Creating and selling digital products can be a rewarding venture, but the journey from a simple $7 PDF to a premium $97 offering is often misunderstood.
In this article, I’ll share the exact process I used to transform a modest digital product into a high-value asset, while building confidence, momentum, and a loyal customer base along the way. This approach is designed to help creators, entrepreneurs, and digital marketers who want to launch and grow their own products without feeling overwhelmed or stuck.
The Beginning: Launching a $7 PDF
Back in 2020, I launched a PDF titled “300 Extra”, priced at just $7. The concept was simple: help people earn an extra $300 each month by selling small, easy-to-create ebooks. I was inspired to create this after a suggestion during a TikTok live stream, where someone told me to make an ebook about how to make money selling ebooks. Initially, I was hesitant because it felt a bit “used car salesman”-ish to me, but I wanted to approach it differently.
To make it feel authentic, I decided that if someone took the challenge of creating their own ebook within 48 hours, I would become their first customer. This promise helped me avoid that slimy sales feeling and gave potential buyers confidence in the product’s value.
Why Start at $7?
Pricing the PDF at $7 was a strategic choice. Many people were launching similar products at $10, so I intentionally priced mine lower to attract more customers quickly. In fact, I was even losing money on some transactions because I would buy their $10 ebooks after they took my challenge. But this was part of the plan – the goal was not to make a quick profit initially but to build a foundation of customers and gather valuable feedback.
Collecting Feedback and Improving the Product
Once I had customers, I reached out manually via email to get their honest opinions. I asked straightforward questions like:
- What did you like about the PDF?
- What was confusing or unclear?
- Were there any redundant sections?
This direct engagement was crucial. Their feedback helped me identify areas that needed clarity or expansion. For example, the original PDF was 23 pages long, but after incorporating customer suggestions, it grew to 29 pages. This iterative process transformed the product into something more valuable and user-friendly.
Building Social Proof
After refining the product, I asked satisfied customers to provide testimonials. These endorsements served as powerful social proof, which later played a significant role in sales and marketing efforts. Testimonials build trust and credibility, which are essential in the online marketplace.
Incremental Price Increases and Rebranding
With a better product and social proof in hand, I gradually increased the price:
- From $7 to $17: After the first round of improvements and testimonials.
- To $27: As the PDF expanded to 42-43 pages and became more comprehensive.
- To $47: When I rebranded the product as the Digital Product Challenge and relaunched it in May 2024.
- Finally, to $97: After adding bonuses like a school community, video tutorials, and a workshop recording.
Each price increase reflected new value added to the product, whether through content improvements, community access, or supplementary training. The product evolved from a simple PDF to a full-fledged digital course experience.
The Power of Rebranding
Changing the name from “300 Extra” to “48 Hour Ebook Challenge” and eventually to “Digital Product Challenge” helped clarify the product’s purpose and appeal. The new names better described what buyers could expect, which made the offer more compelling.
Why Launching at a Low Price Matters
Many creators make the mistake of pricing their digital products too high from the start. I’ve seen people launch ebooks at $47 or $67 without any social proof or audience, then wonder why sales stall after a few initial purchases. Here’s the reality:
- Starting low (around $10 to $17) is about momentum, not money.
- The goal is to get your first handful of customers—ideally 5 to 10—who can provide feedback and testimonials.
- Confidence and momentum go hand-in-hand in entrepreneurship; selling at a lower price helps build both.
- Competitors who charge $47 or more have often been selling their products for months or years and have tons of social proof.
Launching at a lower price point is a strategic step to validate your product and build credibility. It’s about creating a solid foundation before moving upmarket.
Example: Threads Unleashed
Another product I launched, Threads Unleashed, followed this exact strategy. It was priced at $10 during a presale and then increased to $17 after the first week. Despite having an audience of just over 1,000 people on Threads, I generated close to $5,000 in sales that first week. The real win was the confidence boost and the hundreds of testimonials and success stories from customers who made their first online sales using this product.
Manual Outreach: The Key to Growth and Improvement
One of the most important steps in this process is manually reaching out to your customers. It might seem like a lot of work for a low-priced product, but it’s essential. Here’s how to approach it:
- Contact customers a few days after purchase to ask if they’ve had a chance to use the product.
- Engage in conversations without immediately asking for testimonials.
- Follow up every few days if necessary, but don’t overwhelm them.
- Use the feedback to refine your product, fix unclear parts, and improve the overall experience.
This manual interaction creates a feedback loop that accelerates product improvement and builds relationships with your audience. It also helps you gather real testimonials that boost future sales.
Understanding the Investment
At first, your time spent reaching out to customers might feel like you’re making less than minimum wage. That’s okay. Think of it as an investment in your business foundation. This early effort pays off by creating a strong product, loyal customers, and the confidence you need to scale.
Launching Strategy: Limited-Time Offers and Price Increases
When launching digital products, I recommend using a launch special with a limited-time window—usually three to five days. This approach creates urgency and encourages early purchases. The launch price is typically lower, serving as a discount compared to the eventual regular price.
After the launch period ends, increase the price. Then continue gathering feedback, making improvements, and asking for testimonials. Once you’ve added enough value and social proof, you can confidently raise the price again. This cycle can repeat multiple times, each time increasing the product’s worth and your revenue.
Final Thoughts: Focus on Customers, Not Just Money
The journey from a $7 PDF to a $97 digital product is a process of learning, iterating, and building trust. The key takeaway is to prioritize getting customers and feedback over immediate profits. Here’s a quick summary of the strategy:
- Launch at a low price to attract your first customers.
- Manually reach out for feedback and testimonials.
- Make continuous improvements based on real user input.
- Use social proof to build credibility and justify price increases.
- Rebrand and add value through bonuses and community access.
- Gradually increase the price as the product matures.
- Maintain momentum and confidence throughout the process.
Remember, entrepreneurship is a confidence game. Momentum and confidence are inseparable, and building these early on will set you up for success.
