We all have offline social networks, friends from our association, church or group, business networks that include suppliers, customers and other businesses, and now thanks to the power of web 2.0 we are building virtual business networks. People are coming together from around the world to learn, connect to each other and share their personal and professional life. Friendships and networks are being made between a person in the USA and India, someone in the UK and Australia. There are no longer any barriers to making international connections and talk to people around the world.
I refer to this type of online connection as a virtual business network. It is particularly important for you to network in this way if you run an internet based business because you will be at home, working alone and will need a place to go when challenges hit, or just to let off some steam. Below are seven great ways to build your virtual business network to ensure you and the person/people you interact with gain the most benefit:

Remember Its not about numbers. If you think all you need to do is find a social network with a large number of people you may be missing out on some great opportunities to connect inside smaller groups and build more solid relationships.

Large sites are great if you just want to spread your business link around to get people to visit your website but you really should aim for more than this. First decide what you want to get out of a network and what you can provide in terms of skills and expertise. Once you do that whether that social network has 2 members or 2,000 you will always gain maximum benefit from taking part.

Leverage the skills. What skills will you have that you bring to a group and can share with them? Let them know your expertise and how you can help. Discover what skills other people have and how you can use them to build your business. Most people in a network group are happy to share what they know so make the most of it and also be willing to share what you know.

Give before you take. It is important that you don’t spend all of your time taking and none of your time giving. Give first, share what you know, invite people to ask you questions, volunteer information, tell people about a great resource you found. Give, give and give some more because givers gain!

Provide value before you sell. When you write your blogs or messages for people to read don’t just leave a quick few words with a link to your products/site. Provide value you in your message. If you are commenting on what someone has written let them know why you enjoyed reading it, or whether you agree/disagree and then tell them - if you are interested in that, you may also be interested in this and let them know what you offer.

Establish yourself in a few rather than spread yourself in many. There are more and more online networks available for people to make use of and it is really easy to just keep joining one after another every time you are invited. It’s great to get yourself out on the internet but it’s also a good plan to establish yourself in at least 2 or 3 groups so that people recognize you. What you are looking to do here is build your reputation within the community and help them to get to know, like and trust you.

Take part and be active. If your business network facility allows you to start groups then start one and invite other members to join, don’t just sit back and wait for them to join. If you are able to upload videos find a few on Google that the community may enjoy watching and include them. If the site has a blog include at least two a week that provide value, tips, techniques or a how to type post that will help people do something they may be unable to do. Some of the best blogs will start a discussion or debate so ask a question, or ask for comments, suggestions or ideas to get everyone talking.

Make a commitment and be willing to work at it. Raising your online visibility takes time to achieve and will need regular contributions and a commitment to being around so that regular members get to know you and new members want to connect with you. You will soon find yourself connecting to more and more people and building your virtual social network. As you meet the same members in other networks you will have an instant connection with them and that will help you where ever you are on the internet.

Building a virtual business network provides you with an opportunity to build international friendships as well as profitable business partnerships and joint venture opportunities. You cannot survive online without connecting to other people in the same industry/community and as with all relationship building it takes time but is very rewarding.

I have connected with people from the USA and when they visit the UK I meet up and show them round! So take your time, show your expertise and provide value, before you know it people will seek you out and want to connect with you.

Resource Box (you have my permission to use this article as long as this resource box remains intact with links)
Diane Corriette runs the Women Internet Marketers Social network http://www.womeninternetmarketers.net and is the author of the ebook “What I Would Do Differently” that teaches people how to learn from her mistakes http://www.myinternetmarketingmistakes.com

Roboform is a password manager, form filler, password generator and all round valuable resource if you have alot of user name and passwords to remember.

They are all saved in the one place. You can create folders to keep all related passwords into (e.g. I have a folder called hosting accounts)

It is a life saving and I recommend it. I upgraded too because it made life easier and doesn’t cost much.

http://www.roboform.com/

One of the mistakes that Yvonne Lyone points our in her cast study is not keeping accurate records and remembering all the sites you visit. She mentioned that what can happen is you end up forgetting about forums you join or websites you visited.

Well today I read a post on our social network about a forum that is run by Mike Filsaime and I thought I had joined just about everything he had ever put out there on the web (well post 2008 because I don’t follow him now).

So I went to the site and the login details showed up in RoboForm (that’s the thing I use to save all my user name and passwords). I logged in and left a few messages.

It seems I joined in September 2006 but the messages I left today were my first ones!

So it goes to show that I was so unfocused back then I must have joined and then forgotten all about it.

To read Yvonne Lyon’s case study join our membership site
http://www.myinternetmarketingmistakes.com

What’s Your Excuse for Not Being Successful in Life? Excuses! Excuses! When we fail to do something we are expected to do, we almost always have an excuse for it. Even worse, we talk and talk about an idea we have and want to do, but never do it because of the excuses we put in the way!

However, if we analyze it closely, an excuse is a self-destructive alibi for having failed to do something (or not do something), especially when it involves attaining a goal. Instead of trying to persevere in finding ways to continue achieving a goal, some of us resort to excuses, reasons and/or blame.

It requires effort and determination to overcome what stops us. I will not lie and pretend that it is an easy thing to do. We can all use our reasons and excuses for not achieving. We all physical, financial or emotional limits that stop us from achieving and they can either be real or imagined. Fear is one of our biggest limits.

Fear of the unknown, fear of taking the first step - if I was given money everytime someone said to me “I know what I want to do, I just need to take the next step” I would be earning a great income!

If you think your biggest limit is physical, like having a weak body, you can counteract this through proper diet and training exercises. As long as the physical parts of your body are intact and mobile, there’s no reason why you cannot make it stronger than it is.

If your biggest limit is financial, then the more reason you have to rise above your present status. And if your financial status limits your educational attainment to improve your life, the school is not the only place to learn. Certainly, there are help centers to get you started even from the very beginning.

One of the best is your local library. Its filled with every kind of personal development book, and CD imaginable to get you off to a great start. Once you are initially warmed up with the basics of an education, the rest is up to you. Once you are educationally equipped, use your brain and come up with creative ideas to improve your life rather than as a reson to stop you.

If you are emotionally disturbed with negative thoughts or limiting beliefs, it is like you are sitting on a chair with wobbling legs. Try sitting on a chair with sturdy legs; meaning, look at the bright, positive side of life. Put aside negativity and start thinking positively. The only one who can stop you from doing this is yourself. Seek professional help if you feel you need it.

Find yourself a great self-help CD or book, spend time not only listening and/or reading but doing some of the activities. Find a group of people who meet either on the telephone, through a forum or at a local centre to discuss something that interests and excites you. Read books on creating affirmations and visualization and use these tools to support you in changing your mindset.

If your biggest limit is a combination of any of the physical, financial, or emotional type, congratulations. You should strive more to overcome them, because a double layer of perseverance results to more than double the achievement. Where the odds are greater, the prize gets much bigger. After all the efforts you have exerted, the prize of success shall be a well-deserved one.

So what’s your excuse for not being successful? And how can you begin to work towards overcoming it?

resource box (feel free to share this post on your blog as long as this resource box remains intact)

Diane Corriette runs Women Internet Marketers - a social network, online magazine and membership site. She is now sharing her internet marketing mistakes with anyone willing to listen in the hopes of stopping them from making the same mistakes. http://www.myinternetmarketingmistakes.com

end resource box ————

Women Internet Marketers is running a month long teleseminar providing free teleseminars in the area of internet marketing and personal development.

The event runs from May 1st-31st 2008 at different times of the day. Check their blog for full details at http://www.seminarblog.info

Some of the events taking place include:

How Fighting With Your Destiny Can Suck The Joy & Profit Out of Your Business
with Lorraine Cohen & Anita Pathik-Law
http://www.powerofmyway.com/alignedbusiness.html

Do You Ever Wish You Knew How To : Add Video to Your Blog Posts and earn at the same time? with Charly Leetham (this is the fourth part of a four part teleseminar)
http://howto.arvoreentreasures.com/teleseminars.php

Clear Your Path to Success with Becky Kimes
Discover a fun, easy to use method that shows you how to clear the unconscious, limiting beliefs that are standing between you and your dreams and desires.
http://www.intuitiveabundance.com/teleclass.html

Visit the blog for a full listing of what’s available http://www.seminarblog.info

Welcome to the blog that is attached to my newest membership site that started April 4th 2008 called My Internet Marketing Mistakes.

Please visit again soon and you will see that the blog has changed and taken shape.

Right now feel free to visit any of my more established blogs

http://www.womeninternetmarketers.com

http://passiveincome.typepad.com

http://www.seminarblog.info

http://www.free-ecourses.net

I will get this blog up and running in no time and will include a regular blog carnival of mistakes

Take a look at the main membership site at http://www.myinternetmarketingmistakes.com