You're Closer to a Digital Income Than You Realize
You're closer to making digital income than you realize. Here's how to close the gap between where you are now and your first digital sale.
12/10/20257 min read


Picture this: You're lying in bed scrolling through Instagram at 11 PM (we've all been there), and you see another post about someone making their first digital sale. And you think, "That's so far away from where I am right now."
But what if I told you that you're probably way closer than you think?
I remember feeling like digital income was this mysterious, unattainable thing that only happened to people with massive followings or fancy tech skills. I'd see these success stories and think, "Cool for them, but that's not my life."
And then I made my first $27. From a template pack I created in Canva. On a random Wednesday. While I was at my day job. My phone buzzed during a meeting (oops), and there it was: "You made a sale."
In that moment, I realized: I'd been closer than I thought for weeks. I just didn't know it yet.
The Gap Is Smaller Than It Looks
Here's the thing about digital income that nobody really explains: the gap between "no sales" and "first sale" isn't as massive as it feels. It's not like going from zero to a million dollars. It's usually just a few small tweaks, a bit more consistency, and the right person seeing your offer at the right time.
Let me break down what's probably already true for you right now:
You Have Skills. Even if you don't think of them as "marketable skills," you have knowledge that someone else needs. You know how to do something better than a beginner does. That's all a digital product requires.
You Have Platforms. You're probably already on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, or have an email list (even if it's small). That's literally all you need to start reaching people.
You Have Time. Not a lot of time—I get it. But even 30 minutes a day is enough to build a digital product business. That's one episode of your favorite show. One scroll session. You have the time; it's just about redirecting it.
The "Almost There" Checklist
Let's see how close you actually are. If you can check off most of these, you're closer than you think:
☐ You have an idea for a digital product (or you've already created one)
☐ You have at least one social media platform where you're semi-active
☐ You've talked about your product at least once online
☐ People have engaged with your content (even just a few likes or comments)
☐ You have a way for people to purchase (Gumroad, Stan Store, Shopify, etc.)
☐ You're open to learning and adjusting as you go
If you checked off three or more? Sis, you're RIGHT there.
What's Actually Standing Between You and That First Sale
Okay, real talk. If you're this close but haven't made a sale yet, there's usually one (or more) of these things happening:
Visibility Gap
The most common issue? Not enough people know your product exists. And I don't mean "you need to go viral" visibility. I mean consistent, regular, "I'm showing up and talking about this thing I made" visibility.
The fix: Commit to mentioning your product in some way every single day for 30 days. Story, post, pin, email—it doesn't matter. Just show up.
Clarity Gap
People might see your product but not understand what it is, who it's for, or why they need it.
The fix: Rewrite your product description like you're explaining it to your best friend. Use simple language. Focus on the transformation, not just the features.
Trust Gap
Maybe people see your product and get it, but they don't know you well enough yet to buy. Digital products require trust—people need to believe you're legit and that your product will actually help them.
The fix: Share more of yourself. Your story, your process, your personality. Let people get to know you.
Technical Gap
Sometimes it's literally just a broken link or a confusing checkout process. I once went an entire week without making sales because my payment link was broken. I wanted to disappear into the floor.
The fix: Test everything. Buy your own product. Click every link. Make sure the user experience is smooth.
The Proximity Truth: You're Probably Already Doing Most of It Right
Here's what I wish someone had told me when I was in the "why hasn't this worked yet?" phase: you're probably already doing 80% of what you need to do. You're just missing one or two small pieces.
It's like baking a cake and forgetting the baking powder. All the other ingredients are there. The technique is right. You just need that one little thing to make it rise.
Common "Missing Pieces" That Are Easy to Fix
Call to Action: Your content is great but doesn't tell people what to do next. End every post with a clear CTA: "Link in bio to shop" or "DM me for the link"
Audience Targeting: You're talking to everyone instead of someone specific. Rewrite your messaging for ONE specific person and their specific problem.
Frequency: You post about your product once a week (or less). Increase to daily mentions—variety is fine, but frequency matters.
Price Point: Your first product is $200 and people don't know you yet. Consider starting with a lower-priced offer ($20-$50) to build trust.
Follow-Through: You post but don't engage with comments or questions. Reply to every single comment and DM—connection leads to conversion
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
When I finally made my first digital sale, I realized something huge: I'd been operating from a place of "I hope this works someday" instead of "this is already working, I just haven't seen the results yet."
That shift—from hoping to knowing—changed how I showed up. My content had more confidence. My messaging was clearer. My consistency improved because I wasn't constantly questioning if it was worth it.
You have to believe you're close before you'll act like someone who's close. And when you act like someone who's close, you make different decisions.
The "Close Person" vs. "Far Away Person" Actions
The "Far Away Person" thinks:
"I'll start promoting heavily once I get more followers"
"I need everything perfect before I really go for it"
"I'll be more consistent when I see some traction"
The "Close Person" thinks:
"Every post brings me closer to my first sale"
"Good enough is better than perfect and never launching"
"Consistency creates traction, not the other way around"
Which energy are you bringing?
Your Proximity Advantage: What You Already Have
Let's talk about what you're not giving yourself credit for. Because I bet you have more going for you than you realize.
Your Story: You have a unique perspective and experience that someone else needs to hear. Your journey—even if you're just starting—is valuable to someone who's one step behind you.
Your Audience (Even If It's Small): 100 engaged followers are better than 10,000 followers who don't care. If even 50 people pay attention to what you post, that's 50 potential customers.
Your Momentum (Even If It's Slow): Every post, every Story, every pin is building momentum. It might not feel like it's adding up, but it is. Trust the compound effect.
Your Timing: Digital products aren't going anywhere. This isn't a trend that's going to disappear. You're not "too late"—you're exactly on time for your journey.
The Proximity Action Plan: Close the Gap Today
Alright, let's get practical. If you're close (and you are), here's how to close that final gap between where you are and your first digital sale:
Step 1: Audit What's Working. Look at your last 10 posts. Which ones got the most engagement? Which topics resonated? Do more of that.
Step 2: Fix What's Broken. Test your links. Check your checkout process. Make sure the path from "interested person" to "paying customer" is clear and easy.
Step 3: Increase Your Visibility (Just a Little) You don't need to go from posting twice a week to posting ten times a day. Just add one more touchpoint. One extra Story. One additional pin. One more email.
Step 4: Get Specific with Your Messaging. Rewrite your product description with ONE specific person in mind. What does she need? What's her struggle? How does your product solve it?
Step 5: Show Up with Confidence. Talk about your product like it's the best thing you've ever made. Because it is. Even if it's simple, even if it's your first one—it has value.
The 24-Hour Proximity Challenge
Want to test how close you really are? Try this:
For the next 24 hours:
Post about your digital product 3 times (Stories count)
Reply to every comment and DM
Share a behind-the-scenes moment
Tell one story about why you created this product
Make sure your link works and is easy to find
Then watch what happens. I'm willing to bet you'll see more engagement, more questions, and more interest than you expected.
The Plot Twist: You Were Always This Close
Here's the truth bomb: the version of you who makes your first digital sale? She's not drastically different from the version of you reading this right now. She didn't suddenly gain 10,000 followers. She didn't magically become a marketing expert. She didn't get a complete life makeover.
She just kept going. She showed up consistently. She believed she was close enough that it was worth continuing.
And one day, she was right.
That's going to be you. Probably sooner than you think.
If you're ready to get even closer to creating your first digital product, click the link for my Free Digital Blueprint.
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