In my experience, a lot of online networking begins offline. You meet people, you pass them your business card, they visit your site, and it goes from there. They may add you to their social networks or subscribe to your email list. That's when the magic begins.

Back when the Internet first appeared on the scene, very few companies thought that it would have an impact on their sales and services. Some saw it as a fad, while others thought that it would be relegated to simply being used by teenagers for recreational purposes.

Potential customers that have a social conscience have a distinct advantage to using a minority-owned business. Getting VA-certified serves to illustrate that the company has taken the time and effort to achieve certification. There are over 6 million minority-owned businesses in the United States, and yet, less than 20,000 have been certified as a Minority Business Enterprises. Many companies require certification as a minority-owned business before using a company in a corporate supplier diversity program. This allows the various benefits and advantages set aside for minority businesses to be utilized only by companies that are properly verified.