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While I share money-making strategies, nothing is “typical”, and outcomes are based on each individual. There are no guarantees.
Planners have always been popular, but digital planners have exploded because they solve a problem everyone has: overwhelm. People are tired of juggling sticky notes, random apps, and endless to-do lists that never really help. What they want is structure. A planner that tells them where to focus, when to take breaks, and how to actually track progress. That’s why digital planners are one of the easiest digital products to create and sell. Once you design it, you can sell it over and over again with very little extra work.
The opportunity here isn’t about creating “just another planner.” It’s about creating a tool for a specific type of person. When you do that, your planner becomes more than a file—it becomes the system they’ve been looking for.
Step 1: Choose Your Niche
This is where most people get it wrong. They try to make a general planner that works for everyone, and it gets lost in the sea of thousands of similar products. The money is in going specific. For example, entrepreneurs often buy time-blocking planners because their days are packed with meetings, projects, and family commitments. Students need Pomodoro-style planners that help them study in short, focused sprints. Content creators want social media planners that map out posting schedules. Parents often love wellness planners that combine productivity with meal planning and gratitude journaling.
So how do you know which niche will actually sell? Start with research. Head to Pinterest and type in “digital productivity planner.” Look at the autocomplete suggestions—those are the exact words people are searching right now. If you want more detail, use PinClicks to see keyword data and figure out which phrases are trending. Then check Etsy. Search for “productivity planner” and filter by “bestsellers.” Pay close attention to the layouts and themes at the top—it’s not random. Those shops are making sales because they’re matching real demand.
Amazon is another goldmine. Look up productivity journals and planners there, then scroll through reviews. Buyers will tell you exactly what they like and what’s missing. If reviews mention “not enough space for time-blocking” or “wish it had habit trackers,” that’s a gap you can fill. And if you already have an audience—an email list, Instagram following, or even a small Facebook group—just ask them. Run a poll with a question like: “What’s harder for you right now—staying focused, setting goals, or sticking to routines?” The answers will point you straight to a niche.
Once you’ve chosen your niche, you’re no longer competing with thousands of generic planners. You’re solving a very specific problem for a very specific person. That’s the kind of product that stands out—and sells.
Step 2: Design the Layout
Once you know who you’re building the planner for, it’s time to design the actual pages. This is where your product goes from “idea” to something tangible that people will want to use every day. The key here is structure. A planner isn’t art—it’s a tool. Yes, it should look polished and on-brand, but more importantly, it should guide someone through their day without them having to think too hard.
Start by mapping out what your buyer needs to accomplish. If you’re creating a time-blocking planner, that means having hourly columns or boxes that make it easy to block out chunks of the day. If your audience is students, your layout might need assignment trackers and study session blocks. For a goal-focused planner, you’ll want space at the top for “big goals” and then smaller sections for action steps, habit tracking, and reflection.
It helps to sketch this out on paper first. Draw the boxes, lines, and sections you think are essential. Don’t worry about fonts or colors yet—just focus on flow. Imagine your customer sitting down with a cup of coffee in the morning and opening your planner. What should their eyes go to first? Probably the day’s top priorities. Then what comes next? Time slots, tasks, notes? If you can get the flow right on paper, the digital design part will be much easier.
When you’re ready to build, tools like Kittl make it simple to create polished layouts even if you’re not a graphic designer. You can set up daily, weekly, and monthly pages that all match in style and branding. Keep your fonts clean and your color palette consistent—two or three complementary colors are plenty. If you want to stay organized as you build, Airtable is great for planning out which sections you’re including and keeping track of revisions. And when it comes time to make your cover stand out, Ideogram can help you generate styled images that give your planner a professional look right from the start.
The best planners keep things simple and repeatable. Consistency builds habits, and that’s exactly what people are buying—something that helps them stay on track every single day.
Step 3: Create Mockups That Sell
Your planner isn’t going to sell itself sitting as a PDF thumbnail. The way you present it is just as important as the design inside. People need to visualize themselves using your planner before they buy it. That’s why mockups are one of the most powerful marketing tools you’ll create in this process.
When you look at best-selling digital planners on Etsy, you’ll notice they all have one thing in common: mockups that look like lifestyle photos. The planner isn’t just shown as a flat page—it’s displayed on an iPad with a stylus, laid out on a desk next to a laptop, or placed in a cozy setting with a candle and a cup of coffee. This makes buyers feel like the planner is part of a lifestyle they want.
If you’re designing a productivity planner, you should create at least three types of mockups:
- Device mockups: Show your planner displayed on an iPad, tablet, or phone. Many buyers specifically want to know if it works in apps like GoodNotes or Notability.
- Lifestyle mockups: Stage the planner in realistic work or study scenes. Think a clean desk with plants, a laptop in the background, or a minimal workspace with natural light.
- Collage previews: Buyers want to see what they’re actually getting. Create an image that shows multiple spreads—daily, weekly, and monthly—so they know this isn’t just a one-page download.
If you want to test what works, upload different mockups to Pinterest and Etsy and track which one gets the most clicks. Sometimes a clean, minimal mockup outperforms a busier lifestyle scene, but you won’t know until you test.
Tools that make this easy include Kittl for professional scene mockups, Ideogram for generating styled lifestyle images that match your brand vibe, and Tailwind if you want to schedule and test which mockup images drive the most traffic on Pinterest.
The most important thing to remember is this: people aren’t buying your planner—they’re buying the feeling your mockups give them. If your images feel aspirational, professional, and trustworthy, your sales page will convert.
Step 4: Package and Deliver the Planner
Once your planner is designed and your mockups are ready, the next big step is packaging it into a format that customers can actually use. This part is often overlooked, but it’s critical—if the download process is clunky or the file doesn’t work the way buyers expect, refunds and bad reviews will follow.
The most common format for digital planners is PDF because it works on almost every device. If you’re targeting iPad users, you’ll also want to create GoodNotes or Notability files, since those are the apps most people use to write directly on digital planners with a stylus. Notion templates are another option, especially if you’re going after a productivity-focused audience that prefers a drag-and-drop digital workspace.
Think about bundling. Instead of selling just one file, create a package that includes a daily version, a weekly version, and a monthly version. You could also offer a light version (fewer pages, lower price) and a premium version (with extras like habit trackers, project dashboards, or budget pages). Bundles give customers more value and let you charge a higher price.
You also need to decide how buyers will receive the planner once they purchase. Platforms like Stan Store make this easy because they handle instant digital delivery—someone buys, and they immediately get a download link. If you’re running your own site, connect it to an email service like MailerLite so customers automatically get an email with the download link and instructions. Always include a simple “how to use this planner” guide in your delivery package so people don’t feel lost.
And don’t forget to test your delivery system. Buy your own planner through your store and go through the entire process. Make sure the files download correctly, open smoothly on different devices, and that the instructions are clear. That one extra step can save you a lot of headaches later.
Step 5: Price Your Planner
One of the hardest parts of selling a digital product is figuring out how much to charge. If you price too low, people assume it’s cheap and not worth much. If you price too high without enough value behind it, you’ll struggle to make sales. The sweet spot comes from balancing what buyers expect with the value you’ve built into your product.
The first thing to know is that digital planners on Etsy and similar marketplaces typically range anywhere from $10 to $40. Most standard productivity planners—like a simple daily/weekly layout—fall around $15 to $20. Premium planners with extras like goal trackers, finance pages, wellness logs, or bundles of multiple layouts can sell at $30 or more. If you position your planner as a complete productivity system rather than a single file, you can justify being at the higher end of that range.
Do some competitive research before you set your price. Go to Etsy and filter for “bestselling” productivity planners. Pay attention not only to their pricing, but to what’s included. Are they giving customers a full bundle of layouts? Do they offer GoodNotes files in addition to PDF? Do they have polished mockups that make the product look premium? Those details matter and directly impact what buyers are willing to spend.
Another way to approach pricing is to use a tiered strategy. Offer a starter version at a lower price point—say $12—that includes the basics like daily and weekly pages. Then offer a premium package at $29 or $35 that includes everything: daily, weekly, monthly, habit trackers, meal planning, and any niche-specific extras. This way, buyers who just want something simple can grab the lower-priced option, while those looking for the full solution will naturally gravitate toward the higher package.
Don’t forget about upsells. When you’re using a sales platform like Stan Store, you can add complementary products right at checkout. For example, if someone buys your productivity planner, you could offer them a content calendar template or a set of digital stickers for an additional $7 to $10. These small add-ons can significantly increase your overall revenue without much extra work.
The last thing to remember about pricing is confidence. If you’ve put the work in to design a planner that’s polished, practical, and solves a real problem, don’t be afraid to charge for the value you’ve created. The right buyers aren’t just looking for the cheapest option—they’re looking for something that works.
Step 6: Write Sales Page Copy That Converts
You’ve designed your planner, created mockups, packaged it for delivery, and set your price. Now comes the part that actually makes the sale: your sales page copy. Too many creators put up a product listing with a title, a couple of images, and a “Buy Now” button, then wonder why nobody purchases. Copy is what takes someone from “that looks nice” to “I need this.”
The first thing your sales page has to do is speak to the pain. Think about the person buying your planner. They’re not just looking for pages—they’re looking for a solution to feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or inconsistent. Your headline and opening sentences should make them feel understood. For example: “Tired of juggling endless to-do lists that never get finished? This productivity planner is designed to help you focus, organize your day, and actually follow through.”
After you name the problem, you show them the promise. Explain how your planner makes their life easier. Keep it simple: “With daily, weekly, and monthly layouts, you’ll always know where your time is going. Built-in goal trackers and reflection pages keep you accountable, so you don’t just plan—you progress.”
Next, paint the picture. This is where your mockups come in. Don’t just display the planner—explain what the buyer sees in the images. If you’re showing the daily spread, write about how it keeps their mornings clear and their evenings stress-free. If you’re showing the monthly view, talk about how it helps them map out big goals without losing track of the day-to-day. Always connect the features to benefits.
Your sales page should also spell out exactly what they’re getting. Don’t assume people know. If the download includes daily, weekly, and monthly pages, say that. If it comes with both PDF and GoodNotes files, explain it clearly. Buyers like specifics—it builds trust.
Finally, close with a strong call to action. Make it about them, not you: “Take back control of your time today. Download your planner instantly and start building the consistency you’ve been craving.” Remind them it’s an instant digital download—they can be using it five minutes after they click purchase.
When you write your copy, imagine sitting across from your buyer and explaining why you created this planner and how it will help them. That natural, conversational tone is what sells, because it feels personal and real—not like a corporate sales pitch.
Step 7: Market Your Planner on Pinterest and Etsy
Pinterest is your traffic engine; Etsy is your conversion engine. Treat them like a team and build them in parallel so momentum compounds.
Start with Pinterest. Create 5–7 pin variations for the same product page: one clean mockup on an iPad, one lifestyle scene on a desk, one collage showing daily/weekly/monthly spreads, one bold text-overlay pin naming the result (for example: “Time-Blocking Planner For Busy Weeks”), and one seasonal version (back-to-school, new year, Q2 reset). Use a 2:3 image ratio (1000×1500 or 1000×1800). Keep text overlays short and readable in the feed. Put the exact keywords people search in your pin title and the first sentence of the description (for example: “digital productivity planner,” “time-blocking planner,” “GoodNotes planner,” “daily weekly monthly planner”). Publish pins to the most relevant board first, then to 2–3 closely related boards over the next two weeks. Schedule with Tailwind so you’re posting consistently without babysitting.
Track what gets clicks. Add UTM parameters to your product link so you can see in your analytics which pin image and headline are driving traffic. If a minimal mockup outperforms a lifestyle scene by 2×, duplicate the winning style with new angles and headlines. Pinterest favors freshness—small variations count.
Now build your Etsy listing like a mini sales page. Write a clear, keyword-rich title that reads naturally (for example: “Time-Blocking Digital Planner for GoodNotes | Daily, Weekly, Monthly Layouts | Productivity and Habit Tracker”). In the description, lead with the problem you solve, then list exactly what’s included (file types, number of pages, layouts), how the download works, and any bonuses (like a quick-start guide). Use all 13 tags with close variations of your core terms (time blocking, digital planner, GoodNotes planner, productivity planner, daily planner, weekly planner, monthly planner, habit tracker, goal planner, undated planner, printable planner, iPad planner, Notability planner). Choose a thumbnail that shows the planner on a device with a clean, professional background; Etsy buyers judge quality at a glance.
Offer two price tiers inside the same listing using variations if you can: a Starter (daily + weekly) and a Pro (daily + weekly + monthly + trackers). This gives bargain shoppers an entry point and value shoppers a reason to spend more. Turn on an order-bump style offer with a complementary add-on (for example: digital stickers, a content calendar, or a routines pack). Run a small launch coupon for the first week (for example: 15% off) to help the listing pick up favorites and sales velocity—Etsy’s algorithm responds to that early traction.
Close the loop between the platforms. Every Etsy buyer should receive a short “how to use your planner” PDF and a quick-start email sequence (MailerLite works) with tips, a 5-minute setup routine, and a soft upsell to your Pro version or a related template. Every Pinterest pin should link directly to your fastest-converting destination (product page or a short pre-sell page). If you blog, embed your mockups and a buy button above the fold; don’t bury the call-to-action.
Finally, review weekly. Check which pin headlines get the most outbound clicks, which thumbnails convert on Etsy, and which keywords show up in your Etsy search stats. Keep the winners, replace the laggards, and ship two new pin variations for every proven performer. That simple test-and-scale loop is how you build steady planner sales without guessing.
