Print on Demand Essentials
If you’re hoping to boost your print-on-demand business and generate steady, recurring income, then this post is for you! I’m about to share several of my Go-To Print on Demand Essentials. These are some tools that have helped me create and sell designs, books, and merch online for years. We’re talking everything from creating professional-quality books and sleek graphics for merchandise to writing compelling product descriptions and showcasing your items with stylish mockups.
A quick heads-up: Print on Demand is not a get-rich-quick scheme, nor is it passive. It takes a lot of hard work, consistency, and even a bit of luck. But with the right tools in your corner, you’ll be better equipped to succeed. Many of the links I share are affiliate or referral links. Rest assured, I’ve used (or still use) every single one of these tools personally—and wouldn’t recommend anything I don’t believe in.
So, if you’re ready to level up your POD game, grab a cuppa (or your favourite drink—I’m not judging), and let’s go!
A Book Creator
A Book Creator has been a game-changer for me. I created my best-selling activity books (e.g. Totally Scottish Word Search); It’s also good for crafting crosswords, sudoku, mazes, journals and planners. It’s my main go-to for puzzle and activity book creation.
Its founder Cindy Minear is always in tune with her members, frequently updating the platform with new tools in response to their requests. ABC is a continually evolving, fun, and affordable tool. It’s also perfect for creating engaging social media posts, adding even more value.
Try A Book Creator now! From the 1st of October 2024 the rate changes to $120.99. As a special offer for new members, you can use my code PODINSCOT to get a discounted rate. Honestly I am a bit confused but I think it’s 10% off your first year. So nothing to scoff at.
Why I love it: I love the variety of puzzles I can make as well as things like planners and log books too.
Creative Fabrica
I’ve recently blogged about it already on why I am so obsessed with Creative Fabrica post here for more in depth details. Essentially I’ve used Creative Fabrica for many years now for fonts, bundles, mockups, craft elements, POD assets and so much more. It’s got everything. For years I’ve just paid for what I used as and when but I decided to buy the annual package.
The annual price plan is $47 US – which is great. Beware outside the US I paid £56.40 (Due to VAT!?)
For some odd reason, they charge $47 in the USA and for the UK £47+VAT (which should be £35+VAT…IMHO). Oh well, I am sure I’ll get my money’s worth. Besides, it’s a tax write-off, so hey-ho. Right?
Why I love it: for its huge variety fonts, graphics and elements.
Get your year of Creative Fabrica now!
Kittl
Another favourite tool that I’ve been raving about for years is Kittl. This platform is particularly brilliant for creating text-based designs, but it’s versatile enough for anything from book covers to t-shirts to printables. If you need some help designing tees, stay tuned to the end of this post for a great video that will guide you through t-shirt layouts.
I’ve written several blogs about Kittl and its amazing features and templates. There’s a post about its “must see” landing pages, and its Infinite Canvas which lets you create multiple artboards now within a single design—perfect for bulk designing or creating book interiors.
Why I love it: great templates, multiple size artboards and its AI quote generator. (See my video here)
Printful – Print on Demand Fulfilment
Printful really is a top choice for print on demand fulfilment. It flawlessly integrates with popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. You can add your custom designs to a variety of products and set your own prices—keep it affordable or tack on a few extra quid, the choice is yours.
With Printful, you avoid the hassle of stock and shipping headaches; they handle all the printing, packaging, and shipping. You can focus purely on design and marketing. I’ve used Printful myself for unique items, most recently a hoodie for Totally Content, which you might have caught on my Instagram unboxing!
Why I love it: I’ve used it for years for my one-off merch items and always been happy with the quality!
Placeit Merch Designs, Socials & Mockups
Placeit is an exceptional tool for creating realistic product mockups, from t-shirts and mugs to book covers. As a long-time user, I’ve extensively used it to generate professional-looking images that demonstrate how designs appear in real-world settings. Some of my best-selling t-shirts were created use Placeit’s simple designer tool.
Placeit also offers a rich variety of templates for social media posts, logos, video ads, and more, along with handy tools like a background remover. While some mockups are free, gaining access to the full suite often means opting for a pro membership. Whether you prefer working from a template or starting with a blank canvas, Placeit adapts to your creative process.
Why I love it: for its mockup images and videos, but sometimes to make a quick tee too!
Fourthwall
While Shopify is among the main contenders for online shops across the globe, if you’ve not got a budget to start with, then Fourthwall may be a good bet for you. It’s totally free to setup and use with no hidden fees. It’s linked to Printful so the quality is good. Aimed at creators, you can use it for Print on Demand, to sell your own products or even run a membership with it. Learn how I launched my first shop with Fourthwall here.
It’s not perfect by any means but for those without a budget it’s a great option.**
Why I love it: it’s a free ecommerce shop with absolutely zero fees to launch and run it!
ChatGPT (+PoD Hub)
I don’t tend to use Chat GPT to create graphics so much now, though I have in the past. I typically use it to write my descriptions for my Totally Content shop. Sometimes to give me ideas for funny phrases about vinyl or the ’80s, ’90s or what have you.
If you’re on the paid ChatGPT plan, you can use fun apps like Sticker Whiz, Coloring Book Hero, and Cosmic Dream. I’ve also been using POD Hub app by Shimmy Morris‘s brother which works even on the FREE version, so I pop on and use that regularly.
Why I love it: it’s like having my own personal assistant, business coach and brainstorming buddy!
Canva: Your Ultimate Design Partner
Last but not least – Canva. If you don’t know, it’s an essential tool for creating eye-catching designs without needing a graphic design degree. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can design everything from book covers to t-shirt and mug graphics. Canva offers a vast library of templates, fonts, and images, making it easy to bring your creative visions to life. You can use the FREE elements but I’d recommend getting yourself a FREE Canva Pro trial here.
Why I love it: well you can do just about everything in Canva with a Pro account – create the graphics, make social posts and videos to promote it and so forth.
Final Recommend Links
- Other AI tools for creating art: Ideogram, Leonardo AI, Flux 1
- Need a domain? Namecheap: 56% OFF : Get a .COM for just $6.49 with NEWCOM649 Coupon Code
- Other self-publishing tools I still recommend and occasionally use are Book Bolt and Tangent Templates.
- For keyword research on my new Etsy shop, I’m using Alura. general keyword research Mangools and Publisher Rocket for book research tomorrow.
** If you do have some money to spend, then Shopify is probably the way forward. I am not currently using it, but I have in the past and many of my clients use it.
Oh, One Last Thing…
One last tip, this video, launched at the same time as this post, from Detour Shirts who I’ve followed since 2018 and briefly said hello to in Seattle at the end of that year…It’s all about t-shirt layouts and for newbies this is a really good walk through of how to design your tees. Enjoy. xoxo from Glasgow, T.
