I have been watching, reading, listening to the advice of people running six and seven figure businesses online and when it comes to how to sell digital products I am learning there is no single correct order. Sometimes: (the standard advice) Problem → validate → build → sell Find the problem, validate it by asking people if they want it, build your solution and sell it to your warm market. Sometimes: Expertise → recurring problem → build → validate → sell For people who are subject matter experts, qualified like nutritionists or personal trainers. You have years of experience of what your clients ask for so use that method. Sometimes: I built something I needed → find people with the same problem → sell This is me. I built Djangify. I use it myself. I built other software I use myself. Now I am wondering if anyone else wants to buy it and use it. I also have a digital bookkeeping software and Lead Generation Studio for content marketing. So I use all of these things myself. Sometimes: I already make something → find the right audience → sell The hardest version. No followers. No idea if anyone wants it. Not even using it yourself. When I was first online this is what you did because you knew chances are someone will want it. Those days are gone now there are so many people out there selling. The important thing isn't following one prescribed sequence. The important question is: Do you have a reason to believe somebody will value what you are making? Do you have enough of a WHY to market it until it sells? Because the journey will taste your patience and sanity 😂 That is where my experiment becomes much more nuanced than the standard "validate before you build" advice. So my experiments will only help if you fit into what I am doing. My ideal client I am interested in people who already have something: expertise, experience, creative work, software, knowledge, resources or an idea they genuinely care about and want to find out whether they can turn it into a digital-product business.

I added my first video shorts on YouTube on 30 August so it has been 14 days now. I spent some time looking properly at the analytics on my YouTube Shorts because I don't want to keep making videos and simply hope that eventually something works. The interesting thing is that my highest-viewed Short (“I’ll do it later”) had 378 views, but only 5.6% of people shown it actually stayed to watch. Those who did stay watched an average of 17 seconds of the 33-second video (52%). I then compared it with a shorter, funnier Short. That one had 10.1% staying to watch, almost twice as many, although those viewers only watched 8 seconds on average. So I can't yet say “shorter is better”, but there is a strong enough signal to test it. I have also noticed that the funnier, more recognisable versions are getting the most views. My next experiment is therefore 10 Shorts, mostly 15–25 seconds, using the weaker subjects I have already made but approaching them from a much funnier angle. The important part is that I am not throwing away the original idea. Each video will still end with the “Try saying…” alternative, because that is what makes The Self-Talk Effect different. Then I will look at the analytics again and see whether the pattern repeats. This is why I think analytics matter. Without looking, I could keep making 30–40 second videos in exactly the same way, hoping one eventually takes off. The numbers give me something much more useful: evidence about what to test next.

I am getting ready to actively promote Djangify because the interest in it has been great. So focusing on who wants an eCommerce builder made me focus on who I want to speak to. There are two paths Path one: for people with a body of work Maybe it's a manuscript still looking for the right agent. A backlog of articles. A portfolio of digital artwork sitting in folders instead of in front of people. You don't need a publishing deal or a following to put it in front of readers, you need somewhere that's built to sell it. For authors, writers, journalists and artists who'd rather their work speak for them than their social media account. Path two: for people with expertise to package You know things worth paying for. Turn them into something people can buy. Years of experience, research, or client work don't have to stay locked in your head or your calendar. A guide, a workbook, a toolkit are all something people can buy once and use forever, without you needing to be on another call or another livestream to deliver it. For coaches, educators, researchers and specialists who'd rather build something than repeat themselves. What I would call subject matter experts. Whether you sell PDF workbooks, digital artwork, webinars, coaching, music, code templates, or software, Djangify handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on creating. The Writer → The Author → The Anti-Influencer → The Digital Sovereignty Seeker → The Comic Book Writer → The Digital Artist → The Subject-Matter Expert → The Independent Creator → The Journalist → The Coach/Consultant → The Educator → The Independent Publisher → The Small-Audience Creator The People Who Want Their Own Digital Space 1. The Writer. Has something to say and wants somewhere to sell their work without having to become a social media personality. 2. The Anti-Influencer. Does not want to chase followers, likes, views or personal-brand culture. Wants to build something based on their work instead. 3. The Digital Sovereignty Seeker. Cares about ownership, independence, self-hosting, control and not having their entire business dependent on another company's rules. 4. The Comic Book Writer. Has created intellectual property and wants a direct way to sell digital editions, collections, extras or related material. 5. The Digital Artist. Wants to sell their artwork, downloads, collections, resources or digital creations without having to build their identity around social media. 6. The Author. Slightly different from "the writer." Someone who has written or wants to publish a book and wants to establish their own home for their work and readers. 7. The Subject-Matter Expert. Has years of knowledge but does not necessarily want to become a content creator. Wants to package expertise into guides, workbooks, resources or other digital products. 8. The Independent Creator. Creates because they have something to make, not because they want to become an influencer. Wants their own place to sell their work. 9. The Journalist. Has articles, research, specialist knowledge or a body of work that could become paid reports, collections, guides or publications. 10. The Coach or Consultant. Already sells expertise through their time and wants to turn some of that knowledge into products that can sell without another appointment being required. 11. The Educator. Has teaching material, resources, worksheets, guides or specialist knowledge that could be packaged and sold directly. 12. The Researcher / Specialist. Has deep knowledge that is valuable to a relatively small audience and does not need millions of followers to create a viable business. 13. The Independent Publisher. Wants to publish their own books, reports, guides, magazines or collections without building everything around a traditional publishing route. 14. The Creator Who Wants a Home, Not a Following. This could actually be one of the strongest concepts because it cuts across all the others. 15. The Person Who Wants to Own Their Business. Not necessarily anti-marketplace, anti-social-media or anti-anything. They simply want their digital business to have infrastructure they control.

I don't know why I didn't add this earlier but I have made the newsletter signup box available in the hero section at the top. There are two different ways to add. Just include your code or if you already have code on the site tick the box to use your existing code.

The Djangify eCommerce Builder has helped me build a beautiful eCommerce shop. It's super easy to edit an change. An the video guidance Diane has set up in place also helps me whenever I get a little stuck. Can't wait to see how far I grow with her help.