What to Consider If You Are Thinking of Selling Training Content Online

One of the most interesting is the ‘info products’ or training products, which can become a passive income for the self-employed to share their professional experience through ebooks, guides, or online courses. 

A business opportunity with a deficient execution and maintenance cost that, in addition, serves to promote the activity of self-employed workers. 

A digital training product is an article of data or information by which professionals structure-specific content to instruct, educate or guide the consumer towards a particular purpose. “Regardless of the business model you manage, ‘info products’ are a profitable way to obtain passive income and increase the recognition of your brand or professional activity,” said the online marketing and sales software Hubspot in a press release.

Likewise, digital tools allow it to be adapted to the format that best suits the self-employed worker. Either in written form, in the video, audio, or a combination of both, the freelancer will be able to manage an exciting complement in the initial phases of their business and even turn it into one of their primary sources of income.  

For this reason, ‘info products’ are one of the most widespread formulas to attract or retain a customer. Many of them are offered for free, although there are also paid ones and, usually, at an affordable price. 

For example, we can find different online courses or ebooks (electronic books) referring to nutrition products, sports, business guides, digital marketing, finance, etc. In addition, its digital nature allows the self-employed worker “to obtain income 24 hours a day,” added Hubspot.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Digital Training

Like any business model, not all are advantages. Freelancers considering selling these types of products should consider the pros and cons before beginning to spread their professional expertise online.

Regarding the virtues of info products, the first instance would be the low investment cost. For this, the self-employed person does not need any premises; only by having a web page can he start selling this training article. 

Also, being a digital product, there are no shipping costs. On the other hand, there is no storage cost, so the self-employed worker will not have to worry about managing their stocks. 

In addition, the digital ecosystem in which the training products are framed allows a simple collection system and the possibility of accessing potential clients from all corners of the world. 

Finally, this product with excellent growth potential only requires the self-employed person’s time to create the platform and the products they want to sell.

However, the beginning of this business model may imply some disadvantages for the self-employed, precisely the time factor. The key “to succeeding in this activity is to create an audience. 

To do this, the self-employed person must spend a lot of time, in addition to offering free content, that arouses the interest of their potential customers”, assured the Hubspot platform.

That can imply an effort and a time in which the self-employed person is not generating income. Also, to gain customers’ trust, the self-employed person should implement marketing strategies to get to know their target audience and position themselves digitally. 

In addition, you run the risk that people who buy your products will spread it to third parties without paying for them again.

What Obligations Do Info Products Imply?

Although the self-employed person receives their income exclusively from the sale of digital training products, they must register as any self-employed person in the RETA and comply with their tax obligations. 

Therefore, you must consider the classification of the economic activity within the Tax on Economic Activities (IAE). In particular, those that provide services through computer networks such as the Internet.

Likewise, you will have to make the quarterly VAT return. On the other hand, applying this indirect tax on intra-community sales will depend on whether the buyer is a final consumer, entrepreneur, or professional registered in the Registry of Intra-Community Operators.

In addition, you must present the corresponding IRPF models -whether in installments or annually- declaring the income and expenses generated by making these ‘info-products. ‘ For this reason, for each sale made by the self-employed person, the corresponding invoice must send the corresponding invoice.

The Info Products that Work Best on the Internet

Likewise, experts in digital content recommend to self-employed workers who are considering starting to spread their professional experience a series of media that currently work best on the Internet:

Ebooks: Ebooks or electronic books are a simple formula for freelancers starting in digital training. They seek to offer specialized information on a specific topic through a digital file, specially designed to be read or interpreted on electronic devices. 

Likewise, the self-employed worker can publish them free of charge from their website or in different digital markets. Likewise, the self-employed worker must be attentive to the news of the content to edit them and keep them updated.

Online Courses: Another formula, increasingly recurrent in the info products sector, is to offer digital or telematic training. The cost for the consumer is usually higher than an ebook. Of course, although it requires more time to prepare the content, it can bring greater profitability in the long term. 

It is enough to prepare a series of base contents and update them periodically when there is important news that can help the client.

Webinars: Webinars or webinars are one or two hour-long videos produced live to deal with a specific topic. As a master class, the self-employed person will be able to train clients in their specialization electronically. 

Likewise, the self-employed worker will be able to solve the doubts of their clients and offer them other information products or online courses in parallel.