You know you want to start a music business and aren’t too excited about offering a service. Now, you need to decide between a physical vs. digital product based business.
Consider a few reasons in favor of each options. Then, take a look at your life and financial situation to see which is more realistic for you.
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Why Sell a Physical Product
Many small music businesses sell products to help with your playing or instrument care. Consider a few benefits of selling a physical good.
Something Tangible
Some people may find more value in physical items compared to digital ones. That might make it easier to sell your product and start making a profit.
Until recently, the idea of a digital product was fairly new, and even now, it’s still somewhat out there. But physical products have been around for a long time.
If you see a gap in the market, you can create a product to fill that need. Then, you may be able to turn it into a full-time business.
Solve a Problem
Physical products are designed to solve a problem. You can do something innovative and create a product that doesn’t exist but should (say something like the PiccPocket).
Alternatively, maybe you’ve seen products that work well but could be better. So maybe you design a new cleaning cloth for your instrument, and you use better materials to set yours apart from your competitors.
Whichever it is, make sure your next physical product solves a problem. Then, it will be easier to sell it to vendors or directly to consumers.
Wholesale and Retail
It used to be that makers of physical products had to sell them wholesale to stores. You can definitely do that, and it’s a great way to expand your reach.
However, you can also set up your own eCommerce site and sell the items yourself. Use social media and SEO to get customers to your website.
That way, you can still get orders, but you can keep a higher percentage of the profits compared to selling through retail stores alone.
Why Sell a Digital Product
There are a few benefits to going the online route when choosing to sell a physical vs. digital product.
Create Once and Sell Forever
Probably the most touted benefit of selling a digital product is that it can become semi-passive. You create the PDF, video course, or other file once.
Then, you upload the files to your website or another platform. Whenever someone buys the digital product, they get immediate access to the associated content.
You don’t have to make a new unit when you get a new sale. So if you have other responsibilities, selling a digital item can save you a lot of time.
Reach People Worldwide
Another advantage of selling something digital is there are no borders. You can sell to someone across the street or across the world.
With physical products, you have to worry about shipping and delivery. And especially for international orders, that can get expensive and cut into your profits.
So not only can you sell to anyone online, but you can also sell your digital products without worrying about your profit margin.
Multiple Product Options
With both physical and digital product businesses, you can sell multiple things. There may be more options for physical goods, but digital items are surprisingly broad.
As a musician, you can sell anything from sheet music to pre-recorded video lessons to recordings of your playing. So get creative and think of what you can create and sell to your audience.
You don’t have to do exactly what other online music business owners are doing. Do what works for you so that you enjoy the process until you start making money.
Who Should Sell Physical Products?
Anyone with the time and resources to create a product can sell something physical. Depending on what it is, you may be able to make it yourself, such as if you sell flute hats.
On the other hand, you may need to pay a manufacturer to produce the units for you. That can cost more, so it may not be as accessible.
Who Should Sell Digital Products?
If you’re looking for a less time-intense option, you may want to sell digital products. This is also a good choice if you want to educate people since courses and eBooks are popular.
Selling digital products also has a lower cost of entry compared to most physical products. You can start with free tools to create and distribute your digital offer.
Final Thoughts
When starting a music business, consider if you should sell a physical vs. digital product. Both options can work, and neither is right for everyone.
Think about your business goals and your other obligations. That way, you can choose the right path to take in your music business.
And if you’re looking for more ideas, check out my list of music businesses!
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