You’ve seen the blog posts. You’ve heard the hype.
“Start a printable business and make money in your sleep!”
But no one really tells you what it actually takes. And let’s be honest — most beginners end up stuck in a spiral of Google searches, freebies, and half-finished ideas.
When I first got started, I was everywhere. I signed up for courses on affiliate marketing, bought trainings on launching a course, started a blog, and chased just about every shiny strategy that promised passive income.
I wasn’t lazy. I just wanted someone to show me what to do.
I didn’t need theory. I needed a real-life plan.
That’s what this post is. We’re skipping the fluff and walking through exactly what it could look like — if you want to make real income with printables and keep your sanity.
Why Printables Are Actually a Smart Online Business Model
Before we get into the steps, let’s talk about why printables are such a great option:
- Low cost to create — You can start with free tools like Canva.
- No inventory — It’s 100% digital, so no shipping or fulfillment needed.
- Evergreen potential — A good printable can sell over and over again.
- Flexible audience options — From moms to teachers to business owners.
- Beginner-friendly to sell — You can launch on a blog, use Pinterest, or even sell from a simple checkout page
But here’s the catch:
Most people don’t treat it like a business.
They create a product, post once or twice, and then give up when it doesn’t magically take off.
If you’re ready to do this the right way, here’s a simple 5-step plan that works — especially if you’re just starting out.
The 5-Step Beginner-Friendly Printable Biz Plan
1. Start with your why and your audience
Before you design anything, ask:
- Who am I creating this for?
- Why does this topic matter to me?
- What is my end goal — side income? Full-time income?
This keeps you focused and helps you stick with it when things feel slow.
2. Pick a simple niche that solves a real problem
You don’t need to be an expert — you just need to solve something real.
- A mom who needs help organizing her week?
- A business owner looking for social media templates?
- A student needing a study planner?
Niche down, but don’t overthink it.
3. Build your online home
Don’t wait to “feel ready.” You can start with:
- A blog on Bluehost (affordable and beginner-friendly)
- Checkout via SendOwl
- Pinterest traffic + email list with ConvertKit
It’s not about fancy — it’s about functional.
Ready to start your own blog and want to learn how to set it up the right way from day one, check out my step-by-step guide: How to Start a Profitable Blog
4. Create 1-2 simple products that help your person
Don’t try to build a 50-page planner. Start with:
- A 1-page habit tracker
- A 7-day challenge PDF
- A mini monthly planner
Make it easy to use and genuinely helpful. Bonus if you’ve already used it yourself!
5. Drive traffic with Pinterest (and capture emails!)
Pinterest is powerful for evergreen traffic — especially for planners and printables.
- Create 3–5 pins per product
- Link to a helpful blog post or your product page
- Offer a freebie in exchange for an email — grow your list from day one
Once people find you and trust you? Sales come a lot easier.
Want to See What This Looks Like in Real Life?
Let’s walk through an example.
Meet Jennifer 👩💻
- 32 years old, working part-time, wants to contribute more financially at home
- Loves planners and organizing, but has never sold anything online
- Not techy, but comfortable on Pinterest
Here’s how Jennifer did it right from the beginning — without wasting months stuck in a learning loop.
🔹 Step 1: She Picked a Simple Niche
Jennifer chose “home organization for busy moms.”
She already used printable checklists and routines, so it felt natural.
🔹 Step 2: She Mapped Out a Product + Freebie
She created:
- A free morning routine printable as a list-builder
- A $7 Weekly Reset Planner as her main product
She planned a few more mini tools to sell later, but started with just one.
🔹 Step 3: She Set Up Her Platform
- Bluehost blog for $1.99/month (my link unlocks exclusive discounted pricing!)
- SendOwl as a simple checkout link
- ConvertKit to collect emails
Could she have used an all in one solution like ClickFunnels? Yes. But she was on a budget so what’s a girl to do?
🔹 Step 4: She Learned Canva and Got to Work
She wasn’t a designer.
But after watching a few YouTube tutorials, she started creating simple printables in Canva — and got better with each one.
Her goal wasn’t to win awards.
It was to help her audience — and create something useful.
🔹 Step 5: She started posting and pinning
She wrote 2 blog posts:
- “How I Reset My Week in 30 Minutes Every Sunday”
- “My 3-Part Morning Routine for Moms Who Hate Mornings”
Each post linked to her freebie. Her email funnel promoted her planner.
And She Made Sales — The Right Way!
Because she had:
- A niche
- A real product
- Traffic and a freebie
She started making sales within 3 weeks.
Was she an overnight success? Nope. But she wasn’t guessing.
And she wasn’t stuck wondering, “Is this even working?”
She followed a real path — and she built something real.
Want to Start Like Jennifer Did?
If you’re still feeling unsure or just want someone to walk you through it all, I created a completely free 7-day online business course — something I’ve been asked to do for years. I’ve spent the last several years actually building my own planner shop (not just talking about it), and after selling over 60,000 digital products, I finally said yes to teaching what’s worked for me.
This course is my way of pulling back the curtain and showing you what’s worked for me — without fluff or filler.
I don’t hold back the info you actually need to get started. While I will offer more advanced training later, this free course is all about helping you get set up in the right direction so you can start making sales as soon as possible.
Here’s what you’ll learn inside:
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How to pick a profitable niche
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How to create a product people actually want
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How to set up your shop (the simple way)
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How to start getting traffic that leads to sales
I’m not just throwing random advice at you. I’m showing you what’s worked for me — and how you can do it too.
So what’s in it for me? Well, I hope you like my teaching style enough to buy something from me down the road 😉 — and I do use affiliate links for tools I’ve personally used for years (like Canva, Bluehost, and Shopify). But even if you don’t, I want to make sure you’re set up for success before you move on to anything more advanced.
Ready to get started?
Don’t keep putting your dreams on hold or waiting for the “perfect time.” This is your moment — and this free 7-day course will help you take that first step with clarity and confidence.
Since starting my planner business, I’ve made over $1.5 million in digital product sales — and it all began with the same steps I share in this free course.
🎉 Click here to join the Free How to Start an Online Business Course and let’s start building something amazing together — one step at a time!
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