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Researching on the Internet From Here to Eternity:
The Internet is a great source of information, but it’s also so vast, and the
possibilities so great, that it is easy to get lost out there. How can you make
the most of the time you spend on the Web and get the information you need? By
taking advantage of three online resources - search engines, directories, and small
business web pages - you can greatly simplify your search for information and
maximize your results. |
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Index Directories are compilations of web pages that provide immediate access to the most popular categories of information. They are a great place to browse for information. Search engines take a key word that you enter and go out and scour the entire Internet for Web pages that match your key word. This is the most comprehensive type of search and is especially useful if you are looking for information on a highly specific topic. Small business web pages - such as the Microsoft Small Business Resource web site - are dedicated to meeting the information needs of small business. They are great sources of management articles, forums, and links to other sites. |
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Directories - A Great Place to Start
While searching a directory may not be as exhaustive as using a search engine, it can be the easiest way to get the information you need. A directory is like going to your favorite bookstore and finding the business periodicals section. Once you are there, you can look around and see all types of different magazines that are related to your general area of interest, but each provides a unique perspective. You often get great ideas and information just by perusing the variety of sources that are present. Yahoo is perhaps the most well known directory and has a Small Business Resource section that is a great place to find relevant links including ones to marketing, finance or management sites. Search Engines - Finding the Needle in the Haystack Search engines are especially useful when you need to search a great variety of sources for a highly specific topic. If you need information that is specific to your industry, such as where to purchase Pinot grapes for your winery’s famous Pinot Noir, you can go to a search engine, type in "Pinot" and let it run. Most search engines will return thousands of pages for the typical query. The more specific that you can make your query, the better result you will get. The search engine will retrieve the addresses of web sites that have information on your topic. Each search engine has extensive help files that explain how you can refine your search and get the information you need. Try it for yourself: Alta Vista, Lycos, and WebCrawler are three of the most popular and powerful search engines. Small Business "Mission Control" There are some great web pages out there that are completely dedicated to serving the needs of small businesses like yours. These general pages provide an information headquarters because they directly connect you with an enormous variety of resources. The Small and Home Based Business Page connects you with information on how to purchase office supplies on-line, communicate with other small businesses, and download software for business development. The smallbizNet has a strong entrepreneurial flavor and offers one of the most extensive on-line collections of small business management articles. The International Small Business Consortium is an online showplace for emerging businesses from around the globe. The Women in Small Business page provides on-line resources to women who are striving to reach new business goals. Read All About It There is also a tremendous variety of on-line periodicals that are tailored to the needs of small businesses. Whereas a monthly periodical is static, "webzines" are dynamic and can be continually updated with new information. There are a wide variety of periodicals such as Edge: The Entrepreneur's Magazine, The Economist, Black Enterprise, and Inc. Magazine that are available to small businesses. Add these periodicals to your web browser’s Favorites list and get your business news quickly and easily. Digging for Gold Financing is a major concern for any small business or entrepreneur. The Web can connect you with valuable information about how and where to get financing. Money Hunter for example, provides a template that you can download which will help you create the plan you need to get financing. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a great section on sources of financing for your small business. The Library of Congress has also provided a guide to Financing Small Business Enterprises that can help you develop a strategy to get the funding you need. Marketing your Business There are great resources available for small businesses that describe many facets of marketing. At the Web Marketing Info Center learn how to create your own web page to market your business and find information on new business opportunities. You can also download software that helps you manage a prospect database. American Demographics has a great site that offers small businesses information on the hottest markets and provides tools and tactics for reaching them. There is also an interactive forum where you can have your questions on market segments and demographic trends answered. Guerrilla Marketing Online is a weekly web magazine for small businesses that concentrates on generating the maximum return on limited marketing resources. Business Forums Business forums are designed to help small business people trade business cards - electronically. The Web is becoming a common meeting ground for people in very diverse industries. There are forums on retailing, plumbing, wine making, trout farming - virtually any type of industry. These forums allow you to exchange ideas with colleagues around the globe as well as meet people in your region. Use a search engine or directory to find a business forum in your field. Information from A to Z On the Internet and the World Wide Web you can research information ranging from alpaca farming to zither construction in about as long as it takes to read this sentence. Understanding the Web pays - it saves you time and it connects you with the information you need to keep your business successful. |