--- name: kai-product-maker description: Build a Gumroad-ready digital product from scratch — ebook, card deck, playbook, Notion template, or flipbook. Walks from concept → content outline → design brief → per-item markdown → images → multi-format build (PDF, HTML flipbook, Notion, card deck) → Gumroad sales page + email blast + launch assets. Use when "make a digital product", "build an ebook", "create a playbook", "card deck", "notion template product", "gumroad product", "make a pdf to sell", or any request to ship a sellable information product. --- Ship a Gumroad-ready digital product following the same process used for **The Algorithm Engine** (TikTok ebook), **The Approval Engine** (Notion card deck), and **The Comment Connor Playbook** (HTML flipbook + PDF). Three examples, one process. ## When to use - User has a topic + an audience and wants a polished, sellable product ($7-$97 range) - User has research or content drafts but no structure, images, or sales page - User wants to turn a TikTok hit / blog post / consulting framework into a paid deliverable ## When NOT to use - User wants a free lead magnet only → `/kai-write` or `/kai-landing-page` - User already has a finished PDF and just needs a sales page → `/kai-write` (press/sales copy) - User wants a SaaS-level product (not information) — this skill is for static digital goods ## Examples to read Before planning, skim these three completed products — they're the ground truth for what "done" looks like: | Example | Format | Price | Location | |---------|--------|-------|----------| | **Algorithm Engine** | 9-chapter PDF ebook + system prompt | $47-67 | `E:\Dev2\DigitalProduct\AlgoProduct\` | | **Approval Engine** | Mobile-first Notion card deck (30 cards) | $37 | `E:\Dev2\DigitalProduct\ApprovalEngine\` | | **Comment Connor Playbook** | HTML flipbook + PDF (20 workflows) | $37 | `E:\Dev2\DigitalProduct\CommentConnorPlaybook\` | Each has the same scaffolding: numbered `content/*.md`, `images/`, `PRODUCT_BRIEF.md`, `BUILD_PROMPT.md`, build script, sales copy, production checklist. --- ## Phase 0: Load Product Context Check `MARKETING.md` in project root for voice, audience, positioning. If absent, run `/kai-start` or get from user: what you sell, ICP, brand voice, distribution channels. --- ## Phase 1: Product Concept (one short discovery pass) Ask only what isn't already answerable from MARKETING.md / prior context: 1. **Working title + subtitle** (can change at the end) 2. **One-sentence promise** — what changes for the reader after they finish? 3. **Format** — pick one primary: - **PDF ebook** — linear read, 30-80 pages (ref: Algorithm Engine) - **HTML flipbook + PDF** — illustrated, page-by-page, designed (ref: Comment Connor) - **Notion card deck** — mobile-first, scannable snippets, 20-50 cards (ref: Approval Engine) - **Template pack** — fill-in worksheets / prompts (usually a bolt-on, not standalone) 4. **Price point** — $7 / $17 / $27 / $37 / $47 / $67 / $97 — higher price means more production polish, not more pages 5. **Unit count** — chapters / workflows / cards / templates (affects scope everywhere downstream) 6. **Source material** — TikTok script / blog series / consulting framework / research doc — where does the content come from? Output: one-paragraph concept in user's voice. Get approval before moving on. --- ## Phase 2: Folder Scaffold Create at `E:\Dev2\DigitalProduct\\` with this shape: ``` / ├── PRODUCT_BRIEF.md # design + spec (Phase 3) ├── BUILD_PROMPT.md # how to assemble deliverables (Phase 6) ├── content/ # numbered source files (Phase 4) │ ├── 00_cover_intro.md │ ├── 01_.md │ └── ... ├── images/ # cover, dividers, per-item art (Phase 5) │ ├── character_reference.png # if illustrated │ ├── cover.png │ └── ... ├── Research/ # source notes (optional) ├── GUMROAD_SALES_COPY.md # Phase 7 ├── EMAIL_BLAST.md # Phase 7 ├── PRODUCTION_CHECKLIST.md # Phase 8 └── VIDEO_SCRIPTS.md # launch content (optional) ``` Naming convention: `00_` prefix for front matter, `01_`-`NN_` for items in reading order. Zero-pad so files sort correctly. --- ## Phase 3: PRODUCT_BRIEF.md (design spec — do this BEFORE content) Lock design choices up front so every asset is consistent. Copy the structure from `E:\Dev2\DigitalProduct\CommentConnorPlaybook\PRODUCT_BRIEF.md`. Minimum sections: 1. **What you're building** — one paragraph, tone matches the product (tactical manual / corporate tool / field guide) 2. **Aesthetic direction** — one named mood ("Tactical Field Manual", "Corporate Cool", "Academic Textbook", "Zine") + 3-5 mood references 3. **Color palette** — bg / surface / border / primary text / dim text / accent / danger / success. 6-8 hex codes 4. **Typography** — headline font, body font, code/prompt font (use Google Fonts for HTML; pair with system-font fallbacks). Italics, stamps, letter-spacing rules 5. **Page/card layout** — what goes where on a typical page/card. Include per-page element list 6. **Page sequence** — full doc outline front-to-back (cover → inside cover → TOC → sections → back cover) 7. **Image specs** — character reference, cover dimensions, per-item style, consistency rules 8. **Distribution formats** — which files get shipped (PDF, HTML, Notion, CSV, zip bundle) Get user approval on the brief before producing content. Design inconsistency is the #1 reason products feel cheap. --- ## Phase 4: Content Production (the actual product) One markdown file per unit (chapter / workflow / card). **Structure every file the same way** — consistency is the signal of quality. For an **ebook-style chapter**, use: - `## Chapter Title` (H2) - One-paragraph setup - Numbered or bulleted body - "Watch out for" / "What NOT to do" callout - "Why this works" callout - Links forward to next chapter For a **card/workflow** (Approval Engine / Comment Connor pattern): - `## Situation` — when to reach for this - `## Goal` — what success looks like - `## What NOT to say` — anti-pattern - `## Use this instead` — the actual script/prompt (in code block) - `## Why this works` — one-sentence rationale - Tags / category at the end Content rules: - **Every piece of content must live in `content/*.md`.** The build is downstream of content — never edit assembled HTML/PDF directly - Keep each file self-contained (reader can land on it cold) - Ship examples, not theory — real screenshots, real numbers, real scripts - If facts matter (statistics, patent numbers, quotes), put a `Research/` folder beside `content/` and cite sources Quality gate: after every 5 items produced, run `/kai-gate` for a Four U's score (target 12+/16). Pause to fix before producing more. --- ## Phase 5: Images (do these LAST among production assets) Images are expensive in tokens and iteration time — lock content and brief first. **Minimum set** (varies by format): | Asset | Purpose | Notes | |-------|---------|-------| | `character_reference.png` | Consistency sheet | If using a character/mascot. Not shipped, just for prompt consistency | | `cover.png` | Gumroad thumbnail + product cover | 1600×900 for Gumroad; 2:3 portrait for PDF cover | | `cat_.png` × N | Category dividers | One per section cluster | | `01_.png` × N | Per-item illustration | Same character/style across all | | `Product_Thumbnail.png` | Gumroad square | 400×400 | Generation: prompt the image model with the character reference and the aesthetic from PRODUCT_BRIEF.md. Batch-generate, then review for consistency — kill any drift before moving on. Reference Comment Connor's `generate_images.py` for a batch script pattern. --- ## Phase 6: BUILD_PROMPT.md + Build Write `BUILD_PROMPT.md` — a self-contained prompt a fresh Claude Code session can follow to produce the final deliverables from `content/` + `images/` + `PRODUCT_BRIEF.md`. Structure (copy from `CommentConnorPlaybook/BUILD_PROMPT.md`): 1. **What exists** — list content/images/brief files the build must read 2. **What to build** — one section per deliverable 3. **Do not regenerate** — warn off redoing completed work Then run the build. Format-specific scripts: | Format | Tool | Reference | |--------|------|-----------| | **PDF ebook** | pandoc + xelatex, or merge-pdfs from per-section PDFs | `AlgoProduct/merge_pdfs.py` + `AlgoProduct/HOW_TO_COMBINE_PDFS.md` | | **HTML flipbook** | Self-contained HTML file, images as base64, keyboard + touch nav | `CommentConnorPlaybook/build_html.py` | | **HTML print version** | Same HTML but `@page` + print CSS, browser-to-PDF export | `CommentConnorPlaybook/build.py` | | **Notion card deck** | `setup_notion.py` + CSV import | `ApprovalEngine/setup_notion.py` + `NOTION_IMPORT.csv` | Verify the build by opening the deliverable yourself (or via `/browse`) before moving on. --- ## Phase 7: Sales + Launch Assets Four files to write, in this order: 1. **`GUMROAD_SALES_COPY.md`** — full sales page. Structure from `AlgoProduct/GUMROAD_SALES_COPY.md`: - Headline + subheadline - Section 1: The hook (problem framed painfully) - Section 2: The reveal (what you found / built) - Section 3: Proof (screenshots, numbers, case study) - Section 4: What's inside (bullet list) - Section 5: Who this is for / NOT for - Section 6: Price anchor + CTA - Guarantee + PS 2. **`EMAIL_BLAST.md`** — 3-email launch sequence (tease → launch → last-call). Mirror the sales page hook. 3. **`COVER_IMAGE_PROMPT.md`** — the exact image-model prompt you used. Saves regenerating later. 4. **`VIDEO_SCRIPTS.md`** — 1-2 short video scripts for TikTok/Reels launch (hook-first, 30-60s). Compose with `/kai-video` for this step. Final sales-copy gate: run `/kai-gate` against the sales copy with the "sales" profile. Pass Four U's, no banned words, clear CTA. --- ## Phase 8: Package + Launch Checklist Create the **customer-facing zip** at `/_Package/` with exactly what the buyer downloads. Pattern from `AlgoProduct/CUSTOMER_PACKAGE_STRUCTURE.md`: ``` _Package/ ├── START_HERE.txt # First thing the customer reads ├── _MAIN.pdf # The core deliverable ├── # System prompts, templates, checklists └── README.md # What's inside + how to use ``` Then ship `PRODUCTION_CHECKLIST.md` with CRITICAL / IMPORTANT / NICE-TO-HAVE tasks. Copy structure from `AlgoProduct/PRODUCTION_CHECKLIST.md` — it already has the right shape (🔴🟡🟢 priority, time estimates, tool names, "why this matters" per item). Final launch gate: - [ ] Brief matches finished product (no design drift) - [ ] All content files referenced in build are in `content/` - [ ] Images consistent with character reference - [ ] PDF renders cleanly end-to-end (TOC links work, no widow/orphan disasters) - [ ] Sales copy scored 12+/16 on Four U's - [ ] Zip package contains only customer-facing files (no source research, no old drafts) - [ ] Gumroad product draft created with thumbnail + sales copy + file upload - [ ] 3 launch emails queued - [ ] 1 launch video scripted --- ## Composition with other kai skills | Step | Composes with | |------|---------------| | Define voice before writing | `/kai-brand` | | Write any single content file | `/kai-write` | | Score content quality | `/kai-gate` | | Launch video scripts | `/kai-video` / `/kai-video-production` | | Launch email sequence | `/kai-email-system` | | Turn one product into 15+ social assets | `/kai-repurpose` | | Find who else has bought similar products | `/kai-competitors` | ## Red flags - **Content inconsistency between items** — each file should have the same structure. If they drift, the product feels amateur - **Image drift** — character/style slips across illustrations. Fix by pinning character reference in every image prompt - **Scope creep mid-production** — resist adding a 10th chapter when 9 was the plan. Ship, then release 1.1 - **Writing the sales copy before content is done** — you don't know what you're selling yet. Sales copy comes last - **Shipping without a launch video** — no video = no traffic = dead Gumroad listing