DPW #002: How to Create a Printable Tracker in 5 Steps
You can create it using Google Sheets or Canva quickly and easily.
Last week we learned how to write a question-and-answer book in 5 steps, today we are doing something quicker and easier.
The votes are in, and today we will look at creating a printable tracker.
It’s pretty easy to create using any spreadsheet or graphic design software. I prefer Google Sheets for my trackers as it’s quick and simple, but Canva is a great alternative if you want them to have a more creative design.
Printables make for great lead magnets, but you can also sell them for a couple of bucks,
One of my favorite ways to use them is to boost the value of other products. For example, if you’re selling a course or book, include a tracker (or multiple) to help your students or readers stay on track.
Let’s get to it!
Printable Planner Recipe
Step 1 - Choose what your want to track with your printable.
You can use printable trackers to track pretty much anything like your morning routine, daily tasks, weekly goals, social media engagement, processes, and many other things.
As an example, it could be a Substack weekly tracker that tracks the following:
Create a newsletter issue.
Recommend a newsletter.
Comment on a newsletter.
Propose a crosspromotion.
Comment on 2 Notes daily.
Like a Note each daily.
Like a newsletter issue daily.
Restack a Note daily.
Restack a Note with a note daily.
Quote a newsletter daily.
Step 2 - Sketch out your tracker on paper or digital sketching app.
It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s just to map out a general idea of how you want it to look and make sure you get everything you want to track on it.
I just created this in my hotel room now for our example above.
Step 3 - Pick the platform you will use to create it.
You can pick any platform that you’re comfortable with that can save your file as a PDF, but it’s even better if it’s also available in an editable file so it can be customized by the user.
I could design our example with many different platforms, but I’ll use Google Sheets as it’s easy, quick, and free.
Step 4 - Create your tracker.
Take your sketch and go into the platform you picked and start creating.
Don’t worry about the design elements at first, get it in there at it’s most basic form and then you can get creative if you want to.
Here’s what it looks like in Google Sheets.
Want the real copy?
Here it is, feel free to make a copy and use it in any way you want.
Step 5 - Create your offer.
Once you’re done, you can sell or giveaway the editable file (Google Sheets, Canva, etc) or you can save it as a PDF and use that.
Here’s what my “finished” printable looks like in PDF format:
Want a copy of the PDF? Here you go :)
After that you can make your offer (sales page, landing page, bonus section, etc) to get it to the people that can make use of it.
Examples
Some examples of printable trackers out in the wild.
Workout Tracker for sale on Etsy.
Habit Tracker for sale on Etsy.
Resources
These are some resources you can use to help you create the printable tracker.
Canva (Create your printable tracker.)
Etsy (Sell your printable.)
Google Sheets (Create your printable tracker.)
Gumroad (Sell your printable or use it as a lead magnet.)
I make trackers like this all the time but hadn’t thought of selling them.
This was a really good idea! Thanks