Do you have a skill, experience, or knowledge that could be useful to others, but you're not sure what kind of product you could create from it?
That's a common place to start. Most people don't start with a finished product idea. They start with something much simpler:
"I'm good at this."
In this part, we'll look at how to turn a skill into a specific digital product idea, choose the right format, and validate demand before spending weeks creating something nobody wants.
Throughout the course, we'll use three examples: a Lightroom preset pack, a Notion template, and a short mini-course. This will make it easier to see how the same approach works for completely different types of digital products.
Don't Look for a "Genius" Idea
One of the first mistakes people make is thinking that a good digital product has to be completely unique.
But that's rarely how it works in practice.
If there are already dozens of Excel courses, hundreds of Notion templates, or thousands of Lightroom preset packs, that doesn't mean there's no room for your product.
If anything, it shows there's already demand for products like these.
You don't need to invent a new category. You need to create a product that:
solves a specific problem;
is relevant to a specific audience;
has your own approach, style, or way of presenting information;
makes the buyer's life easier.
For example, two photographers can sell presets for wedding photography. Their products might be very similar in purpose, but one customer may choose the first photographer while another chooses the second.
The reason is simple: people don't just buy a product's function. They also buy the result, style, and approach of a specific creator.
So the question isn't:
"Does something like this already exist?"
The better question is:
"Can I create a more useful or convenient version for a specific group of people?"
Step 1. Find a Skill You Can Turn Into a Product
You don't need to make a list of all your talents. Start with three simple questions.
1. What do people most often ask you for help with?
Friends, colleagues, clients, or followers may regularly ask you:
how to set something up;
how to do something;
where to find something;
how to solve a particular problem;
how to achieve a specific result.
If the same topic keeps coming up, that's a signal.
For example, if people constantly ask a photographer:
"How do you edit your photos like that?"
their color-grading skills could potentially become a product.
2. What can you do quickly that other people find difficult?
This one is worth thinking about.
Maybe you've worked with Excel for years and can build a spreadsheet in 10 minutes that would take someone else several hours.
Maybe you can quickly create a presentation in Figma.
Or perhaps you know how to organize an entire project in Notion.
To you, it might seem like "nothing special." To someone who doesn't know how to do it, it's a ready-made solution to a problem.
Something that feels easy to you isn't necessarily easy for everyone else.
3. What have you already created?
Look at the things you've made in the past.
You may already have:
templates;
spreadsheets;
checklists;
notes;
presentations;
presets;
graphics;
scripts;
guides;
educational materials;
systems you use yourself.
Sometimes your first digital product already exists. It's just sitting on your computer as a file called final_v3_new.xlsx.
You don't necessarily need to create something from scratch. You may simply need to turn what you already have into something another person can use.
Step 2. Turn Your Skill Into a Specific Product
The same skill can be packaged in different ways.
Photography & Color Grading
→ Lightroom presets, LUTs
Information Organization
→ Notion templates, planners, checklists
Explaining Complex Topics
→ Mini-courses, video guides, workbooks
Design
→ UI kits, presentation templates, icon packs
Writing
→ eBooks, copywriting templates, content templates
Audio Production
→ Sample packs, sound effects, background audio
Excel & Google Sheets
→ Spreadsheets, calculators, formula packs
Figma
→ UI templates, component libraries, design systems
Programming
→ Scripts, plugins, reusable components
Marketing
→ Content templates, SEO checklists, marketing resources
So Which Format Should You Choose?
For your first product, you don't need to choose the most complicated or "professional" format.
Choose the one you can create well with the skills you already have.
If you're comfortable explaining things on video, a video guide might be the easiest option.
If you're good at structuring information, create a template or checklist.
If you already have a collection of useful presets, there's no need to turn them into a 40-page course.
Your first product doesn't need to demonstrate everything you know. It needs to solve one specific problem.
Three Examples
Let's make this more concrete with our three examples.
📷 The Photographer
They've spent years editing wedding photos and have developed their own style.
Skill: Color grading.
Customer problem: Editing photos takes too much time.
Product: A pack of 20 Lightroom presets for wedding photography.
📋 The Notion Template Creator
They use Notion to organize their work, tasks, and projects.
Skill: Information organization.
Customer problem: They don't know how to structure their workflow in Notion.
Product: A ready-to-use Notion workspace template for freelancers.
🎓 The Expert
They're good at explaining complicated topics in simple language.
Skill: Teaching.
Customer problem: They want to learn a specific tool but don't know where to start.
Product: A short, practical mini-course.
Three different products, but the logic is the same:
skill → problem → solution → format.
Step 3. Don't Create a Product Blindly
This is where many creators make an expensive mistake.
They come up with a product idea, spend two or three weeks creating it, make it look great, upload it to a store — and only then discover that nobody actually wants it.
It's better to test at least some level of interest first.
The Simplest Way to Test
Tell your audience about the problem you're planning to solve.
For example:
"Does editing wedding photos take you too much time? I'm thinking about creating a preset pack that could speed up the process."
But don't stop at likes.
Look for whether people:
ask follow-up questions;
message you directly;
ask to see the product;
ask about the price;
leave their contact information;
want to receive the product when it launches.
Those signals tell you much more than likes do.
An Even Better Test
Try offering the product before you've fully created it.
For example:
"I'm preparing a pack of 20 presets for wedding photographers. I'm planning to offer the first 10 packs at a special price. If you're interested, send me a message."
If people are willing to take a concrete action, that's much more valuable information than a hundred likes.
Of course, even this kind of test doesn't guarantee successful sales. But it can help you avoid spending a lot of time creating a product nobody is interested in.
What If You Don't Feel Qualified Enough?
It helps to separate two situations.
If you genuinely don't have enough knowledge or experience, don't present yourself as an expert. Build more experience first.
But if the problem is simply:
"I know this, but I feel like other people know much more than I do,"
that's different.
You don't have to be the world's best specialist to create a useful product.
What matters is knowing:
who you're helping, what problem you're solving, and what result your product provides.
For example, someone who is just starting out with Figma doesn't necessarily need a course from a world-famous designer.
They may get much more value from a simple guide:
"How to Create Your First Landing Page in Figma in One Evening."
A specific problem. A specific audience. A specific result.
Your Task
Before moving on to Part 2, do three things.
1. Identify Your Skill
Write down your answers:
What do people most often ask me for help with?
What can I do significantly faster than other people?
What useful work or materials have I already created?
2. Define One Product Idea
Complete this formula:
I will help [who] solve [what problem] with [what product].
For example:
I will help beginner photographers edit wedding photos faster with a Lightroom preset pack.
If you can't complete this formula clearly, your idea probably isn't specific enough yet.
3. Test Interest
Tell potential customers about the problem and your proposed solution.
Don't judge the result only by the number of likes. Look for real actions: questions, messages, price inquiries, or people asking to get the product.
What's Next?
In Part 2, we'll take your idea and turn it into a structure for a finished product.
We'll look at how much content a buyer actually needs, how to organize it into lessons, files, or modules, and how to avoid turning a simple product into a huge project that takes six months to finish.
An idea is only the beginning. The next step is turning it into a product.
