Most people have heard about networking to attract new business and develop long-term relationships to increase referrals and increase sales in their businesses. Indeed it is a lot of fun to do business this way and it is much easier too. Networking events such as chamber of commerce mixers and social business type gatherings make a perfect place for such things. For those who are a little unsure of them selves there is another way.

Consider if you will the online networking type sites like MySpace and the similar sites set up for small online businesses and professionals, which work much the same way. Indeed both of these venues are very similar, one is face to face and the other is keyboard to keyboard. Both require almost the exact same skills to participate and if one is shy or an introvert they may find good practice with networking online.

For those who like to network in the real life it is an obvious and worthy transition to do the same or similar online using peer-to-peer online networking websites. The number of similarities to Networking Online and at Chamber of Commerce Mixers is astounding and the obvious transition means you can be good at both if you find yourself with success at one. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Currently Lance is retired at age 40 and is running an Online Think Tank Forum while traveling North America. Perhaps considering something extremely challenging to do that will exercise his mind and utilize all his experiences, observations and skills. Any ideas?