Online Business How To: Real-Life Lessons – Part 2

In an earlier article, I wrote about some of our real-life experiences trying to start up an online business. We have sold eBooks, homeschool curriculum, and even home-study courses with online business how to lessons. And we have learned a lot about what works and what does not work.

The first eBook we ever sold, my wife wrote. It is called Raising Leaders, Not Followers. Basically it was an eBook designed specifically for homeschoolers, teaching them how to raise their kids for leadership positions. My wife approached me with the idea, and I said, “Honey, it is not really a barn-burning topic. I just do not know that you are going to make any money with it.” Well, she proved me wrong. She sold $11,197 the first 19 days. How is that for internet marketing 101?

Not too shabby, right? On the heels of her first success, my wife started thinking about another eBook for the Christmas season. She said to me, “Sweetie, I am going to write another eBook about preparing your heart for Christmas. It seems like a lot of people get close to Christmas day and end up discouraged because they were not really prepared for the season. The presents are great, but what do they do next?”

I said, “That is a wonderful idea, but with all the free stuff on Christmas, I do not see how you are going to sell anything. You got lucky with the first one. That was a fluke. But this one, you would be lucky to sell 5 copies.” I was a very supportive husband, right? Well, she proved me wrong again. She sold over $2,200 the first month with that Christmas book. Imagine getting a $2,200 Christmas bonus every year. That is what we do. My wife created it 3 or 4 years ago. We roll it out every Christmas, and every Christmas, we get a $2,200 to $2500 bonus.

Do you see what I mean? I will admit that I may not be the brightest bulb, but seeing my wife hit two home runs on the internet without any business or marketing training convinced me. I started thinking I could do it, too. I could start an internet business.

I had a red pickup truck. It was a Ford F150. My daughter had taken it to high school. She was playing softball with the high school. And all of a sudden, her teammates were screaming, “Gentry, your truck is on fire!” She looks up. There were flames going 20 feet high out from under the hood.

Turns out Ford had recalled the cruise control switch in this particular model. And I could see why. Once we got the fire put out, we could see that the truck was totaled. I called Ford, but all they could do was apologize. It seems they had notified me of the recall by sending me a notice to my previous address in Texas. But we lived in Idaho.

Since I was going to seminary and low on cash, I decided to try my hand at the online business set up. I put up a website that showed pictures of my truck’s blackened engine and said, “I can help you if you will help me.” I compiled a ton of free stuff about internet marketing – a graphics package, software, ebooks, marketing tips – and sold them all together for $47 a person. I made about $5,500 in just 9 short days.

I am serious. If I can succeed on the internet, you can, too. You do not need a degree in business. All it takes is a little online business how to, and you will see your business skyrocket.

Stephen Beck can teach you online business set up steps and how to make your first $1000 online. Grab a FREE link to his webinar replay, where Stephen shows you everything you should do: http://www.youronlinebasics.com/go.html.

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