Let’s be real for a hot minute, it can be so freaking hard to stay focused when you’re creating new listings. I have ADHD, so keeping myself on task (without spiraling into chaos or jumping from idea to idea) is definitely a challenge. And even if you don’t have ADHD, just being a new Etsy seller or a print-on-demand seller in general can feel so OVERWHELMING when you don’t have a solid step by step workflow in place.

That’s exactly why I wanted to share this with you.

This is the step-by-step system I created (and still use today!) that helped me go from completely overwhelmed to building a $250,000 Etsy business in my first year. These are the exact steps I follow for every single Print on Demand product, whether I’m designing for Halloween, Mother’s Day, or on a random rainy Tuesday.

It’s how I stay organized, avoid burnout, and actually finish what I start without spiraling into perfectionism or hopping to the next shiny idea.

So if you’ve been struggling to create a product from start to finish without feeling like your brain is in a blender. Or you just don’t know how to list and don’t have a great strategy in place, this is for you.

Let me take you through it step by step!

Before we kick this off, let me say “heyyyy” real quick!

Hey there! I’m Shay Lynn

I am a top 1% Etsy Seller, am the proud owner of a multi-six figure Print on Demand & Etsy Business, a six-figure Shopify Business, and creator of the Print on Demand Playbook and The Niche Navigator. In 2023, I did $250,000 in sales running my very own Print on Demand and Etsy business. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what I do and want to help others achieve financial freedom and find success with their own Print on Demand Business Ventures!

Now that we have our pleasantries out of the way, lets get into the meat and potatoes of this thing!

STEP BY STEP GUIDE:

PRINT ON DEMAND PRODUCT WORK FLOW FOR ETSY LISTINGS

Step One: Market Research

You might have a great idea in your head but this is where a lot of new sellers hit a wall. Just because something sounds like a good idea doesn’t mean it’s going to sell. The truth is, if you’re not doing market research first, you’re basically designing in the dark.

Every winning product I’ve ever created started with market research. I always kick things off by diving into Etsy itself: checking search bars, scanning what’s trending, and studying top-performing listings in the niche I’m considering.

Then I use tools like Everbee and Sale Samurai, which let me peek behind the curtain to see which keywords are getting searched (and how competitive they are). What I’m looking for is that sweet spot: high demand, low competition. It means buyers are looking but sellers haven’t flooded the market yet!

This step isn’t optional: it’s where you make sure your idea is a good one before you spend a single second designing. Think of it as the treasure map to your next bestseller. If no one is searching for your idea, it’s probably not worth your time to design. You don’t want to waste hours designing if there is no one out there looking for it. Market research makes sure you’re creating products that people actually want to buy not just things that live rent-free in your brain.

Step Two: Product Validation

You might stumble on what feels like a magical unicorn keyword using Everbee or Sale Samurai high demand, low competition, chef’s kiss. But before you sprint off to design it, we’ve got to validate our findings!

Just because a keyword looks good in a tool doesn’t mean people are actually out there buying it. So here’s what you do: after you find a item that sounds promising, hop over to Etsy and type that keyword into the search bar. Scroll. Stalk. Investigate.

What you’re looking for are bestsellering listings with real sales, real reviews, and actual humans spending money. If you see multiple products in that niche with that juicy little “Bestseller” tag? Boom. That’s your green light to move forward.

But if it’s a ghost town out there no bestsellers, or any products making sales, no relevant listings, just tumbleweeds and confusion then sorry, it’s back to step one and you need to continue researching. You want to design products people are actively looking for and buying, not things that are just collecting digital dust.

Validation is how you go from “cute idea” to “actual money-maker,” and trust me your future self will thank you for taking this step seriously.

Step Three: Trademark Check

This is the MOST IMPORTANT and absolutely non-negotiable step. If you skip this step, you could end up with your entire Etsy shop shut down… or worse, served with a legal notice. So yeah… it’s that important.

Once you’ve done your market research and validated your product idea, the very next thing you must do before designing anything is perform a trademark search. This is how you make sure you’re not accidentally infringing on someone else’s intellectual property.

People trademark phrases to protect their brand and they take it very seriously. You can’t just slap a trendy quote on a mug or tee and call it a day if someone else legally owns it.

Before you design, head to the USPTO website and use their TESS search. It’s not the prettiest interface in the world, but it does the job. Type in the phrase you want to use, and see if it’s trademarked in your product class. If there is no trademark, you are good to go!

Let me give you an example. Say you do your research and product validation discover that "Marriage Material" is trending big time for wedding gifts. You’re SO pumped! You want to design your own spin on it. But if you head to the USPTO and search “Marriage Material,” you’ll see it’s actually trademarked. That means you legally can’t use it. If you do? You risk your listing being removed, your shop being shut down, or getting hit with a lawsuit.

This is why it is the most important step so take the extra two minutes. Do the search. It might just save your entire business.

Step Four: Design Time

This is where the magic happens! After all that researching, validating, and making sure you’re legally in the clear you finally get to bring your ideas to life! Personally, I use Canva or Kittl for designing, both are beginner-friendly, packed with amazing fonts, elements, and graphics, and honestly, just fun to use.

But here’s the golden rule: make sure your design makes sense for the audience you’re trying to reach. This is where a lot of sellers get it wrong.

If you’re creating a product meant to be gifted to a guy maybe a Father’s Day mug or a funny coworker T-shirt, you’re probably not going to want to use pastel pinks and swirly cursive fonts with ponies all over it (lol). Same goes the other way around. Your design choices (color palette, fonts, vibe) should match the preferences of the customer you want to attract.

Use your research! Think about what you saw when you were browsing top sellers in your niche. What color combos popped up over and over? Were the fonts bold and blocky or minimal and elegant? Take notes from what’s already working and then give it your own flair.

Step Five: Mockups

Your design might be an absolute vibe, but if your mockup looks like it was slapped together in five seconds or you use a stock photo… people are gonna scroll right past it. Harsh truth? Maybe. But mockups are your visual sales pitch, they are what make your design pop!

After you’ve finished designing, your next step is to place that design on a mockup which is a visual representation of what your product will look like when it arrives at your customer’s door.

Personally, I always use high-quality, lifestyle-focused mockups that feel real, polished, and giftable (no weird AI hands or warped shadows). I want someone to look at it and say, “OMG, I can totally see myself gifting that to my best friend.”

Your mockup should sell the vibe of your product instantly. If you’re making a cozy candle, put it in a beautiful fall scene. If it’s a funny mug, show it on a bright, clean kitchen counter. The better your mockup, the more likely a shopper is to click, fall in love, and hit Add to Cart.

Want Gorgeous Mockups?!

Mockups are VITAL to sell products as a print on demand business owner. If you don’t have any mockups already for your business, check out Boho Babe Mockups! Anna, the founder of Boho Babe Mockups (and a fellow top 1% Etsy seller), and I have partnered up to make incredible AFFORDABLE mockups specifically for Print on Demand Business owners! Check out a couple of examples below. They are truly the chef's kiss of mockups and will seriously make any design pop! 👇👇👇

GORGEOUS RIGHT?!?! If you are interested and want to snag some seriously discounted mockups, click the link here. It will take you to the Boho Babe Mockups website where you can enter “SHAY20OFF” for 20% off anything in the shop! I recommend her Whole Shop Bundle, you get 4,300+ mockups, including holiday mockups, and new mockups are added every month! THAT'S LIKE A PENNY PER MOCKUP! It is literally the steal of the century!

Step Six: Upload and Optimize

This is probably my favorite part! This is where you turn your design into a real, physical product that people can actually buy!! Once I’ve finished designing and mocking up my product, I head over to my favorite print on demand partner: Printify. I also love Printful, Gooten, and T-Launch, but Printify is the MVP in my business. They fulfill about 90% of my orders.

Here’s how it works: I choose my product (like a mug, shirt, candle, etc.) and upload my design. Next, I pop in my mockups, and sync everything directly to Etsy. Then I roll up my sleeves and dive into filling out the listing details and this part matters.

I make sure my titles, tags, and descriptions are packed with SEO-rich keywords that real customers are actually searching for. Instead of saying something vague like “cute mug,” I’ll write something like “Christmas gift for dog mom” or “funny coworker coffee mug.” Be specific, be searchable, and always think like your customer.

This is also the step where I set my pricing and shipping based on the product cost and profit margins and let my customers know that my product is made by a POD company under the listing details. After you complete all the last minute tweaks, you can publish your listing to go live on Etsy! Because you can integrate your Printify account to Etsy, your product will automatically show up in your shop! When an order is placed on Etsy, it automatically goes to Printify where they will print pack and ship your design for you and send it directly to the customer. Its a win win win situation!

Final Thoughts

Creating a best-selling print-on-demand product doesn’t have to feel chaotic or overwhelming! Especially when you have a solid step by step system in place. Whether you’re juggling ADHD like me or just need structure to stay focused, this workflow has been my secret weapon for building my multi 6 figure Etsy business. Every product I create follows these exact steps, and it’s what keeps me grounded, creative, and profitable. So don’t skip the research, double-check those trademarks, and always design with intention. You’ve got this babes! Now get out there and build that dream shop full of POD products you LOVE!

Totally new to POD or Digital Products?

If you are totally new to Print on Demand or Digital Products and would like to know how to start your business step by step, how to create products, conduct market research, and how to list products the right way on Etsy, then check out my course The Print on Demand Playbook! It’s got 9 hours and over 40 videos of POD content to help you start your business from scratch, help you create winning POD products, Content Calendars, Font Guides, and so much more! Click the image below to take a peek!

The Step by Step System I Use to Create Bestselling Print On Demand Products on Etsy