You've likely heard about the benefits of creating and selling digital downloads like printables but have you considered adding spreadsheets to your digital product line?  As you know a spreadsheet is a file made up of rows and columns used to organize and manipulate data. They are commonly used for budgeting, accounting, and data analysis. However, spreadsheets can be used for way more than just your typical budget. Not to mention that they often have a higher price point than printables like cards, planners, journals, and bookmarks.

In this article, we will guide you through the process of things to consider before diving into creating and selling spreadsheets as digital downloads.

Identify Your Target Audience

Before you start creating your spreadsheet, it's important to understand your audience and what problem you aim to help them solve with your spreadsheet. There are many types of spreadsheets available and knowing your ideal customer will make it easier for you to develop your product. There are tons of niches you could target with your spreadsheet from small business owners to plant lovers. Just take a look at the different types of spreadsheets available.

Get 1500+ Spreadsheet Ideas that you can create for personal use or sell!

Choosing Your Software

Just as there are many types of spreadsheets, there are also several popular software options you can use to create your spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Apple Numbers. Each software has its strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to choose the one that best fits your needs. Not only is important to consider your likes but which software would your ideal customer be using as well. Google Sheets may be a good option as it is freely available and can be used directly on the Internet.

Design Your Spreadsheet

Once you've chosen your software, it's time to design your spreadsheet. A well-designed spreadsheet is not only visually appealing, but it's also easy to read and use. Here are a few design tips to keep in mind:

  • Use a consistent color scheme
  • Keep the layout simple and easy to navigate
  • Use clear and concise labels for each column and row
  • Use formatting to make the most important data stand out


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Create Useful Formulas

The real power of spreadsheets lies in their ability to perform complex calculations and analyses. To create a spreadsheet that is truly useful to your audience, you'll need to incorporate useful formulas that make their lives easier.

Add Value with Charts and Graphs

Another way to make your spreadsheet stand out is by adding charts and graphs that visually represent the data. This not only makes the data easier to understand but also adds value to your product.

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What if I'm Not a Math Whiz

At this point, you may be concerned about your lack of technical know-how in designing spreadsheets or creating fancy formulas. But alas, there is no need to be overwhelmed and walk away from the idea of creating and selling spreadsheets online.

While some people may need spreadsheets with lots of bells and whistles, many people are looking for more simplified spreadsheets like habit trackers or meal planners that can help them better manage their busy lives.  You can certainly learn to create these styles of beautiful but functional spreadsheets. Here are a few training resources that can show you how to create your own spreadsheets from scratch:

However, you don't have to start from scratch.

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Save Time Creating Spreadsheets with PLR

Private Label Rights (or PLR) are templates and content created by someone else who gives you the right to purchase and rebrand products as your own. You may be familiar with PLR or white-label articles, journal, and planner templates but you can also find PLR spreadsheets as well. Using PLR templates can help you create and launch a spreadsheet in less time.

PLR Sources for Spreadsheet Templates

While blog posts and planner templates are more popular types of PLR, there are a growing number of sellers now offering re-brandable spreadsheet templates such as:

  • The VIP Spreadsheet Hub: Vast collection of pre-designed and customizable spreadsheets that you can rebrand as your own. Plus learn the skills you need to design your own custom spreadsheets.
  • Wedding Planner Spreadsheet: provides everything one needs to plan and organize the wedding of your dreams. This rebrandable spreadsheet comes with unrestricted PLR rights.
  • Event Planner Spreadsheet: designed to help you organize every detail of your event, from the guest list and RSVP management to task assignments and budget tracking.
  • Ultimate Teacher Planner:  the ultimate tool to help teachers plan their teaching sessions while allocating time for personal and skill development
  • Ultimate Garden Planner:  Designed for busy individuals like you, who crave a flourishing garden but struggle with limited knowledge or time, this digital tool will help you streamline your gardening efforts.
  • Ultimate Decluttering Spreadsheet: provides a system for getting your home free of all the stuff you don't need or love
  • To-Do List/Bucket List Tracker Spreadsheet: Easy-to-use task manager spreadsheet Manage your time with this TO-DO List with Calendar spreadsheet to boost your productivity. Easy to use and customize, this spreadsheet is all you need to efficiently manage your time.
  • The Ultimate Digital Planner Spreadsheet: This Google Sheets spreadsheet planner contains แบก monthly planner with auto-populated calendars and days, six hyperlinked weekly planning pages, a daily planner, and a brain dump section, pretty much everything you need to stay on top of your schedule.
  • Stock Your Shop DFY Spreadsheet Bundle: offers three commercial-use, ready-to-sell Google Sheet templates. These templates are not only done for you, saving you hours of work, but they are also easily customizable to suit your unique needs. You can even pass on private label rights to your customers, giving you even more value for your investment.
  • Business Planner Spreadsheet: all-in-one spreadsheet includes separate sheets for tracking your affiliates, sales, and expenses, as well as a summary sheet to give you a clear overview of your business's financial health
  • Weight Loss Tracker Spreadsheet: uses Google Sheets which most customers will be familiar with and have free access to, but it doesn't rely on any spreadsheet knowledge. The interface is also very simple for customers and the steps for getting started are included in the product. You can easily add your own design ideas to make your tracker unique. Full simple instructions with screenshots are included (28-page instruction booklet) for editing the spreadsheets.
  • Ultimate Mood Tracker: tool for tracking your mood, sleep, and weather for an entire year! With this comprehensive Google Sheets template, you can keep a detailed record of your daily mood, sleep patterns, and weather conditions, helping you to identify patterns and better understand your mood over the entire year.
  • Household Budget Planner Spreadsheet: This powerful tool is packed with all the features you need to plan and track your spending every month, set achievable financial goals, and finally get ahead in life.
  • Weekly Meal Planner Google Spreadsheet: Commercial use meal planning Google Sheets Template. This Google Sheets Meal Planner will make your meal planning a breeze! No need to spend hours figuring out what to cook or to create your shopping list. Just set up your common ingredients once, enter your recipe details, and you are ready to plan your week.
  • Annual Budget Planner Spreadsheet: Make budgeting easy with this annual budget planner Google Sheets Template. This budgeting template will help you to plan and track your budget for the entire year.
  • Habit Tracker: Developing a new habit can be challenging, but with a little planning and effort, it is possible to make it a part of your daily routine.
  • Black Friday Sales Planner Template: Black Friday sales planner template to plan your own product sales, affiliate product sales, track your income and best income sources
  • Monthly Planner Google Sheets Template: Easily plan your month and keep track of important tasks to close. Use this Google Sheets template to create a monthly plan for any month or year.
  • Pretty Spreadsheets for Profit: when you purchase the OTO offer you get five PLR spreadsheet templates along with Etsy product listings and keywords.
  • Spreadsheet Mastery: also offers some private label rights templates with the training as well.
  • Etsy Sales Tracker: Tool for digital product sellers to stay on top of their Etsy sales. This 2024 Etsy Sales Tracker has done-for-you formulas and is ready to sell even if you're a beginner to spreadsheets!
  • Reading Planner Spreadsheet: designed with the book lover in mind. It allows readers to keep a record of books read, quotes you loved, or titles that have caught your eye, so you never forget to add them to your collection next.
  • ย Vintage Genealogy Spreadsheet: an ideal resource for family historians interested in tracing their ancestors as far back as they can go and who need a way to keep track of and plan their research.
Downloadย  your copy of 20+ commercial use white label spreadsheet templates now!

Selling Your Spreadsheet

Once you've created or purchased your private label rights spreadsheet template and edited it, it's time to sell it. There are many platforms available to sell digital products, including your website, marketplaces like Etsy or Gumroad, PayHip, or even social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter. You can get started on Etsy with 40 FREE listings when you're opening a new shop. When choosing a platform, consider the following factors:

  • Ease of use
  • Cost
  • Payment options
  • Integrations

After you have decided on the platform you will be selling your digital products, you'll need to:

  1. Create a product listing: Create a product listing that provides a detailed description of your spreadsheet. Use keywords that are relevant to your target audience to optimize your product listing for search engines. You can use tools like eRank or Craft Inspector to find relevant keywords.
  2. Set a price: Set a price that reflects the value of your spreadsheet. Research the prices of similar spreadsheets on the platform to ensure that your price is competitive.
  3. Promote your product: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews of your product on the platform to boost its visibility.

Get monthly PLR spreadsheets along with customization and business training with the Savvy Template Hub.

Ways to Market Your Spreadsheets

Now that you have your spreadsheet listed for sale, it's time to start marketing it. Here are a few tips to help you market your spreadsheet effectively:

  • Use social media to promote your product
  • Offer discounts to your first customers
  • Collaborate with influencers in your niche to promote your spreadsheet to their audience
  • Create a tutorial video to showcase the product
  • Consider starting a blog to promote your digital products by creating posts that showcase the value of your spreadsheet
  • Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to run paid ads
  • Don't forget to build an email list so that you can send newsletters promoting your products

Selling spreadsheet templates can be a lucrative business opportunity for those looking to generate passive income. By finding and customizing high-quality PLR templates, setting up your spreadsheet offerings can be done with minimal effort and time.  With a little effort and creativity, you can turn this opportunity into a successful business.

FAQs

Q: What are some popular types of spreadsheets to sell as digital downloads?

A: Some popular types of spreadsheets to sell as digital downloads include budget templates, meal planners, and financial calculators.

Q: How do I protect my spreadsheet from being copied?

A: To protect your spreadsheet from being copied, you can add password protection, restrict editing, or use a digital rights management (DRM) tool.

Q: Can I sell my spreadsheet on multiple platforms?

A: Yes, you're not limited to selling on just one platform and it's wise not to have all of your eggs in one basket. However, it's important to keep track of your sales and ensure that you're not violating any platform's terms of service.

Q: How do I determine the price of my spreadsheet?

A: To determine the price of your spreadsheet, you should consider the value it provides to your audience, the time and effort you put into creating it, and the prices of similar products in the market.

Q: Do I need to have a website to sell my spreadsheet

A: You don't have to have your website to get started selling spreadsheets. You can sell on platforms like Etsy, Shopify, Gumroad, or PayHip.

Q: Can I sell spreadsheets on Etsy?

A: Yes, take a look and see those that are currently being sold on Etsy.

 

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