How to Pre-Sell a Digital Product Before You Create It
Learn how to validate and make money from your digital product idea before building it. Discover the proven steps to pre-sell successfully and reduce risk.
Introduction
What if you could get paid before you even build your product?
That's exactly what pre-selling allows you to do.
Instead of spending weeks (or months) creating a digital product no one buys, you validate demand first — by asking your audience to vote with their wallet.
This strategy is powerful for:
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Saving time
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Reducing guesswork
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Building buzz and confidence
Let’s break down how to pre-sell your next digital product — from idea to first sale.
What Is Pre-Selling?
Pre-selling is the process of selling access to a product before it officially exists.
Customers pay early in exchange for:
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Discounted pricing
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Early access
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Behind-the-scenes input or feedback
It's a win-win: You validate demand while customers feel involved and valued.
Benefits of Pre-Selling
✅ Validate ideas before building
✅ Generate revenue early
✅ Build a waitlist or community
✅ Avoid wasting time on flops
✅ Build excitement around your launch
Step-by-Step: How to Pre-Sell Successfully
Step 1: Define the Problem Your Product Solves
The most profitable digital products solve real, painful problems.
Ask yourself:
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What questions do my audience keep asking?
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What result are they desperate to achieve?
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What are they currently struggling with?
Example:
Struggling to stay consistent on social media → Sell a “90-Day Content Calendar System.”
Step 2: Create a “Minimum Viable Offer”
You don’t need the finished product — just the promise of a solution.
Include:
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Product title
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Key transformation/result
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What’s included
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Timeline of delivery
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Pre-sale pricing
Example Offer Page:
"Join the Beta of 'Notion Content Engine' — a complete system to plan and publish 3 months of content in 1 day. Launching June 30. Beta price: $29 (Regular $79)."
Use tools like:
Step 3: Build a Simple Pre-Sale Page
A simple landing or sales page is all you need.
Key elements:
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Problem your audience faces
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What your product promises
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What’s included in pre-sale
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Bonus or discount for early birds
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Clear CTA to purchase or reserve
Tools to use:
Step 4: Promote to Your Audience
Start promoting across all your existing platforms.
Where to promote:
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Email list
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Instagram stories or reels
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TikTok videos
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Blog posts with CTAs
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YouTube videos
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Niche Facebook groups
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Twitter/X threads
Mention that you’re launching a beta version, and it’s only open to early adopters.
Step 5: Create Urgency and Scarcity
People need a reason to act now.
Add:
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Deadline (e.g., “Offer ends in 5 days”)
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Limited spots (e.g., “Only 50 early-bird slots”)
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Bonus (e.g., “Get a free private workshop with purchase”)
Use countdown timers and urgency-driven copy.
Step 6: Collect Feedback and Build in Public
Let your early customers feel like collaborators.
Ways to engage:
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Share progress updates
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Ask for feedback on modules
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Offer bonus Q&A sessions
This builds community while shaping a better product.
Example Timeline for Pre-Selling
| Day | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pick product idea + name |
| 2 | Build pre-sale page |
| 3 | Write 3–5 promotional emails or posts |
| 4–10 | Promote heavily + track interest |
| 11 | Close pre-sale & begin building |
Real Examples of Pre-Selling Success
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Gillian Perkins sold over $2,000 in her course before building it
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Ali Abdaal pre-sold his “Part-Time YouTuber Academy” for $100,000+
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SaaS founders regularly use pre-selling for idea validation
Resources:
Key Tools for Pre-Selling
| Task | Tools |
|---|---|
| Payments | Gumroad, Payhip, ThriveCart |
| Landing pages | ConvertKit, Carrd, Systeme.io |
| Email marketing | ConvertKit, MailerLite |
| Community building | Circle, Facebook Groups |
Final Thoughts
Pre-selling is one of the smartest moves for new and experienced digital creators.
Not only do you get validation, you also earn revenue upfront, build an audience, and stay accountable to deliver.
Your first digital product doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to solve a real problem. Let your buyers help you shape the rest.
Tags:
#Preselling #DigitalProducts #OnlineBusiness #LaunchTips #CreatorEconomy #MarketingStrategy
Up Next:
– How to Use ChatGPT to Brainstorm, Outline, and Write a Sellable Digital Product
