This is Kerry Beck, Stephen’s wife.  I asked Steve if I could refresh our FamilyEbiz blog and he said that is fine.  So, I’m kidnapping it for a few months.

I might give it a makeover – or just continue to post some great articles from about running a family business.  That’s what we continue to do – work together as a family.

To start off, we’re going to celebrate with the Ultimate Blog Party and all the fun business bloggers this week.

Yeah…I know I’m late.  But, better late than never!

To get the party started, I’m giving away a $10 Starbucks card to one person who adds a comment on our blog this week.  Let me know what something about yourself or how we can help you build your family business.

My party favor to everyone who stops by is a free video that Stephen made:  How to Make Your First $1000 Online. Just click here to enter your email and get our free video. Look in the sidebar.

If this is your first time on our blog, let me introduce myself (& our family)

Hello! We’re Stephen and Kerry Beck.

And we really are the “couple next door” who stumbled upon some great online marketing ideas and want to share them with you.  I’ve also been tweaking our social marketing strategies that I will start sharing now that I’ve kidnapped this blog

I am not super technical and I am not a “born” sales person. We just have a burning desire to teach others what we have learned about online marketing.

Why?

Because we see the Internet as the new frontier. It is the last place where ordinary people like you and me can still create wealth and achieve financial independence.

And that is what we are all about. Freedom.

So, let us help you start YOUR online business and experience the freedom you deserve.

We have helped thousands of others. And we can help you too.

Let me tell you a little more about me . . . Kerry Beck

- believer of Jesus Christ
- wife to Steve Beck for 27 wonderful years
- mom to Ashley, Gentry & Hunter
- mom-in-law to Jesse (Ashley’s hubby)
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- loves to share how my business is growing online
-speaker & writer about online business & homeschooling
- reviews homeschool curriculum (via videos or blog posts)
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- passion to encourage young moms
- reviews products that are helpful to moms of all age kids
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- enjoys cooking & sharing recipes
- just learned to scrapbook digitally (yep, I converted from paper)
- gardens, sews, paints, quilts, crafts

About that family business thing . . .

Steve (hubby) coaches business owners, creates websites for local businesses, runs a remodeling firm and help me get out of trouble when I mess up my website.  He’s my tech genius – Thank you, God!

Kerry r(me) uns a homeschool business (since 1999), oversees our VA’s, has a greeting card business and is an ambassador for the local Chamber.  She homeschooled our kids for 10 yrs and used her homeschool business to teach our kids entrepreneurial skills.

Ashley (our oldest) is married to Jesse.  She makes my ebooks look pretty b/c I don’t understand Publisher.  Jesse helps us with our audio/video problems and comes to the rescue when our computer crashes.

Gentry (middle one) is a senior at Texas A&M and has run our customer service for 5-6 years.  She sorts through all our email and solves any problems our clients may have.  Up until this year, she ran our shipping department, too.  Kerry loves the fact that she took over our bookkeeping a few years ago.  What will we do when she moves away in August for an internship?

Hunter (baby of the family) is our new shipping manager and errand runner (to the bank, to Office Depot, to the Copy Stop and the gas station).  He also helps with our WordPress sites.  He’s a freshman at Texas A&M and will be learning some of Gentry’s job for next year…I hope

So, we really are a family business.

Please leave a comment and introduce yourself.  I’ll be giving away a $10 Starbucks gift card to one lucky commenter.

Over the past few years, my online business has grown by leaps and bounds, but not without some growing pains. Here are a few lessons that I have learned the hard way and hope you can learn from some of my mistakes.

#1 – Trust Your Gut

In the past few months, I took some bad advice for the direction of my company. I saw the financial reward and tried to take on some projects that were not my highest strengths. My gut said to pass, but I took on the projects anyway.

Sometimes it is a fine line between stretching your comfort zone and going against your gut. Stretching feels good afterwards, but going against your gut finds you second-guessing your decisions – not a good place to be.

#2 – Be Transparent With Your List

I am very comfortable teaching my subscriber list strategies and techniques, but I’m not real comfortable sharing my emotions. But people want to know that you are real. That you struggle to see the future, choose the right products and struggle to see past your blind spots.

I plan on sharing more with you guys about how I navigate through murky business waters – especially in this economy.

#3 – Business Development Is Your Highest Priority

I have built a high six-figure income through relationships with other list builders in my niche. And somehow I got away from that. And my income started to suffer.

If you are not constantly subscribing new people to your list, your business will dry up and blow away. I have redoubled my efforts to find new list owners to do reciprocal webinars, teleseminar and launches with.

#4 – Don’t Forget Your Funnel

I know about upsells. I know about downsells. So, why am I not including them with every product I sell? Beats me! I am now actively adding upsells to every product I recommend. And you should too.

#5 – Pay Attention To Warning Signs

When something doesn’t look right, stop and evaluate. Even if it is something like a mission trip or a ministry opportunity. I have been roped into two “ministry opportunities” that didn’t turn out to be as advertised.

I should have heeded the warning signs and kindly, but firmly disengaged myself when I had the chance. But I felt trapped and committed. And I ended up wasting a lot of time, energy and money. Very frustrating because it takes time from the truly important things!

Don’t let people manipulate you into their own agenda – even people in the ministry. Life is too short.

Conclusion

I have a lot to be thankful for. My business has grown and has caused me to grow along with it. Sometimes it feels like I’m on a bucking bronco with nothing to hold on to. But I just remember a line from the movie, Lonesome Dove, when Gus McCrae reflects on his life: “Woodrow, it’s been quite a party, ain’t it!”

Please leave a comment if you feel led…

You can watch the movie line in the clip below:

http://www.familyebiz.com/blog/wp-admin/post.php?post=1980&action=edit#edit_timestamp

Did you know that your online business has a lot in common with auto racing? Seriously!

To make money in NASCAR, you must have 3 things:

1. fans

2. a race

3. stuff to sell (T-shirts, caps, pit passes, advertising)

It’s really the same in YOUR business. You need:

1. fans – you need people who follow you and pay attention when you recommend tips, strategies, events and products.

2. a race – or in our case, an event. Something that attracts people to listen to us like a sales letter, teleseminar, webinar, live event or one-on-one phone call.

3. stuff to sell – You may not be selling T-shirts and caps, but you should be offering them SOMETHING! An ebook, live webinar class, coaching, weekend workshop …even someone else’s product!

But everything above STARTS and REVOLVES around a great sales presentation. Whatever medium you choose – sales letter, email teleseminar, webinar, live event or phone call – you MUST HAVE a great sale presentation that gets people to TAKE ACTION!

And that is the topic of our webinar on Tuesday, Oct 5 at 9pm Eastern. “The 3 Steps To Growing A Massive Online Business!” with a heavy emphasis on creating YOUR OWN killer sales presentation.

Get all the details here:

http://www.BusinessSuccessRoadmap.com/OctWebinar/

Blessings,

Stephen Beck

PS…EVERYTHING begins with the sales presentation. Learn the RIGHT way to create a super sales presentation. Join me on Tuesday’s webinar here:

http://www.BusinessSuccessRoadmap.com/OctWebinar/

Sharing this again, because it is still how I live.

Kerry

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On Monday, we left for Hunter’s state tennis match in Waco.  Earlier in the morning, I took care of office work, wrote & sent an email for this Thursday’s free webinar, as well as planned & held a Send Out Cards training webinar.  In the afternoon, Hunter and I spent some time ordering a tux for his upcoming prom.  Back home, I finished packing.

Finally, we are off to Waco.  During the 1/2 hour drive, I review my Appreciation Marketing presentation that I will give at a local networking lunch this Thursday.  I also compose an affiliate email for our affiliates to use as they promote this Thursday’s webinar.  We arrive in Waco and the entire team eats dinner together and spent the night before the matches.

Since Hunter’s match is not until 11:30am, I awake and read my Bible.  Steve & Hunter are still asleep, so I set up a few affiliate accounts.  I also send the affiliates sample emails & tweets/fb messages.  Respond to some team members emails to help them get their Send Out Cards business off the ground & running.

Breakfast at the hotel.  When we return to the room, I research our upcoming trip to Armand Live in Orlando.  Hunter decided to go with us so we are staying an extra day in Orlando to do something fun.  I find that we can fly out on Tuesday for a cheaper price, and we’ll have Monday for fun in Orlando.

Time for the tennis match.  We pack up our bags and head to the courts.  We enjoyed watching Hunter play.  After the match, we eat lunch with his friends’ families.  We have a couple of hours until the girls matches, so we head to Starbucks.  We might as well take advantage of an extra hour to get some work done.

Here in Starbucks I order several business books from Amazon that have been on my wish list.  They’ll be delivered in 2 days with my Prime Free Shipping.  We have a half hour until the matches.  So, I’ll be outlining Thursday’s webinar so I can write emails 2 & 3.  Better quit writing this entry and finish my work.

Why am I sharing this?

When you use your time wisely and stay focused, you can get lots of work done in short time periods.  Whether those those time periods are on the road traveling with your family or in between homeschool sessions or during your kids’ naps, you must set your priorities.

Keep a list of 5 things you must get done each day. If you list more than 5 you won’t get any of them done.  When you have a 1/2 hour, pull up your list and work on the first task until it is done.  That’s what I did yesterday morning and this morning.  All I have left on my list is to write emails 2 & 3 today.  Then, my day will have been successful.

What 5 things will you get done today?

Have you seen my video yet? In it, I show why you MUST have a list if you are going to make any money online in this economy. I also show you 7 of my favorite ways to build a list in that same video…

WATCH THE VIDEO: http://budurl.com/7ListBuildingTips
(You may see a security warning – just click “yes”)

I also wanted to share with you my “101 Ways To Build Your List!” Its a PACKED with list building tips that ANYONE can use – beginner or grizzled veteran! Here’s just a sampling of some of the things included in this course:

Tip #21 — Consider The 3-to-1 Formula
A popular formula that some of the top marketers use is sending 3 relationship
building e-mails to every 1 sales e-mail. This is especially important in the
beginning stages, and will set the tone…

Tip #29 — Show Your Readers That You Care
By simply empathizing with them and showing that you know exactly what they are
going through, you will appear as more trustworthy. It should be easy for you to
do as you are an expert in the topic and…

Tip #34 — Create Special Offers
- Offer Resale Rights or PLR rights to your own product …only to your list.
- Bundle up other people’s Resale Rights products into a package and offer it at a steal.
- Offer personal coaching only to your list members. Want to know how?…

Tip #48 — Participate in Giveaways
There are many niches where marketers hold giveaway events. This is pretty much a
one-stop shop where people in your niche can grab free offers that they are
interested in. People will sign up for your list in return for getting your free
product. Putting your opt-in box on one of these…

Tip #61 — Exchange Newsletter “Plugs”
Another thing you can do with JV partners is agree to mention each other in your
respective newsletters…

I hope this gives you an indication of the GOLDEN NUGGETS found in this course!

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But, I’m only leaving the video online until this Friday.
AFTER FRIDAY, THE VIDEO COMES DOWN AND THE OFFER GOES AWAY!
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Watch the video RIGHT NOW! http://budurl.com/7ListBuildingTips

Stephen Beck