The 5-Step Content Selling Formula (step 3 defies logic but works)

by Welly Mulia - February 28, 2025

“Build it and they’ll come” is an outright lie.

Simply having a great product isn’t enough.

Want to jump straight to the 5-step content selling formula? Go here.

Unlike traditional advertising that interrupts and pitches (which folks hate), content selling focuses on providing value first through helpful, relevant content that naturally leads prospects toward your digital offerings.

It’s about selling through education, inspiration, and problem-solving rather than pushy sales tactics.

This blog post shows proven content selling strategies to sell digital offers (digital products and services) like online courses, software, templates, coaching, membership programs, etc.

Understanding Content Selling for Digital Offers/Products/Services

For digital creators, content selling is effective because your audience is already online, actively seeking solutions. By providing valuable content that addresses their pain points, you position your digital product and/or services as the logical next step in their journey.

The digital nature also creates unique opportunities that physical product sellers don’t have.

online digital products have 0 inventory costs

You can easily offer “samples” that give prospects a taste of what they’ll… without extra costs since there’s nothing to “manufacture”. There’s also no inventory costs, shipping costs, or logistic problems.

Translation: Super high profit margins

6 Content Selling Strategies

Creating individual pieces of content isn’t enough—you need a cohesive strategy that guides prospects through their buyer’s journey. Let’s explore how to develop an effective content selling strategy for digital offers.

1/ The “Help First, Sell Later” Approach

The most effective content selling doesn’t feel like selling at all.

By focusing first on providing genuine help and value, you build trust and position yourself as an advisor rather than just another vendor.

This approach involves creating useful free content that solves real problems for your audience.

Identify their biggest frustrations, challenges, and goals your target customers have. Create content that speaks directly to these issues, demonstrating your understanding of their situation and offering actionable advice.

Only after establishing this foundation of value + trust do you introduce your paid offerings as a way to achieve even better results.

2/ Building Perceived Value

Digital offers often face value perception challenges because they’re intangible. Effective content can increase perceived value by highlighting the transformation your product enables rather than just its features.

Your content should emphasize outcomes over specifications. Instead of just listing what your digital product includes, show what it helps customers achieve—time saved, revenue generated, stress reduced, or other meaningful benefits.

3/ Establishing Brand Voice

A consistent brand voice builds recognition and trust—essential elements for selling intangible digital products. Your voice should reflect your brand values and resonate with your target audience while differentiating you from competitors.

For digital products or offers, your brand voice might emphasize technical expertise, approachability, innovation, or other qualities relevant to your offering. Whatever voice you choose, apply it consistently across all content formats and platforms.

Slack has developed a straightforward brand voice that gets right to the point with short, snappy sentences and a neutral tone. This approach reflects their goal of creating convenient and efficient workspaces for professionals and businesses.

4/ Content Selling for Different Digital Product/Service Types

Different digital products require tailored content selling approaches. What works for selling an online course might not work for subscription software or digital templates.

For online courses, effective content often demonstrates teaching style and expertise. Sample lessons, student success stories, and curriculum previews help prospects evaluate whether the course will meet their learning needs.

Software products benefit from content that showcases functionality and integration capabilities. Tutorial videos, feature demonstrations, and use case examples help prospects understand how the software would fit into their existing workflows.

Digital templates and downloadable resources are best sold through visual previews and practical application examples. Content that shows the end result and time-saving benefits tends to convert well for these products.

Membership programs and subscription services require content that emphasizes ongoing value and community benefits. Behind-the-scenes previews, member spotlights, and content showcasing regular updates help justify the recurring investment.

Coaching and consulting services benefit from content that demonstrates problem-solving approaches and mindset. Case studies, client transformation stories, and thought leadership content help establish credibility and approach.

5/ Content Diversification

Different audience segments consume content differently. Some prefer reading in-depth articles, others learn better through video, and still others might prefer interactive tools or audio content like podcasts.

By diversifying your content formats, you reach more potential customers and accommodate different learning styles. This is particularly important for digital products, which often appeal to diverse audience segments with different technical backgrounds and preferences.

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Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income demonstrates this approach well. He offers the same core information about digital entrepreneurship through multiple channels: a blog, YouTube videos, a podcast, and books, allowing audience members to consume his content in their preferred format.

6/ Creating an Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar aligns your content creation with business objectives and customer needs. For digital product sellers, this means planning content that supports product launches, addresses seasonal needs, and nurtures prospects through the sales funnel.

Your calendar should include a mix of top-of-funnel content (broad topics that attract new audiences), middle-of-funnel content (more specific topics addressing particular pain points), and bottom-of-funnel content (directly related to your product features and benefits).

Tools like Trello, Asana, or dedicated content calendar platforms can help you visualize and manage your content schedule. The key is maintaining consistency while remaining flexible enough to respond to market changes or new opportunities.

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The 5 “Content Angles”

Creating truly distinctive content in the crowded digital marketplace requires developing unique angles that set your brand apart.

A remarkable content angle is essentially your unique perspective on a topic—what makes your approach different from everyone else covering similar subjects. It’s not just about “selling another product/service” on your ecommerce store.

1/ Start With Authenticity

The most compelling content angles emerge from within rather than from external research alone. While understanding your audience and competitors is important, authenticity comes from aligning content with your genuine beliefs, experiences, and values.

For creators selling digital offers, this means infusing your content with your actual experiences developing or using your solutions. Share the real challenges that led you to create your product, the mistakes you made along the way, and the insights you gained that others haven’t discovered yet.

When working with a brand team, anchor your content angles in your company’s mission, vision, and values rather than simply mimicking what’s trending.

This authenticity makes your content feel sincere rather than manufactured, building deeper connections with your audience.

2/ Leverage Your Unique Backstory

Every creator and company has an origin story that can become a powerful content angle. Your journey to creating your service or digital product likely contains unique elements that can differentiate your content.

Develop a clear narrative about who you are, what you stand for, and what sets you apart from others in your space. This brand story should reflect your personality and values while highlighting the distinctive path that led you to your current expertise.

For example, if you created your productivity software after struggling with burnout in a corporate environment, this backstory provides a unique lens through which to discuss productivity that differs from academic researchers or lifelong entrepreneurs.

3/ Frame Topics With Fresh Perspectives

One of the most effective ways to come up with good content angles is to challenge conventional wisdom or approach familiar topics from unexpected directions.

Instead of producing the same content as everyone else, consider:

Questioning popular assumptions in your field
Highlighting counterintuitive findings from your experience
Exploring overlooked aspects of common topics
Taking contrarian positions when you genuinely disagree with mainstream views

For instance, rather than another generic “how to grow your email list” article, you might create content with angles like “Why I deliberately kept my email list small (and why you might want too)” or “The counterintuitive email strategy that 3X-ed our conversion rate.”

4/ Incorporate Personal Branding Elements

Your personal experiences and viewpoints are what make your content uniquely yours. Think of your perspective as the signature stroke that identifies your work in a sea of similar content.

Inject your content with anecdotes, beliefs, and lessons learned to make it distinct and relatable. This personal touch transforms generic information into insightful storytelling that separates you from the echo chamber of similar content.

Remember that in content marketing for digital offers, people often buy into the person behind the product just as much as the product itself. Making your brand story personal and reflective of your unique journey helps build trust and rapport with your audience.

5/ Learn the Art of Storytelling

Stories are inherently memorable, emotional, and compelling—perfect for connecting with your audience while differentiating your content. A well-told story woven into your content can keep readers engaged while reinforcing your message.

Effective storytelling for digital products might include:

Share Your Journey: How you discovered the need for your product and how it changed your life or the lives of your customers.
Start with a Problem: Begin by identifying a common pain point your audience can relate to before introducing your solution.
Show the Transformation: Demonstrate tangible differences your product has made through specific examples and outcomes.
Highlight Personal Connections: Use anecdotes showing how your experiences relate to your business and product development.

By focusing on angles that genuinely resonate with your audience while differentiating your content, you’ll boost visibility, engagement, and ultimately conversions for your digital products/services.

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6 Core Content Types for Selling Digital Products & Services

Not all content is created equal when it comes to selling digital offers. Let’s explore the most effective content types that drive sales.

1/ Case Studies and Success Stories

Nothing sells a digital product more effectively than showing real results from real customers. Case studies and success stories provide social proof while illustrating the practical applications and benefits of your offering.

When creating case studies for digital services and products, focus on the transformation your product enabled.

What was the customer’s situation before?
What challenges were they facing?
How did your product help them overcome these challenges?
What specific results did they achieve?

2/ Free Samples/Trials

For digital products, offering a free sample or trial is one of the most direct forms of content selling. It allows prospects to experience your product’s value firsthand, reducing perceived risk and building confidence in their purchase decision.

Your free offering might be a scaled-down version of your offer, access to a limited set of features, or a time-limited trial of the full offer. The key is ensuring the free experience provides genuine value while showcasing what makes your paid offering special.

Ahrefs, an SEO tool suite, offers Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for free. This limited version of their platform gives users a taste of their data quality and interface, leading serious leads to upgrade to the full suite for more comprehensive features.

3/ Educational Blog Posts

Blog posts remain one of the most versatile and effective content formats for selling digital products. They allow you to demonstrate expertise while addressing specific pain points your audience experiences.

The key to effective blog content is providing genuine value while naturally connecting to your digital offerings.

For example, if you sell productivity software, your blog posts might cover productivity challenges, time management techniques, and workflow optimization—all problems your software helps solve.

4/ Video Tutorials and Demonstrations

Video content is particularly powerful for selling digital products because it allows prospects to see your product in action. This visual demonstration helps overcome one of the biggest challenges in selling digital products: helping customers understand the value of something intangible.

Your video content strategy might include product walkthroughs, feature demonstrations, or tutorials showing how to solve specific problems using your digital product. These videos can live on YouTube, your website, or social media platforms.

Notion, the all-in-one workspace tool, has mastered this approach with their YouTube channel. Their videos showcase real-world applications of their product, from project management to content calendars, helping viewers envision how Notion could transform their own workflows.

5/ Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing remains one of the highest-converting channels for digital offers. Unlike social media where your message competes with countless distractions, email gives you direct access to your prospect’s attention.

Effective email campaigns for digital offers often follow a sequence: valuable content first, followed by gentle pitches that position your product/service as the NATURAL next step. This might include educational sequences, product launches, or abandoned cart follow-ups. You can use tools like BirdSend or Mailchimp for your email marketing efforts.

6/ Interactive Webinars

Webinars combine the engagement of live events with the reach of digital content. They allow you to connect directly with prospects, demonstrate your expertise, and showcase your digital product in real-time.

The most effective webinars provide great standalone value while naturally highlighting problems your digital product solves. This might include training sessions, Q&A panels, or live demonstrations with current customers.

Amy Porterfield, digital course expert and creator of Digital Course Academy, regularly hosts webinars that teach valuable strategies while subtly demonstrating why her comprehensive course offers even greater value.

Bonus Tip: Community-Driven Content

Leveraging your community to generate content creates authenticity while reducing creation burdens. User-generated content often carries more credibility than brand-created content, particularly for testimonials and use cases.

Community-driven content might include customer success stories, implementation examples, feature requests, or troubleshooting tips. This content not only helps sell your digital offer but also strengthens community bonds.

Encourage customers to share their experiences through case study programs, user spotlights, or content contribution opportunities. Make it easy by providing templates, guidelines, and incentives for participation.

Notion, the all-in-one workspace tool, has built a thriving community that generates an insane amount of content. Their template gallery features user-created templates, their X hashtag #NotionTips showcases user workflows, and their ambassador program encourages users to create tutorials and guides.

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Content Monetization Strategies

Beyond using content to sell your primary offers, consider these strategies for monetizing your content directly.

Subscription Models

Subscription-based content can provide recurring revenue while delivering ongoing value to your audience. This might include membership sites, premium newsletters, or content libraries with regular updates.

The subscription model works particularly well for digital products that involve continually evolving information or that address ongoing needs rather than one-time challenges.

The Information, a technology news subscription, charges $399 annually for access to their in-depth reporting and analysis. Their free content demonstrates their quality and expertise, while their paid subscription provides exclusive insights not available elsewhere.

Tiered Content Approaches

Not all customers have the same needs or budget. A tiered approach to content monetization allows you to serve different segments of your market with appropriately priced offerings.

This might include free content (blog posts, videos), low-cost products (ebooks, mini-courses), mid-range offerings (comprehensive courses, software), and premium solutions (coaching, custom implementations).

Content Upgrades

Content upgrades are premium additions to free content that provide additional value for those willing to pay or subscribe. They create a natural bridge between your free and paid offerings.

For a blog post about project management, a content upgrade might include downloadable templates. For a video about email marketing, the upgrade might include swipe files of high-converting emails.

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Measuring Content Selling Success

To optimize your content selling strategy, make sure to measure what’s working and what isn’t.

Let’s explore key metrics and analysis approaches.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Different content types and funnel stages require different success metrics. Top-of-funnel content might be measured by traffic and engagement, while bottom-of-funnel content should be evaluated based on conversion rates and revenue generated.

Key metrics to track include:

content consumption (page views, video views, download counts)
engagement (time on page, comments, shares)
lead generation (email signups, free trial starts)
conversions (sales, upsells, retention rates)

Google Analytics provides many of these metrics for website content, while most email platforms, video hosts, and social media channels offer their own analytics dashboards.

Conversion Optimization

Once you’ve identified which content drives engagement, focus on optimizing the path from content consumption to purchase. This involves testing different calls-to-action, landing pages, and purchase flows to increase conversion rates.

A/B testing different elements can reveal what resonates best with your audience. This might include testing different headlines, content formats, offer presentations, or pricing structures.

CXL (formerly ConversionXL) regularly publishes case studies of their conversion optimization work, showing how small changes to content presentation can significantly impact conversion rates. In one case study, they demonstrated how they helped Truckers Report improved the landing page conversion by 79.3%.

Content ROI Analysis

Not all content delivers equal return on investment. By analyzing which content types and topics generate the most revenue relative to their creation costs, you can focus your resources more effectively.

Calculate the total cost of creating each piece of content (including time, tools, and any outsourcing costs). Then track the revenue directly attributable to that content through proper UTM parameters and conversion tracking.

Testing and Iteration

Content selling is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Continuous testing and refinement based on performance data leads to progressively better results over time.

Establish a regular review process to evaluate content performance and identify opportunities for improvement. This might include updating outdated content, reformatting underperforming pieces, or expanding on topics that generate strong engagement.

Backlinko‘s founder Brian Dean regularly updates his cornerstone content based on performance data. His guide to YouTube SEO has been updated multiple times, with each iteration incorporating new insights and examples. This approach has helped maintain top rankings for competitive keywords despite increasing competition.

Regular testing also allows you to stay ahead of changing market conditions and audience preferences. What worked last year might not work today, especially in fast-evolving digital product categories.

Content Selling Ethics

In an era of increasing privacy concerns and regulatory scrutiny, ethical content selling practices build trust and sustainable business relationships. This is particularly important for digital products, where trust barriers are already higher due to intangibility.

Ethical content selling includes being transparent about what your product can and cannot do, setting realistic expectations about results, and clearly distinguishing between free and paid offerings.

It also means respecting privacy preferences, being clear about how you’ll use customer data, and avoiding manipulative tactics that pressure prospects into purchases they may regret.

Buffer, the social media management platform, exemplifies ethical content selling through radical transparency. Their “Open” blog shares detailed information about their business operations, including revenue, salaries, and pricing decisions. This transparency builds trust that carries over to their product marketing.

Future Trends

To stay ahead in the digital product market, you need to watch where content is heading next. Getting in early on new trends means less competition and more attention from potential customers.

Interactive content like quizzes and calculators is getting more popular than passive reading. These tools give personalized results to users while helping you learn what your audience really needs.

Voice search is growing fast as more people use smart speakers and voice assistants. Make your content answer conversational questions clearly to show up in these searches.

AR and VR experiences are becoming powerful ways to show off digital products. These immersive formats help people “experience” your digital product, making it feel more real and valuable.

Short videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels offer new ways to promote digital products. Their algorithms can help you reach new audiences with quick, engaging content that grabs attention.

The 5-Step Content Selling Formula

Step 1: Develop Your Content Strategy Foundation

Audit your existing content to identify gaps and opportunities
Create an editorial calendar that balances top, middle, and bottom-funnel content
Establish your unique brand voice that reflects your values and resonates with your audience
Define your remarkable content angles based on authenticity, backstory, and fresh perspectives
Plan content diversification across formats (blog posts, videos, emails, webinars) to reach different audience segments

Step 2: Create Core Content Assets

Develop educational blog posts that demonstrate expertise while addressing pain points
Produce video tutorials and demonstrations showing your digital product in action
Craft detailed case studies highlighting customer transformations and specific results
Design free samples or limited trials that provide genuine value while showcasing your offering
Build an email marketing sequence that nurtures leads with valuable content before pitching

Step 3: Implement the “Help First, Sell Later” Approach

Create substantial free content that solves real problems for your audience
Focus on building trust by emphasizing transformation rather than just features
Tailor your content approach to your specific digital product type (course, software, membership, etc.)
Incorporate storytelling elements that connect emotionally while demonstrating your understanding
Leverage your community to generate authentic user content that builds credibility

Step 4: Establish Monetization Pathways

Develop tiered content offerings to serve different audience segments and price points
Create strategic content upgrades that bridge free content to paid offerings
Consider subscription models for ongoing value and recurring revenue
Design clear conversion paths from each content piece to relevant product offerings
Test different calls-to-action and purchase flows to optimize conversion rates
Use tools like CartMango for your “order-taking” system (setup takes less than 1-min and it’s totally free for 2025; disclaimer: this is our tool that we built specifically for solo creators)

Step 5: Measure, Analyze and Optimize

Track key performance indicators across the entire funnel (consumption, engagement, leads, sales)
Calculate content ROI by comparing creation costs against revenue generated
Conduct regular content reviews to identify improvement opportunities
Test new formats, topics, and approaches based on performance data
Update high-performing content to maintain relevance and competitive advantage

By following this structured approach, you’ll build a comprehensive content selling system that attracts prospects, builds trust, demonstrates value, and converts digital product sales while continuously improving based on real performance data.

How’s that?

But I’m not stopping there. To make it even easier for you to implement these 5 steps, I’ve further broken down everything into daily tasks below…

30-Day Execution Plan to Turn Your Content into $

Week 1: Strategy Foundation (Days 1-7)

Day 1-2: Content Audit

Review all existing content across your website, social media, and email
Identify your top 5 performing pieces and analyze why they work
List content gaps related to your digital product’s key benefits

Day 3-4: Brand Voice & Content Angles

Draft a one-page brand voice guide with tone, vocabulary, and examples
Write down your unique backstory and how it connects to your product
Identify 3-5 remarkable angles that differentiate you from competitors

Day 5-7: Editorial Planning

Create a 90-day content calendar with specific topics
Plan a balanced mix of top, middle, and bottom-funnel content
Select content formats for each piece (blog, video, email, etc.)

Week 2: Core Content Creation (Days 8-14)

Day 8-9: Educational Blog Posts

Write one comprehensive post addressing a major pain point
Outline two additional posts for later development
Optimize your blog post with relevant keywords and clear CTAs

Day 10-11: Video Content

Record a product demonstration video showing key features in action
Create a simple video solving a common problem
Edit and publish videos with clear descriptions and next steps

Day 12-14: Case Studies & Samples

Reach out to 5-10 customers requesting permission for case studies
Interview at least one customer and draft their success story
Create a valuable free sample or limited trial of your digital product

Week 3: Help-First Approach (Days 15-21)

Day 15-16: Email Sequence

Design a 5-email welcome sequence for new subscribers
Write value-focused emails that gradually introduce your product
Set up automation for this sequence in your email platform

Day 17-18: Community Engagement

Create a social media post asking followers about their biggest challenges
Respond thoughtfully to all comments with helpful advice
Invite engaged followers to contribute their experiences or tips

Day 19-21: Storytelling Content

Create content that shares your journey and lessons learned
Develop a piece showing transformation possibilities (before/after)
Connect emotional benefits to practical features of your product

Week 4: Monetization & Measurement (Days 22-30)

Day 22-23: Content Upgrades

Create 2-3 valuable downloadable resources related to your blog content
Design landing pages for these resources that connect to your product
Set up email capture forms and delivery automation

Day 24-25: Conversion Pathways

Review all content to ensure clear next steps for readers/viewers
Improve calls-to-action on your highest-traffic content
Create or refine your product sales page with testimonials and benefits
Use tools like CartMango for your “order-taking” system (setup takes less than 1-min and it’s totally free for 2025; disclaimer: this is our tool that we built specifically for solo creators)

Day 26-27: Analytics Setup

Set up proper tracking for content performance (views, time on page)
Create UTM parameters to track traffic sources
Establish conversion tracking from content to sales

Day 28-30: Review & Optimization Plan

Analyze first-month data to identify early wins and opportunities
Schedule content updates for underperforming pieces
Create a testing plan for the next 30 days (headlines, formats, CTAs)
Set up a weekly review process to continue optimizing your content

Your Turn

Remember… no action = no rewards.

Everyone wants results, but most don’t want to do the work to get the results. But I know you’re not like them.

Taking action is the only way for achieving success. By diligently following the execution plan, you are setting yourself apart from those who merely aspire without effort.

Each daily task is designed to build momentum, enhance your content strategy, and ultimately drive more sales.

Consistency in executing these tasks will not only boost your content selling strategy but also establish you as a trusted content creator in your niche.

Embrace the process. Learn from every step. Keep improving. And just do it.

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