Visa Business Network adopts online social networking

In the cut-throat small-business industry, successful entrepreneurs are doing anything they can to get an edge on the market. Social networking sites such as Facebook.com are generating a lot of buzz for gathering that all important client base. But, when it comes to finding real solutions to some of the biggest issues of operating a small business, there are only a handful of resources. Thankfully, Visa has just launched a social networking-based online tool to help small business owners.

Visabusinessnetwork.com offers several avenues geared toward providing small business owners unique opportunities to more efficiently manage their business through an online social network community. Using what Visa calls the "business goals toolkit," members of the site will have access to online how-to guides that will help lead small-business owners through the process of setting and achieving their goals. The interactive toolkits correlate with goals, which small business owners have identified as being the most relevant to the challenges they face in growing their business: everything from best practices for promoting their business on social networks, to developing and delivering email newsletters to reach new and existing customers.

On top of the interactive business goals toolkit, members of the Visa Business Network will have access to invaluable information from the small business mentor program, where small businesses can get personalized help and guidance from other successful small business owners.

"Visa enables small business owners to pursue their passions by providing payment products and tools to help them succeed," said Raghav Lal, Head of Global Small Business, Visa Inc. in a press release on the Visa website. "The Visa Business Network extends our commitment to supporting small businesses by offering unique networking capabilities that help them grow their business, and access the resources to manage it more effectively... this site delivers a wealth of practical tools that support small business."

-AJ Register