As someone who has sold millions of dollars of digital products (for myself) and tens of millions of dollars of digital products for clients...
People don't buy information. They buy INSIGHT.
This is why so many people never make a good living selling courses, books, etc.
People can type any question into ChatGPT and get an answer.
But they'll pay a premium for unique perspectives, accountability, guidance, feedback, and a chance to "touch the hem of the robe" of someone they respect.
For example:
All of Dan Kennedy's techniques and systems are spelled out in his books, which cost anywhere from $10-$25.
But people still pay him $19,400/day for his SPECIFIC INSIGHT into their situation, which they feel is unique. They are buying CONVICTION and APPROVAL that what they're doing is right (or wrong).
ON FITNESS, SOFTWARE, AND COMMODITIZATION
This is going to be rambling, but Levels makes a great point here about Free versus Paid users that I want to expound on
Im a fitness guy obviously,
but Ive been contacted innumerable times by developers who think they have the next great idea for a health app of some kind, or technology, and they want me to consult and/or help them promote it
Practically all these ideas are doomed to fail, which people dont like hearing,
But what I tell them is that fitness info has become a COMMODITY,
The same way software has become a COMMODITY
The same way AI is now eating software, because if an Algorithm or AI can do the thing
There is NO Market Advantage
There is no MOAT.
You are NOT going to get all the paid users that you think you are going to get
The internet has become increasingly socialized in that everyone expects everything to be free,
and if its paywalled then you must have a massive brand (usually legacy brand) and its a fight for retention every single day
I understand this problem well, because its the same problem for FitPros in the health and fitness industry
Fitness info is largely free, everyone offers similar content and products
You need to be exceptionally unique to distinguish yourself
And if you want to make big money, you simply need to become as famous as possible,
And even with that, the few "big" fitness brands/influencers that exist are paltry by enterprise standards
And its because fitness info has become a commodity.
This is why everyone fitpro moves into supplements eventually. Its the only way to stop trading your time for money.
All of this is a longwinded way of saying
DO NOT START A PAID B2C SOFTWARE BUSINESS UNLESS YOU ARE 100% CONFIDENT IN YOUR MARKET ADVANTAGE AND ARE 10X BETTER THAN EVERY COMPETITOR