If you’ve ever stared at your screen like,
“I should be making designs right now… but I got nothin’” — you’re so not alone.
Running a print-on-demand shop can feel like a lot.
You’ve got to come up with ideas.
Write descriptions.
Make graphics.
List products.
Try to remember what joy feels like. ?
That’s why I lean on a few tools that save time and brainpower — especially when I don’t feel like being creative.
Here’s how I use ChatGPT and Canva to get products up fast, without needing a single drop of “inspiration.”
And if you want a ready-to-go shortcut with a ton of pre-written prompts for your own shop?
I made you this AI Design Workshop to help.
Let’s dive in:
1. Use ChatGPT to Come Up With Sayings That Actually Sell
Real talk:
Sometimes coming up with quotes feels harder than doing your taxes.
You know you want something witty for a mug… but your brain is like: “I like… dogs?”
That’s where ChatGPT comes in.
You type in a niche and a vibe (funny, sarcastic, inspirational, etc.), and it spits out ideas like a machine. Because it is.
Try prompts like:
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“Funny quotes for introverted dog moms”
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“Short sarcastic sayings about Mondays”
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“Coffee + cat mom one-liners”
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“Inspirational quotes for first-time teachers”
Need help thinking of what to even ask it?Here’s my workshop that gives you a ton of prompts to copy.
It’s designed specifically for POD sellers and includes the highest-converting angles I’ve tested.
Once you’ve got your quotes, just tweak the wording if needed — or don’t. I’ve had exact GPT quotes make sales straight off the page.
2. Use Canva AI to Design Like You Know What You’re Doing
“I’m not a designer” is probably the #1 reason people don’t start POD.
To which I say: Canva.
Canva‘s drag-and-drop interface is already a lifesaver — but now they’ve added AI tools that make it even easier to go from “idea” to “product listing.”
My go-to features:
Text to Image
Type something like “Vintage-style sloth holding coffee” or “Cute cartoon of wine-loving cat,” and Canva generates custom graphics on the spot.
Choose the style (sketch, cartoon, watercolor, etc.) and drop it right onto a mug or t-shirt.
Magic Write
Hate writing product descriptions? Canva does that now too.
Just tell it what your product is, and it’ll give you a cute, polished, ready-to-post blurb you can tweak if you want.
Example: “Write a warm, witty description for a white mug that says ‘Coffee First, Talk Later.’”
Boom. It’s done.
And if you’re thinking, “But I don’t even know what to make a design about”…
That’s where the AI Design Workshop seriously helps.
It gives you done-for-you prompts to feed into GPT and Canva, so you’re never starting from scratch.
3. Reminder: Text-Only Designs Still Crush
You don’t need custom art.
You don’t need illustrations.
You don’t need to stress.
Text-only designs are still some of the top sellers on Etsy, Amazon, and more.
All you need:
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A funny quote (use ChatGPT or grab one from the workshop)
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A bold, clean font in Canva
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Some white space
Done.
Want to dress it up? Try:
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ALL CAPS vs mixed case
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Mixing two fonts (Canva suggests combos)
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Colored backgrounds for seasonal themes
Keep it readable. Keep it fast. Let the words do the work.
BONUS: Let ChatGPT Find Your Next Niche
You don’t always need to know the niche upfront.
Use prompts like:
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“What’s trending in phrases for moms?”
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“Funny quotes combining fishing + retirement”
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“Gift ideas for nurses who love dogs”
The tool isn’t just for writing — it’s crazy helpful for brainstorming too.
And again… if you want my favorite plug-and-play prompts (organized by niche + season + buying intent),They’re all in the workshop right here.
Final Real Talk
You don’t need to feel creative to make progress.
You don’t need a clear plan every day.
You just need tools that help you move forward — and that’s exactly what these do.
If you’ve been putting off designing because you “just don’t know what to make”…
start with one prompt.
Make one text design.
List one product.
Then do it again tomorrow.
Your Next Step:
Pick one of these right now:
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Ask ChatGPT for 10 quotes in your niche
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Use Canva’s AI to turn a phrase into a graphic
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Or skip the setup and grab the AI-to-Designs Workshop here
Let the tools do the heavy lifting.
You just show up — that’s enough. :)
