Jason Williams 
Cake Sale Poster made by Divine Shot Multimedia
Note Well: Let me first start off by saying that I am not fighting out anyones hustle or trying to disrespect anyone who does cake sales. If done properly, a cake sale can bring in good money for an individual.
Cake For Sale?
How many of you started to hate the cake sales that pop up annually in Jamaica? Just the sight of seeing a cake sale poster is enough to irritate some, understandably so. Somewhere along the line, the cake sale surpassed the ‘Fish Fry’ as the ‘Go To Hustle’ event. Whether it be your co-worker or a friend, you immediately want to run when you hear talks of a cake sale.
I respect the hustle via GIPHY
Reviews of cake sales seem to have gotten worse as more appeared. One slice of cake is often split into three or more pieces to ‘maximize profit’. This leaves customers feeling as if they were robbed. The previous issues coupled with poor presentation upon delivery just leave a bad taste in people’s mouths.
“Mi spend all this money pon cake fi have it taste bad and luk terrible”
Random Cake Sale Customer
Enter The Digital World
The internet allowed mankind to do something remarkable – upload a digital product and sell it to people all over the world. Being able to purchase a course, ebook, music, art, etc. could be done with just a few clicks. This allowed 1000s, no, millions of people to earn an income online.
As long as what you created was seen as ‘valuable’, it could be sold to someone halfway across the world. A little history check shows the first online transaction happened way back in 1994. A CD was sold between 2 friends, you can read up about it here.
People in more developed countries have been selling digital products online for decades. We now need to be playing catch-up and mimicking them so we can benefit. A shift away from over-reliance on selling physical goods is needed.
Second Hand Trust
Think about a scenario where you have a course and every time someone purchases that course you earn money. A lot of time effort and energy is placed into making that course but once uploaded, you can earn infinitely.
An area where I see Jamaican people going wrong is having a course on a new or unknown website. You want your course to reach as many persons as possible so leverage popular websites. If I already bought courses on a popular site like Udemy then it’s much easier for me to buy another course from it.
This move allows creators to benefit from the trust that has already been built by the website. After all, Udemy would already have my card details and information about me.
Find What Works For You
There are tons of digital products that you can try to create. I recommend choosing one that suits your style or ‘fits you well’. Blogging can be very profitable as there are many ways to monetize, for example, Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Sponsored content, Offer Services such as consulting or coaching, etc.
According to MoneyMint, the highest-paid ‘blogger’ in the world is Ariana Huffington of the Huffington Post at 250 million USD per year. The article also discusses how those individuals earned their incredible sums.
You can email republicstudiodesigns@gmail.com if you want to start blogging or need a website. Send the code DIGITALPRODUCTS23 along with your email to get a 15% discount off your next website. Having your own website to sell digital products is done by people internationally.
If you are more into writing ebooks then websites like Amazon and Gumroad are great places to sell. Gumroad is a great website for selling basically anything.
Whatever it is that you are interested in learning how to do, you can bet there is a Youtube video or course on Udemy.
Sold For $1
A common strategy used by creators is selling a digital product for example an ebook, for $1. This ebook would contain information on a particular topic that is compiled and curated by the author. The author combines this with a digital branding strategy where he shares information on that topic.
Let’s use the popular A.I. Chatbot ChatGPT3 as an example. Ruben Hassid created The Complete ChatGPT pack ebook and sells it for the low price of $1. That price might seem low however what if 100 people buy it? How about $1000? It could be sold an unlimited number of times and there would be no need to worry about ‘inventory’ running out.
The price was intentionally made attractive so that are more likely to buy it. After all, it’s just 1 dollar, right? Pure Genius. He leverages his personal branding on social media to help drive sales. You can check out my article on How To Creating A Strong Digital Media Presence.
Youtube
Creating a Youtube channel is a lot more work than many people realize. The social media giant has given rise to the likes of MrBeast, PewDiePie, Marques Brownlee, and many others. There are entire teams and studios created to make Youtube Videos.
Generating a following and making it big requires either luck, dedication, or knowing the algorithm(depending on who you ask). Many Youtubrs do speak about periods when they had little to no traction then one day, a video blew up. That one video sent them to stardom.
People on Youtube earn from Ads, sponsored videos, etc. The platform has a ton of content and creators so carving out a path for yourself may not be easy. Persistence remains a must when it comes to creating online content.
Digital Art
Numerous digital artists in the country simply need to carve out a space for themselves online. Etsy and Amazon are great places to sell your digital artwork. It is important to build up an online following so that you can immediately market your artwork.
Making a name for yourself as an artist might be the highest hurdle to cross. Once fame has been achieved you could sell your art for ridiculous amounts. Art’s value is often attached to the creator. Deviant is a community of artists that you could use to build up an audience.
It’s a good idea to look at NFTs and how you could use them to earn more as an artist. Check out this article about the highest-sold piece of digital art in history
Software is Eating The World!
It could be a mobile game about charades or an app used to keep track of your investments, we use software every day. We use apps and websites created by people in other countries quite often. I would love to use more apps, games, and websites created by Jamiacans.
If you have an idea for a killer app or game simply find the right company or person to partner with. That idea could be profitable beyond your wildest dreams. I stated in my previous article, The Collaboration Hub, that the next FaceBook could be created here.
It is important to note that you do not have to pursue these ideas alone. Creating a mobile app or a website can often feel like a daunting task. Here are some tips for deciding on which company to build your app or website. It’s important to vet the company properly, ensure you have adequate resources for this pursuit, and flesh out the idea.
I’m An Influencer
Becoming an ‘Influencer’, is a popular route taken by many Jamaicans. Some of them are popular content creators such as TikToker Don Bonez or social media pages like Dear Dream. After amassing a following, advertisers reach out to them to have products and services posted. This has helped many small businesses to gain customers and well-needed exposure.
Are we like local celebrities via GIPHY
Some Influencers use their platform to transition into becoming artists while others are picked up by corporate Jamaica. The money they make through these mediums allows some to do it full-time. Being an Influencer can certainly be called a full time job in this day and age where Content is King.
Limitless Possibilities
One good digital product could create a fortune for an individual. With the right mindset and dedication, you could create an avenue for amazing passive income. Our society is still too heavily focused on physical goods and services. It is important to note that many don’t try to create digital products due to low digital literacy rates. As the rate improves and more people are informed, the number of digital Jamaican products should increase.
You can also sell photos, logos, fonts, and much more. One thing may lead to another. A good blog could lead to Youtube Channel, then a podcast, then a course, then an ebook, and so on.
Ask friends and family members for feedback. Your idea might land on the right ears and gain funding or support. Also, remember that just because someone doesn’t like an idea means that it’s a bad one.
Building up a following can make your product launch so much easier. This following usually contains people who are willing to purchase your product. Leverage the community to give you extra publicity. The concept of ‘building in public’ can help you to gain good traction before launch.
On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!!
Start! It does not matter how great that idea is if you never start. No need to set large tasks that look intimidating, just start with small steps. Find a little time on the weekend, on the bus going home, or in between breaks. Starting is often the hardest thing in the world to do.
Once you have started, keep persisting. It may feel like a lonely road but get up each week and push forward. Persistence is a power that can create all sorts of opportunities.
Still unsure which digital product to create? You can check out this article by Thinkific.
It is important for us as a people to transition from mere consumers to creators of content.
Jason Williams
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