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 told her, “That is a great idea, but there is so much free stuff on the internet about Christmas. How do you think you will get people to buy it?” I was not too optimistic, but she proved me wrong again. She sold over $2000 with her Christmas eBook. It turned out to be an unexpected bonus. And now every year, we roll it out a month or so before Christmas, and every year we get the same 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.

My opportunity arrived out of the blue with a Ford F-150 pickup truck I owned. My youngest daughter had been driving it. One day at softball practice with her high school team, one of her friends said, “Gentry, is that your truck on fire?” Would you believe there were 20 foot flames shooting out of her engine?

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.

I decided to start an online business, so I put up a little website that said, “My truck caught on fire.” I had pictures of the truck, and I opened up the hood and showed how all the engine compartment was burned up and all the wires were burned up. I said, “Why don’t you help me while I help you? I’m going to give you all this free internet marketing stuff. Graphics package. Some software. eBooks. Marketing tips.” All this stuff I had compiled and got free off the internet. I compiled it into a product and sold it for like $47. And I made $5,470 in the first 9 days.

I hope what you are seeing from these real-life examples is that you can succeed on the internet. Seriously! All you need is a little online business ho to and you can begin making a profit.

Stephen Beck can teach you online business set up tips and how to make your first $1000 on the internet. Go get a FREE link to his webinar replay, where Stephen shows you exactly what you should do: http://www.youronlinebasics.com/go.html.