If you want to sell a planner for next year, now is a good time to build it. A 2027 planner made in October gives you time to design, test and list it before the holiday rush.
Here’s a practical way to create one, whether you start from scratch or from PLR planner templates.
Decide on printable, digital or both
There are two main formats, and they need slightly different planning.
- Printable planners are PDFs buyers print at home or at a print shop. For U.S. buyers, letter size is the usual default. Offering A4 as well helps international customers.
- Digital planners are PDFs used in note-taking apps on a tablet. They usually include clickable tabs and links that jump between months, weeks and sections.
Starting with a printable version is simpler. You can add a hyperlinked digital version later once the layout is final.
Pick a clear audience
“2027 Planner” is crowded. “2027 Planner for Etsy Sellers” or “2027 Homeschool Planner” is easier to describe and easier to find. Your audience decides which pages to include.
A basic planner might have:
- A year-at-a-glance calendar.
- Monthly calendar pages.
- Weekly or daily pages.
- Goal-setting and review pages.
- One or two niche pages, such as a content calendar, a sales tracker or a lesson plan.
Keep the first version focused. A tight 40-page planner that fits one audience often beats a 300-page generic one.
Get the dates right
This sounds obvious, but date errors can quickly lead to refunds and bad reviews. If you use PLR planner templates, check every calendar page against a 2027 calendar, including which day of the week each month starts on.
Also decide whether weeks start on Sunday or Monday. U.S. wall calendars commonly start on Sunday, but some planner users prefer Monday. Offering both is a nice touch if you have time.
Design for printing
If buyers will print the pages, design with home printers in mind.
- Keep important text and lines away from the page edges, since many home printers can’t print to the edge.
- Use light backgrounds, so buyers don’t burn through ink.
- Make writing spaces big enough for real handwriting.
In Canva, you can turn on margins and print bleed under File and Settings. If you’re sending files to a print shop, Canva’s PDF Print download includes an option to add crop marks and bleed.
Building a digital version
For a digital planner, you add links so each tab or button jumps to the right page. Tools that export hyperlinked PDFs can handle this. Test the finished file in the apps your buyers are likely to use.
Goodnotes, for example, supports opening links in imported PDFs, including links to other pages in the same document. The way you tap a link varies by platform, so it’s worth noting this in your instructions for buyers.
Test before you list
Before you publish, print a few pages yourself and open the digital version on a tablet if you can. Check that:
- Every date is correct.
- Every link goes to the right page.
- Fonts and lines print clearly.
- File names are clear and the download isn’t confusing.
Include a short “how to use this planner” page with printing tips and app instructions. It cuts down on support questions.
Write a clear listing
Your listing should answer buyer questions before they ask. State the exact year, the page count, the paper sizes included, whether weeks start on Sunday or Monday, and whether the file is printable, digital or both.
Show real pages in your mockups, not just a cover. Buyers want to see the monthly and weekly layouts they’ll actually use. If the planner is digital, mention which kinds of apps you tested it in and that links work best in PDF annotation apps.
Finally, be clear that this is a digital download. Buyers occasionally expect a printed book, and a single line in the description prevents that mix-up.
If you started from PLR
Make sure your license allows you to resell the planner as a finished product and to modify it. Then add enough of your own work, such as a niche focus, your own pages and your own design, that it feels like a distinct product rather than the same template other sellers are offering.
Sources
- Canva Help Center: Use margins, bleed, rulers, and crop marks
- Goodnotes Support: Open hyperlinks in imported PDFs
Featured image: Photo: rawpixel (CC0)