The 5 Most Common Mistakes First-Time Planner Creators Make (and How to Avoid Them)
You’ve dreamed of creating and selling your own planner for years. You finally have the idea, the means, and the passion, but when you go to take your first step . . . you’re stuck. I hear you. And after 20+ years designing planners (over 65 a year!) I've seen some very common mistakes that trip up even the most talented entrepreneurs, causing stress and costing them time and money.
The 5 Most Common Mistakes
01 | Skipping the “Why”
Diving straight into layouts without a clear purpose is like building a house without a blueprint. Your “why” will guide everything — from page flow to visual style — and make your planner more impactful for your customers and more profitable for you.
02 | Not Designing for Your Ideal Customer
You might love daily pages, but if your ideal customer needs to see a full weekly view, your planner won’t get used. You have to know who you are designing your planner for and build their needs into your planner design.
03 | Neglecting the User Experience
Pretty doesn’t always mean functional. Your planner needs to feel intuitive — like your ideal customer already knows how to use it on day one.
04 | Underestimating the Timeline
Between design, proofreading, production, and shipping, even the fastest project takes months (about 6-9 to be exact). Rushing = costly errors. Map out each stage in your planner’s journey and estimate how much time you need at each one. If you need help with this, download our free guide, The Product Creation Timeline.
05 | Choosing the Wrong Printer
Not all manufacturers are created equal, and going with the wrong one can cost you time and money, quality, and your reputation.
Avoid these mistakes and deliver a planner your customers will use and love. And if you’re ready for some extra help getting it right from the start, enroll now in my mini course, Create a Planner to Sell: The Prep Course.
Create a Planner That Sells Without the Guesswork
The Planner Prep Course is a self-paced program that gives you the clarity, structure, and confidence to bring your planner idea to life.
