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Free Resources, Guides for Creators

Explore a library of free resources made for creators, including guides, toolkits, worksheets, and checklists to help you build, grow, and earn more.

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Business Setup Guides
Essential Business Setup Checklist for First-Time Entrepreneurs
Start your entrepreneurial journey the right way with this step-by-step setup checklist. Learn how to register your business, manage finances, and grow
Ogochukwu Enwefah
August 30, 2025
10 min read
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First off, congratulations on deciding to start your own business. That decision alone puts you ahead of most people who only dream but never take action. Starting a business is exciting, but it can also feel like stepping into a room full of moving parts, each demanding your attention at once. There is so much advice out there that it is easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure about where to begin.

This guide is here to simplify that journey. Think of it as a roadmap, covering the essentials you need to set up your business the right way. From choosing the right structure to sorting out finances and creating an online presence, these are the foundations that set you up for long-term success. You have taken the bold first step; now let’s make sure you build something that lasts.

Essential Steps To Start Your Business

Step 1: Research the Market and Your Competition

Every successful business starts with understanding its audience and industry. Jumping in without research is like setting out on a journey without a map; you risk losing direction and wasting valuable time.

  • Validate Your Idea: Ensure your business solves a real problem. Talk to potential customers, get feedback, and refine your idea based on their needs.
  • Study the Competition: Look at who’s already in the market. What do they do well? Where are they failing? Use this insight to create something better.
  • Understand the Market: Analyze demand trends, pricing models, and market size to identify where your business fits best.

Step 2: Write a Business Plan and Choose Your Business Name

A person writing on white paper

A well-structured business plan serves as your roadmap, guiding every decision you make and keeping your objectives clear and focused. It also demonstrates to investors, lenders, and potential partners that you have a strategic vision backed by research and are fully committed to turning your idea into a viable, sustainable business.

  • Business Plan Essentials:
    • Overview of your product or service
    • Target audience and unique selling proposition (USP)
    • Industry and competitor analysis
    • Marketing and operational strategies
    • Financial forecasts and funding needs
  • Pick a Strong Business Name: Choose something simple, relevant, and easy to remember. Verify domain availability and ensure it’s not trademarked.

Step 3: Register Your Business and Protect It Legally

Registering your business establishes it as a legitimate entity, giving you the credibility needed to gain customer trust and attract potential partners. It also provides essential legal protections, ensuring your personal assets are safeguarded and that you operate in full compliance with regulatory requirements.

  • Choose the Right Structure: Sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation; each affects taxes and liability differently.
  • Register Your Business Name: Do this with the relevant corporate authority in your country.
  • Get Permits and Licenses: Check what’s required for your industry at local, state, and national levels.
  • Open a Business Bank Account: Separate your personal and business finances to stay organized and professional.
  • Get Tax IDs: Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or the equivalent to stay tax-compliant.

Step 4: Finance Your Business

A plant in clear glass

Finances are the engine of your business. Without proper planning, even great ideas can fail. Sound financial management ensures you have the resources to sustain operations, seize growth opportunities, and stay in the game when challenges arise.

  • Estimate Startup Costs: Include everything: equipment, legal fees, marketing, and emergency funds.
  • Secure Funding: Consider personal savings, small business loans, grants, or investor support.
  • Create a Financial Plan: Budget your expenses, plan cash flow, and prepare for lean months.
  • Maintain a Cash Reserve: It may take months before your business is profitable. A safety net can keep you afloat.

Step 5: Build Your Business Brand

Branding isn’t just about a logo, it’s the perception customers have of you. It’s the story they tell about you when you’re not in the room.

  • Define Your Brand Identity: Establish your mission, values, and tone. Then, create a logo, business cards, and marketing materials that reflect it.

  • Build a Professional Online Presence:
    • Launch a clean, functional website that clearly communicates who you are and what you offer.
    • Use social media intentionally; focus on the platforms where your audience spends time.
  • Tell Your Story: Share why you started, what you believe in, and the value you bring. Authentic stories create emotional connections.

Step 6: Build a Strong Operational Backbone

Four men collaborating on business goals

Behind-the-scenes systems are the quiet powerhouses of your business. They keep things moving without chaos, like having traffic lights at every busy intersection. When everything flows smoothly in the background, you can focus on building and scaling instead of constantly dealing with breakdowns.

  • Organize Processes: Set up systems for invoicing, project management, and customer service.
  • Get Business Insurance: Protect your business from potential risks such as liability, property damage, or industry-specific needs.
  • Network Intentionally: Join industry groups, collaborate with peers, and offer value before asking for it. Authentic relationships often lead to unexpected opportunities.
  • Hire the Right People: As you grow, bring in team members who share your vision and values.

Step 7: Launch and Market Your Business

Now it’s time to put yourself out there. A strong launch builds momentum.

  • Create Buzz: Start promoting ahead of launch. Share sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes updates, and teasers.

  • Marketing Strategy Basics:
    • Leverage social media ads and organic content.
    • Partner with influencers or complementary businesses.
    • Start an email list to build a direct line to customers.
  • Track and Adapt: Monitor results, gather feedback, and refine your approach. Marketing is a process of testing, learning, and improving.

Bonus Tips for Long-Term Success

  • Start While Employed: It reduces financial pressure during the early stages and allows you to test your idea with less risk.
  • Be Professional: Deliver on promises, communicate well, and build a reputation for reliability. Trust is a currency that compounds over time.
  • Keep Learning: Stay updated on industry trends, new tools, and best practices because a stagnant entrepreneur is a struggling one.
  • Stay Consistent: Small, steady actions lead to big results over time; momentum is built, not bought.
  • Adapt Quickly: The market changes fast; flexibility can be the difference between thriving and shutting down.
  • Build a Strong Network: Surround yourself with mentors, peers, and supporters who challenge and inspire you.
  • Celebrate Small Wins: Recognizing progress keeps you motivated for the bigger milestones ahead.

Starting a business is no small feat, and taking that first step is something worth celebrating. The road ahead won’t always be smooth, but that’s what makes the journey exciting. Each step in this checklist, researching your market, planning with clarity, setting up legally and financially, building a brand people remember, and launching with purpose, equips you to handle the twists and turns like a pro.

Think of this as the toolkit you’ll keep coming back to. It’s not just about starting; it’s about starting strong. Now it’s your turn to take this blueprint and build something remarkable.

Sales & Pricing
The Complete Guide to Pricing Your Digital Product
Learn how to price your digital product with proven pricing strategies, from tripwire offers to value-based pricing so you can sell and earn more globally.
Ogochukwu Enwefah
August 30, 2025
10 min read
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There is no one-size-fits-all answer to "How should I price my digital product?" If anyone tells you otherwise, they are probably trying to sell you an overpriced guide.

Pricing is not just math; it’s also pricing psychology, digital marketing strategy, and audience behavior rolled into one.

Whether you are selling an ebook, an online course, a template bundle, or the ultimate fitness meal-planning guide, your pricing needs to make sense to your audience. That means thinking about who is buying, why they are buying, and how your price influences their decision.

In this guide, we’ll explore practical digital product pricing strategies from entry-level tripwire offers to high-ticket packages, breaking down the pros and cons of common approaches.

10 Tips On How To Price Your Digital Product.

1. Know Your Buyer Persona Before Setting a Price

Before you set a price for your digital download or online course, ask yourself: Who is my ideal buyer? Are they ready to buy now, or are they still browsing?

Your pricing will land differently depending on their situation:

  • Selling to professionals? They value speed, convenience, and quality, and may accept premium pricing.

  • Selling to hobbyists? They may want a low-ticket offer at first, then upgrade to a medium or high-ticket program later.

2. High Ticket vs Low Ticket Pricing for Digital Products

High-ticket digital products (often $500 or more) communicate premium quality and deep transformation, such as a 12-week mentorship or business accelerator. Low-ticket products (under $50) are low-risk, impulse-friendly purchases like ebooks or mini-courses.

A tripwire offer is a low-priced product designed to turn someone into a paying customer quickly. This could be a $7 ebook, then a $49 workshop, then a $499 flagship program (your main, most valuable product).

Pro tip: It’s easier to start low and raise prices than to start high and drop them. Sudden price drops can upset early buyers.

A sales funnel showing a buyer's journey

3. Pricing as a Digital Marketing Strategy

Pricing is not just about covering costs. It influences how people perceive your product and your brand.

  • Price too low: You get sales but risk looking cheap.

  • Price too high: You might look premium but could scare off your target audience.

The sweet spot is where your price signals quality, fits your audience’s budget, and supports your business goals.

4. Seven Practical Pricing Methods 

Method 1: Price to Your Competition

Set your price based on what similar products in your niche cost.

  • Pros: Easy to research and keeps you in the market range.

  • Cons: You risk blending in instead of standing out.

Method 2: Price to Pay the Bills

Work backward from your financial needs. Calculate what you must earn monthly, then determine how many sales you need at a specific price.

  • Pros: Keeps your business sustainable.

  • Cons: May result in prices that do not align with market perception.

Method 3: Price to Time

Charge based on the hours you invested in creating the product.

  • Pros: Honors your effort and skills.

  • Cons: Most buyers do not care how long it took. They care about the results they get. Harsh, but true.

Method 4: Price to Cost Plus

Add a markup to your total production cost.

  • Pros: Simple to calculate and guarantees profit per sale.

  • Cons: Ignores perceived value and demand.

Method 5: Price to the Package (Combos)

Bundle products together for slightly less than buying them separately.

  • Pros: Increases perceived value and encourages bigger purchases.

  • Cons: Requires you to have multiple products to bundle.

Method 6: Price to Positioning

Set a price that matches the brand image you want to convey.

  • Pros: Attracts the right audience and reinforces your positioning.

  • Cons: You must consistently deliver at the level your price suggests.

Method 7: Price to Value

Charge based on the outcome your product delivers.

  • Pros: Supports premium pricing and aligns cost with impact.

  • Cons: Requires strong marketing to communicate value effectively.

5. Tiered and Medium-Ticket Pricing

You do not have to stick with a single price point. Offer tiers to give people options:

  • Low ticket: Easy entry and quick conversions.

  • Medium ticket ($50 to $200): Balanced affordability and profitability.

  • High ticket ($500+): Premium transformation-focused offers.

3 Tiers of Pricing



Combos and bundles work well here too. Offer your main product with an additional bonus at a slight discount to create the feeling of winning a good deal.

6. The Global Audience Factor

You are not just selling locally. In a global marketplace, a $100 course might be affordable in London but expensive in Lagos. Some creators adjust prices by region or offer occasional global sales to keep products accessible without undercutting their value.

7. Testing and Adjusting Without Fear

Your first price is not permanent. Launch with your best estimate, then track performance. Experiment with different price points, add bonuses, or tweak your sales copy.

Sometimes, a $29 price will outsell the $19 price because it feels more premium. Other times, a slightly lower price will dramatically boost conversions.

8. Confidence is the Real Pricing Secret

If you do not believe your product is worth the price, your buyers will sense it. Confidence comes from knowing your product solves a problem and delivers results.

Keep a folder of positive feedback, testimonials, and success stories. This is your reminder that your product makes a difference. And remember, you do not need everyone to buy from you. You only need the right audience who values what you offer.

9. Avoid the Race to the Bottom

Lowering your prices to beat the competition might win short-term sales, but it can damage your brand in the long run. Instead, focus on value creation and a strong digital product sales funnel.

10. Pricing is a Long Game

As your audience grows, your skills improve, and your reputation builds, you can gradually increase your prices. Each adjustment reflects your growth and the increased value you provide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pricing Digital Products

How do I price my first digital product?


Start by researching similar offers in your niche, then choose a price that’s competitive but leaves room for upselling.

What is value-based pricing?


It’s when you set a price based on the transformation your digital product delivers, not your costs.

Should I use low ticket or high ticket pricing?


It depends on your audience’s buying power and your product’s depth.

How often should I change my prices?


Every 3–6 months, or after major product improvements.

Can I use location-based pricing?


Yes, it’s common for global sellers to adjust prices by market

Pricing your digital product is equal parts strategy, mindset, and experimentation. There is no single magic number, but there are proven approaches that help you find the right fit for your audience and your goals.

Whether you choose a tripwire entry point, a tiered system, or a high-ticket transformation, your pricing should align with the value you deliver, the expectations of your buyers, and your own business needs. Start with clarity, experiment with confidence, and remember that you can always adjust as you learn more about what works.

Avoid undervaluing your work, keep refining your offer, and position your product so buyers see it as the obvious choice.

And when you are ready to host, showcase, and sell your digital products to a global audience, Mainstack is a powerful, creator-friendly platform that makes it simple to turn your hard work into steady income.