This is especially true for those of us wishing to do business online although it really applies to even those just seeking a community of like-minded people.

EVERYONE on Internet wants:

1. To find more INFORMATION on a given subject. or 2. To find PEOPLE with similar interests.

Many refer to this as your niche. Others involved with online business call it finding your target audience.

Give some thought as to why you want to reach people.

Once you know WHY you want to contact people, then you will know WHOM it is you need to communicate with and for WHAT reason.

So where should you begin your search?

As question itself suggests answer, you should begin your quest for either information or people by doing extensive research with your favorite search engine(s).

I personally like to use Google, http://www.google.com, and that is where I begin my research.

No matter which Search Engines or Directory is your own personal favorite, just take that as your starting point and build on it from there.

But, certainly, do not limit your research to just one source. You should use no less than top ten Search Engines and Directories for your research.

For a list, via Auto-Responder, of current "Top 10 Search Engines and Directories!", send a blank email message to: mailto:Top10SE@emailexchange.org

Here is an excellent strategy to make use of for your own quest for information or people:

1. Prepare a list of "Keywords" to find what you seek.

2. Visit each of Top 10 Search Engines and Directories.

3. At each of Top 10 enter your "keywords".

4. Visit and review Top 20 to 30 results of "keywords"

used in your search at each of Search Engines and Directories.

5. Weed out useless or dead links.

6. Begin to form your community and bookmark all web sites that hold interest and promise.

This will give you a solid foundation from which to begin.

Your next step is to reach out and "touch" that community of people that you seek by sending out email.

ALWAYS use email without resorting to SPAM.

Because SPAM is against Internet rules and because it creates more problems that it solves. SPAM is should NOT be an option.

With list you compile from your research, decide if it is important to your quest to contact web masters of each of those individual web site.

This list of web masters gives you a good start on which to start building your own little community of contacts.

But wait! Does that include business you have worked so hard on during winter? Unfortunately for some it does. It's like race car driver, who speeds around track and gets a lead of his competition, but then decides to coast last few laps. Guess what - he is going to be passed.

A lot of people virtually take summer off from their online business, and this is an opportunity for you. While they are taking 2 steps back, you can leapfrog over them and get customers they might have gotten.

This is not a new phenomenon, and is as old as web itself. Online business typically slows down during summer months. But who is slowing down? It is usually those who work web part-time in evening. Now when it gets dark early, this is easy. But when days are longer, it seems there just isn't enough time to do everything else, and also take care of business.

If you are serious about developing your online business, you must have discipline it takes to continue. It's awfully easy to think you'll get it done tomorrow, but unfortunately, your customers will not wait for you to get motivated.