Selling Digital Products: Best Digital Product Ideas and Tips for Resume Writers
- Ana
- Nov 4, 2023
- 10 min read
Updated: Nov 13, 2024
Right now, there are a whopping 10.7 million job seekers in the United States alone. Yes, you read it correctly: ten million plus, all searching for their next jobs. So, what does this massive number mean for you as a resume writer?
Well, it means one thing for sure—countless opportunities.
With so many job seekers, the competition is fierce, and most people need the resources to help them cut through and land those all-important interviews. And where do they turn for these much-needed resources? The good ol' internet, of course.
That is precisely what I noticed back in 2018. With my background in HR and recruiting, I decided to transform my experience into a collection of digital products, specifically—resume templates. Since then, over 8,000 job seekers worldwide have used my products. (That's 8,000+ careers changed and powered by tools I created. This number still blows my mind!)
And here's the thing—you can do it too!
There's a world of digital products you, as a resume writer, can choose to create. The best part is that it's not just a service to job seekers. It's a real game-changer for your income and business growth, as it will help you attract and serve new clients 24/7, WITHOUT constantly trading your time for money for 1:1 resume writing services.
Ready to discover more about these opportunities? Let's dive in.
Disclaimer: This article includes relevant affiliate links to services, resources, and tools I wholeheartedly recommend. If you buy something through these links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your purchase helps me share more helpful content. Thanks if you choose to support me this way!
How Selling Digital Products Benefits Resume Writers
As a resume writer, creating and selling digital products can help you grow and scale your business, add a new income stream that works on auto-pilot, and increase your earnings.
And the cherry on top? Unlike with services, earning more in this case doesn't mean you'll be tied down with more work. In fact, you'll find yourself with more time for the things that truly matter to you. You'll be free to work on things that excite you or enjoy life outside your work, all while continuing to serve your clients effectively. This is the power of selling digital products.
Picture this: It’s Tuesday morning. You wake up without an alarm, roll over to the side of your bed, and grab your mobile phone to check your calendar. The moment you unlock it, they pop up: sales notifications. Ten people purchased your products while you were sleeping (read: $$$). You just had a profitable night! Again! And you don't have to do anything afterward. You created these products in advance. Now it's up to your clients to use them on their own.
That's precisely what selling digital products looks like.
Curious? Let's look into the biggest advantages of selling digital products:
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for HR and Career Professionals, like you:
Diversify Your Income Streams
When you sell digital products, such as e-books, templates, or courses, you create an additional source of revenue that is not tied to the number of hours you work. This means you can make money even when you're not writing resumes, and scale your business without burning out.
Reach a Wider Audience
Digital products can be easily distributed and accessed by anyone with an internet connection. They're also more affordable and ideal for people who prefer DIY solutions to pricey 1:1 services.
That's why adding digital products to your offers means that you can attract clients who wouldn't necessarily hire you for your resume-writing services. Also, if your digital products are high-quality and valuable, your customers might recommend them to their friends and colleagues, increasing your visibility and credibility.
Establish Yourself as an Expert
Creating digital products allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a particular area and position yourself as an authority in your niche. This can enhance brand recognition and attract more clients who trust your expertise.
Provide Value to Your Clients
The benefits of selling digital products go beyond just making money. Sure, in that sense, they're beneficial for you. But they also represent your dedication to delivering real value to your clients in different formats.
When you offer products designed to solve specific client issues, you demonstrate sincere care for their successes. When your digital products actively contribute to clients' achievements, they are more likely to return for more products or recommend you to others.
Top 6 Digital Products to Sell for Resume Writers
Here are some of the best digital products you can incorporate into your offering to achieve the above benefits and equip your clients with exceptional resources to excel in their next career step.
Digital Product Idea #1: Resume Templates
As a resume writer, you're perfectly aware of the importance of a professional resume. So, why not take it a step further by offering customizable resume templates?
Think about launching a resume shop that offers exactly that. You can create so many options encompassing diverse styles, formats, and designs for clients to select from and personalize as per their unique requirements.
Here are a few ideas:
professional resume templates strategically structured and designed for your niche, tailored to a specific industry, seniority level, or career path
pre-filled resume templates for specific roles, e.g., marketing, finance, or HR jobs
resume templates with a particular aesthetic, for example, classic, minimalist, or creative
resume templates in a specific format, like Canva, Word, Pages, or Google Docs
And guess what? You don't have to start from scratch. You can get a collection of ready-to-sell resume templates, brand them as yours, upload them to your site, and launch your resume shop in less than five days. Here's how.
Example: ByRecruiters Resume Templates
Digital Product Idea #2: Resume Writing Guides
Resume writing guides are essential for clients who need guidance on creating an effective resume. Offering comprehensive guides that cover everything from formatting to content gives your clients all the information they need to create a top-notch resume.
Here are just a few ideas you could use:
resume guide for a specific industry, for example, Tech Titans: The Ultimate Resume Guide for IT Professionals, Fashion Forward: A Tailored Resume Guide for the Fashion Industry
resume guide for professionals on a specific career path, e.g., From Classroom to Boardroom: A Resume Guide for Teachers Transitioning into Administration
resume guide for particular jobs, like The Creative's Canvas: A Resume Writing Guide for Graphic Designers, A Resume Writing Guide for High-Performing Salespeople
Pro tip: The more specific your guide, the higher its value. (And the better its chances of becoming your bestselling product!) This applies to everything about your guide, from your target audience to its title and content.
Take, for instance, a resume writing guide designed specifically for healthcare professionals. If it's titled "The Lifesaver's Resume Guide: Building a Powerful Resume in the Healthcare Industry" and packed with concrete examples - such as verbatim resume headlines, career summaries, and industry-specific content - it's going to a) attract the right audience, b) result in more sales, and c) get your customers better results while increasing their trust in your expertise. Simply put, it will outperform a generic guide in every sense.
Digital Product Idea #3: Resume Writing Workbooks
Resume writing workbooks are another excellent tool for clients who want to improve their resume writing skills. In these workbooks, you can provide exercises and activities to help clients put their newfound resume-writing knowledge into practice.
Now, what's the difference between resume guides and resume workbooks?
A resume writing guide provides step-by-step instructions and tips on how to craft a compelling resume. On the other hand, a resume writing workbook is more of a hands-on tool, filled with exercises and templates that your clients can directly fill in with their information. Essentially, a guide teaches you the 'what' and 'why,' while a workbook gives you the 'how.' In terms of content, guides are often filled with tips and examples, while workbooks have actionable items like checklists, quizzes, and editable templates.
Need resume workbook ideas? Get inspired with this list:
resume workbooks focused on one resume-related problem; for example, Tailoring a Resume to Any Job in Less than 15 Minutes, Mastering the Art of Resume Keywords, or Creating a Powerful Career Summary in 5 Simple Steps
industry-specific resume workbooks, like The Ultimate Tech Resume Workbook or The Healthcare Professional's Resume Workbook
skill-level specific resume workbooks, for instance, The Fresh Graduate's Resume Workbook, The Only Resume Writing Workbook You'll Need After a 20+ Year Career
Guess what? You don't even have to create it from scratch! Check out done-for-you resume writing workbook. Download, edit, and launch it—in a day!
Digital Product Idea #4: Cover Letter Templates
Cover letters are a must-have element of most job applications. To support your clients, offer professional, user-friendly, customizable cover letter templates. This allows clients to start with a solid foundation while having the flexibility to tailor them to specific job applications.
Following the same approach as with resume templates, you could offer:
cover letter templates strategically structured and designed for your niche, e.g., specific industry, seniority level, or career path
pre-filled cover letter templates for specific roles, for example, finance or HR jobs
cover letter templates with a specific aesthetic, e.g., classic, minimalist, or creative
cover letter templates in a specific format, like Canva, Word, Pages, or Google Docs
cover letter workbooks with word-for-word templates
Want to offer instant cover letter support? Get a done-for-you cover letter workbook. Customize it, launch, and start selling today!
Digital Product Idea #5: Job Search Guides and Planners
Not all clients are ready or willing to invest in 12-week coaching programs or 4-figure resume writing services... at least not right off the bat. Many prefer to dip their toes in the water first, testing your approach through your content or mid-tier offers.
Consider creating comprehensive job search guides, planners, and toolkits to cater to these clients and still provide value. These digital products can equip your clients with the necessary information and support to navigate the job search process. Plus, they're a fantastic way to package your expertise and knowledge into a format that's both easy to digest and—most importantly—scalable.
Here are some digital product ideas you can start creating today:
comprehensive job search guides, like The Ultimate Guide to Networking for Job Seekers, The Job Seeker's Guide to Acing Interviews, or The Complete Guide to Job Search for Remote Work
job search planners focused on a specific industry; a 90-Day Job Search Planner for Tech Professionals or The Marketer's 30-Day Job Hunt Planner
job search toolkits, for instance, The Job Application Toolkit: From Resume to Cover Letter, or The Interview Preparation Toolkit
Like the example above? You can get the Job Search Toolkit That Sells! It's a done-for-you solution with a commercial license, coupled with tips and tricks I've learned over the 6 years of my digital product experience—all available in the VIP client portal.
Digital Product Idea #6: Job Search Trackers
Job search trackers are practical tools that help your clients manage and organize their job search and job applications. You can create these trackers as printable pages or digital sheets, providing a streamlined and efficient way for your clients to track their job-hunting progress and stay organized throughout the process while keeping all their information on job applications, interviews, and networking in one place. Get inspired with these job search tracker ideas:
job application trackers
networking trackers
comprehensive job search trackers; think dashboards in Notion or Google Sheets that keep all job search information in one place
Want the full list of digital product ideas? Get instant access to over 50+ of them in the Digital Product Ideas Vault. Sign up below!
How to Choose the Right Digital Product to Sell: 5 Key Steps
Want to be 100% sure your digital product will succeed? The #1 thing to do is to pick the right product. It should cater to your audience's needs while spotlighting your skills and expertise. Follow these steps to choose and create the perfect digital product for your resume-writing business.
1. Identify Your Target Audience
The first step in creating the right digital product is identifying your target audience. Whose problem are you solving? And who are you selling to? Is it recent graduates, mid-career professionals, or executives? Focus on understanding your target audience's needs, pain points, and preferences.
2. Understand Your Skills and Expertise
Once you've identified your target audience, the next step is to understand your skills and expertise. What makes you stand out from the competition? What unique skills do you bring to the table? Identifying your strengths will help you create a digital product that differentiates you from your competitors.
3. Research Your Competitors
Researching your competitors is essential in creating a digital product that stands out. In this step, you should look into your competitors' offerings, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Explore the gaps in the market that you can effectively fill. The main objective is to pinpoint what makes your product unique and differentiates you from others. (Hint: Dive into their reviews—it's your #1 resource for identifying what could be better in their products and leveraging that insight for your own.)
4. Create Digital Products
With the information you've gathered from identifying your target audience, understanding your skills and expertise, and researching your competitors, you can now create a digital product that caters to your customers' needs. Whether it's an e-book, online course, or digital template, make sure your digital product is high-quality, easy to understand, and focused on solving your customers' pain points.
5. Sell Digital Products
Now that you've created the perfect digital product, it's time to start selling. You can sell your digital product on your website, social media, or online marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy. Ensure your digital product is appropriately priced and marketed to your target audience to increase sales.
Want to sell resume templates? Follow these 5 key steps to get started.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. If you shop through these links, I might earn a commission, making this site fully reader-supported. Big thanks for your support!
Key Takeaways
Creating and selling digital products can expand your reach to attract and serve potential clients worldwide. It can also rapidly increase your income and accelerate the growth of your resume-writing business.
The best part? You can achieve all this while having more free time because digital products require a one-time effort but deliver long-term benefits.
Here are key things to remember:
There's a rising need for tools and resources that make the job-seeking process easier. As a resume writer, you can tap into this demand with digital products that help your audience stand out and land interviews.
Selling digital products allows you to diversify your income streams, reduce reliance on billable hours, and scale your business without burning out.
To create the perfect digital product, identify your target audience, understand your unique skills, research your competitors, and develop solutions that cater to your audience's needs.
Some of the most popular digital products for resume writers include resume templates, resume writing guides, workbooks, and cover letter templates.
Now is the perfect time to create and sell digital products to take your resume writing business to new levels. Start here.
What's Next?
Learn more about the Resume Shop Starter Kit, a one-of-a-kind toolkit that helps you launch your resume shop in just five days.
Curious about my journey? Read how I started selling resume templates in 2018.
Want to launch your first digital product, map out an actionable plan for your business, or start driving passive sales? Get the know-how you need in a power-packed 60-minute strategy call. Book now!
Ana Colak-Fustin
Hi—I'm Ana! A recruiter, HR consultant, and founder of ByRecruiters.com. My career advice and job search tools have been featured in Yahoo News, The Muse, Jobscan, A Better HR Business, and other global media. Over 8,000 professionals have used my resume templates to land new jobs and power up their careers. Ready to join them? Your success story starts here.