Networking is a common synonym for developing and maintaining contacts and personal connections with a variety of people who might be helpful to you and your career. It is an invaluable business skill and a critical component in any professional’s toolkit for career success. The ability to communicate effectively, build and nurture winning relationships and expand a network is absolutely essential in today’s business world for career advancement. The art of networking has several essential aspects such as meeting people who can be of help to you, collecting and updating contact info, like phone numbers and e-mail addresses, Keeping in regular contact with those in your network, thanking people for their help and Helping others when asked. It is no mystery that networking is a cost-effective method for expanding any business. There are two primary types of networks, social and business.
A social network is a system of resources, such as information and services, that are shared among individuals or groups having a common interest. With the advent of websites like Facebook and MySpace, social networking has increased over last decade with these online application.
While business networking, as the term implies, is the application of social networking principles to benefit a business.The primary goal of networking is to develop mutually beneficial business relationships. Once established, these lasting relationships can provide an invaluable reservoir of information, ideas and support that will help you develop and improve your company.
Business networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. There are several prominent business networking organizations that create models of networking activity that, when followed, allow the business person to build new business relationship and generate business opportunities at the same time.
The most obvious benefit of business networking is that it can generate new leads and prospective clients. However, it is important to remember that networking and direct sales are two different things; the goal of networking is not to pitch a product or service to potential consumers, but to develop relationships.

Selective networking is especially important in the digital age, now that popular new forms of networking such as blogs, websites, listservs and virtual communities provide an abundance of potential business contacts, it has become easier to connect with your network.
As a starting point, remember that networking is about quality of communication, not quantity of contacts. Businesses are increasingly using business social networks as a means of growing their circle of business contacts and promoting themselves online. Since businesses are expanding globally, social networks make it easier to keep in touch with other contacts around the world. There are different ways to start networking — the easiest of them being to join some network clubs and sites. Many professionals tend to prefer face-to-face networking such as conferences, business trips, social events and survey or focus groups over online based networking because the potential for higher quality relationships are possible. Many individuals also prefer face-to-face because people tend to prefer actually knowing and meeting who they intend to do business with.
An important aspect of starting any new business is to network with other business owners before, during and after. It allows one not only to promote products and services to others, it also allows to educate people about the unique aspects of the business and enroll them into finding new prospects and leads. Another benefit of business networking for entrepreneurs is that it allows one to tap into a synergistic business mastermind group, where business ideas are shared and new opportunities discussed and reviewed by other members. The meetings follow a formal, yet effective agenda. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice conducting meetings and offering constructive evaluation. It also offers invaluable business networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. Benefits of business networking include promoting your products and services on a very personal level. Most importantly, it helps you to tap into a wider business group where you can share business ideas and opportunities. Who knows, you may end up meeting prospective leads, clients, efficient employees or even a mentor or business partner.

Networking is more than entering a room full of people and exchanging business cards. It’s creating a pool of contacts with whom you can exchange clients, referrals, resources, ideas, and information. Networking can happen by phone, by mail, over coffee, and increasingly, over the Internet. The growth of the Internet has created many new ways to network without ever leaving your home or office. Pick a topic, any topic, and there will be multiple web sites and online communities devoted to it. Almost any type of Internet presence offers opportunities for networking. Internet has changed our lives with hundred’s of social networking sites like myspace.com, Hi5, Wyan, Yahoo 360,Orkut etc. People have connected through this interface and have become friends, had relationships and even gotten married.
Also, if you subscribe to an online service offering interactive “channels,” like America Online, CompuServe or MSN, there may be an entire area dedicated to your profession or target market. Some of these resources are available to non-members as well. Some of the notable sites for business networking include LinkedIn and 2BizConnect.com. Unlike LinkedIn, this newly launched business networking website 2BizConnect.com does not accept any contextual advertising.

• Many association or school sites provide member rosters,       resource pages, back issues of newsletters, event calendars, and bulletin boards or discussion lists. Not all of these features will be restricted to members or students.
• Resource Sites & Online Communities include directories of people in the profession, vendors, articles, event calendars, bulletin boards, discussion lists, live chats, and links to even more resource sites.
• Magazines and newsletters maintain sites that offer everything from back issues to complete online communities.
• Job Postings may appear on any of the above sites, and often include opportunities for independent professionals, not just those looking for full-time employment.
• Colleagues and competitors may be exactly the same people, depending on your relationship with them. Their sites will tell you more about them and their work, and may offer many of the same features as resource sites.
• Potential Clients sites will tell you about the work they do, current and upcoming projects, and even the names of executives and managers.
• Role of Business Networking over a website results in increased business visibility, sales, leads, traffic to the website & can also provide excellent customer support to website & profile visitors through our free live chat software. Ways of Broadcasting your Business through the internet include:
• Create a comprehensive company profile and market your business.
• Grow contacts through networking helps you expand your network through your known contacts, have an insight into their contacts and get trusted introductions to deal making contacts. Search for companies, professionals and experts that can give you business or that can help you close a deal.
• Meet job requirements and Post your job offers to the millions of potential job seekers that suit your requirements or search for relevant professionals from vast database of professionals on the network. Live chat, Screen candidates and streamline your entire hiring process.
• Get new business leads every hour to your inbox posted by millions of businesses and professionals in the network. Franchisee, Partnership and investment opportunities will help you expand your business.
• Add live chat solution to your website to help your visitors, Know who they are and from where are they visiting.
• Sell your products/services proactively. You can engage your company profile visitors pro-actively while they are viewing a product/service.
• Let your HR, business development teams and all your staff function more efficiently.

The Internet is not just a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity. With the Internet it’s not just cities which are judged on their connectivity but nations. An online presence is a necessity for a small business to compete in the global market. The cornerstone of this online presence is a company website, which functions as a virtual billboard for your company and directs visitors to further resources. These resources might include a blog for company news and updates, a virtual tour of your business or an e-store where your products and services can be purchased. Taken together, all of these electronic materials make up the totality of your company’s presence on the web. Without the resources and backing of a large corporation, minor tasks can seem Herculean for both entrepreneurs and independent professionals. Though working and being in business independently can be a very rewarding experience, it is in no way easy. The only way that independent professionals can thrive is by having solid, surrounding resource networks with constant collaboration and information sharing, which help to make the entrepreneurial world a lot less scary place.