For nearly a decade online networking has been a huge timesavings for busy business owners and professionals. And now with business blogging there’s an even greater opportunity to maximize the relationships you form virtually, and exponentially multiply the benefits of online business networks.

In this four-part article series you’ll learn why business blogs are such a powerful complement to online business networking associations. And I’ll be coaching you on how you can start reaping those added benefits right away!

Social networks for the small business owner

Online business networks (or “social networks” as some refer to them,) are powerful relationship building tools. Membership networks like Ryze (http://new.ryze.com) or Ecademy (http://www.ecademy.com) allow you to network and build relationships with people around the world, right from your own home or office.

For example, working from our offices on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii my partner Deborah and I have been able to start countless relationships with new clients and form dozens of strategic partnerships with people from around the world.

Online business networks have allowed us to grow our business based on a global exposure, all from the most remote island chain in the world. If it works for us in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it can work for you and your business no matter where you live.

There are dozens of advantages to online networking over in-person networking events.

Here’s what I consider to be the top three:

1. Maximum exposure

In the time that it would take to meet three or four people in face-to-face networking events, you can meet several dozen online. No idle chitchat. No distractions or concerns with being shy. It’s all simple and straightforward in online business networks.

2. Maximizing time

In online business networks you communicate with only the people you want to build relationships with. That means no more worries about being held captive by some clueless self-centered salesperson at a face-to-face networking event.

3. Tight niche focus

Most of the better online business networks have special interest groups already formed. That means you can dive right in to your area of interest or expertise without wasted time and energy searching for individuals who “may” have the same interests. And if there’s not already a group formed, you can easily start and host one yourself.

In part two of this series we’ll look at the two most popular online business networking organizations, the advantages of both, and where you can make improvements by incorporating your business blog into the dialogue.

John-Paul Micek
The Click-and-Mortar Business Coach
Business Owners Coaching Club
http:/www.AdvancedBusinessBlogging.com