Tag Archives: networking

Networking over the Internet

Many of us think of networking as something we do by going somewhere—a party or a professional meeting. In this day and age, we can actually network to promote and build our home businesses without ever leaving our homes. Networking with others via the Internet is becoming an increasingly popular and effective way to broaden and build businesses. With all of the social networking sites as well as sites like Twitter available to anyone and everyone, it makes sense for even a small business owner to learn how to network over the internet. While networking over the Internet can have … Continue reading →

Electronic Social Networks Thrive in the Workplace

You have heard of Wikipedia, haven’t you? Well how about Pfizerpedia or Hershypedia? It seems that many large companies are taking a page, almost literally, from booming social network sites to create their own versions, where employees can share ideas, get personal and even post resumes. I remember way back when, when the corporate world was just starting to dedicate resources to IT (Information Technology) as it related to the internal office community. I was hired, in part, at a good-sized firm in order to create an Intranet, in which employees could share information about their departments, pick up news … Continue reading →

Keep in Contact with People who Might Help Your Business

It can be easy to get swallowed up within the daily operations of our home businesses. Once we decide to go solo and start our businesses, it can seem as though our world has gotten smaller—at least in the beginning stages. It is so important, however, to keep in contact with those people whom we meet or people from our old life. After all, they may be able to help us as we build our businesses. I am NOT advocating using people or keeping people in your roll-o-dex just in case you might need them for your home business operations; … Continue reading →

Choosing Good Business Partners

I wrote a week or so ago about a few different types of legal business structures that you might consider for a small, home business and one of those was the partnership. Whether you are looking for a partner to share your entire business operations, or you are just in the market for an individual or individuals to partner with for a specific project, finding good business partners is not always easy. Not only do you have to decide what you are looking for in a business partner on a personal level, but you also need to keep in mind … Continue reading →

Get Names Right

If business is really about relationships, those relationships start and end with names. First names, last names and correct spellings. While it might not mean the success or failure of a million dollar deal (or it just might), getting people’s names right can be a very big deal. So, what happens if you are not by nature great with remembering people’s names? I did not used to be as bumbling with names as I can be now. I like to think it is because I have lived long enough to know enough people that remembering their names is a bit … Continue reading →

Finding Other Families

Some neighborhoods seem to be more family-friendly than others; as do streets, churches, schools, etc. Whether you have just moved into a new house or area, or are new to parenting, or you find that for some reason your family life seems to be lacking interactions with other families–what can you do to find other families with whom to interact? Some communities have built-in “systems” for connecting families. In our city, we have a “Birth to Three” program that connects many brand new parents. Of course, these are geared toward parents of biological newborns. If you become a parent through … Continue reading →

Why You Should Get Involved (And Where?)

We’ve talked about volunteering and networking here in the Home Business blog, but I think that many of us have a tendency to isolate and work away solo in our small, home businesses. We forget how important it can be to get involved in our communities or even know where we can go to get involved. The truth is, involvement can really benefit our business efforts, as well as give our lives more of a sense of balance. Whether you get involved on a neighborhood or community level, or on a larger scale with your city or region—involvement gives you … Continue reading →

Finding Newcomers

Newcomers—those who have just moved into a neighborhood or town, or those who have just joined an organization or group—can be a great opportunity for a small home business. Finding and attracting those newcomers as prospective customers and clients can be a bit of a challenge, however. So, how DO you tap into the newcomer market for your home business? In order to find the newcomers, you need to get yourself in the places where newcomers frequent or where others know about these new arrivals. That could mean your chamber of commerce, neighborhood association, church, neighborhood schools, etc. People with … Continue reading →

Are You Spending Too Much Time on Cold Markets?

Marketing can be tough for any home busness owner, but trying to decide just where to put your energy can seem like a big puzzle. So many of us are tempted to start on the “outside”–with our coldest possible markets, instead of working with the hot and warm markets, those people closest to us who already know something about our work. I am not sure why, but we think we have to build the business boat from scratch. We start going to networking events or try to target an unknown market and that is where we spend our resources and … Continue reading →

When Your Friends Have No Idea What You “Do”

I had to chuckle a week or so ago when I was talking with a couple friends and one admitted that she had been asked by a mutual friend just “what exactly” I do. She admitted she was at a loss for words and couldn’t really figure out how to explain it. It seemed funny to me because I realized that I couldn’t really tell someone exactly what she does either—she works for the government in a cubicle and I think I know the general whereabouts of her office but that is about it. Here I write about the importance … Continue reading →