Social Networking Sites

If the phrase "Social Networking site" brings to mind only giggly teenagers or finding a date, think again.

Entrepreneurs are using these sites to get advice and recommendations from other business owners. They're also finding employees, meeting potiential clients, investors and attracting customers.

These sites may offer limited marketing tools, but they are worth looking into.
You can create a profile, link to other profiles and networks. Members have a fair amount of control over how much information you want to reveal to other members.

You can post to various discussion groups, bringing attention to your company. Reconnect with past clients, business associates, or former contacts.

Thinking of starting a new company? Check out JumpUp. Created by Intuit, it offers many tools, including templates for business planning and financial calculators

If you have a business plan and looking for investors. Look at Go Big Network, which aims to connect start-ups, investors and job seekers.

Entrepreneurs wanting to broadcast their business might want to check out iKarma. Customers can rate and review services.

LinkedIn is the largest social networking site for business. Reconnect with former clients/colleagues, forge partnerships, hire new employees or attract customers.

Ryze's strength is probably as a source of advice from other business owners. It has 19 groups for entrepreneurs and 10 for small businesses which include those specifically for women entrepreneurs, start ups and even entrepreneurs with attention deficit disorder.