by Stephen Beck

Created on: August 04, 2010   Last Updated: August 06, 2010

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.

Online Business How To: eBooks

In fact, the first eBook we ever sold was called Raising Leaders, Not Followers. My wife wrote it for homeschoolers to help them train their kids in specific character qualities. When she first asked me about it, I was honest with her. I said, "Well, it is a good idea, but not really a hot topic. I am not really sure you are going to sell to many." Would you believe she proved me totally wrong? My wife had netted a little over $11,000 in about three weeks' time. That was our first lesson in 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.

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?

As it happens, there was a faulty cruise control switch that was a recall item from Ford. So after we got the fire put out, the truck was a total loss. The guy told me,"There's a recall notice on this." I called Ford, and they said, "We sent the recall notice to Texas." I said, "Thank you, but I am in Idaho in seminary." But they refused responsibility. I was so upset.

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 how to and you can begin making a profit.

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