In the first part of this series, we discussed the importance of networking for home based business owners and entrepreneurs. There are lots of ways to network, but according to idea crossing.org, two of the most important avenues to take advantage of are offline business networking, and online networking sites. Here are some tips when it comes to using resources online: Online Business Networking
Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have been big news- makers for several years now, but many entrepreneurs may be unaware that smaller business-oriented online networking resources exist as well. Business-oriented online social networks such as LinkedIn and ZoomInfo allow individuals to create profiles detailing professional experience, current occupations and business ventures and interests. Other online communities revolve around blogs and online forums.
While entrepreneurs can always offer insights on their own blogs or websites, an important part of building a network in this area is contributing to others' sites as well. The discourse can help build a reputation in the community surrounding an industry online. Another resource is IdeaCrossing, which is an online social network that not only provides matchmaking between entrepreneurs and investors or business mentors, but is also equipped with a discussion forum where entrepreneurs can actively engage with other community members -- whether they are other entrepreneurs, investors, business mentors or service providers. This allows them the opportunity to pose a question, start a discussion, or simply connect with other members of the site. Ultimately entrepreneurs need to be proactive about networking in order to make it an effective force in their business. No single avenue is likely to achieve all of an entrepreneur's goals, but a combination of several networking venues can help form a network that will help grow a startup business and make it more likely to succeed in the long run. IdeaCrossing is a free Internet resource available to all individuals and organizations with an interest in supporting and promoting entrepreneurial activity. IdeaCrossing helps entrepreneurs find the assistance and investment capital they need to launch promising new business ventures. For more information, visit www.ideacrossing.org. | 
