: Clear, punchy summary
- Benefits: Why should they bother?
- What’s inside: List of features, buddy
- CTA: “Buy now” or “Download free” (big bright button)
Real-life-ish example:
Tired of going blank on Instagram? Grab my 30-Day Content Calendar—get daily prompts, snappy captions, and tip-offs so you can finally show up like the pros. Download and quit the last-minute scramble.
Gumroad’s editor is as easy as typing a tweet. Don’t overthink it.
Step 7: Price This Bad Boy
