Small Business Owners Asked for more than just a Business Portal and 4smallbusiness.com Delivered

4smallbusiness.com Credits Members for Crafting a Winning Business Model

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (January 24, 2000) -- Success is rapidly arriving for South Florida based 4smallbusiness.com, a business portal that is serving the needs of small business owners and executives through its online business association and consulting services. "When members had questions about how to grow their businesses on the Internet, we listened. If serving an individual member's need meant our company had to take a jog off the route we had planned, we took it. It has paid off for both 4smallbusiness.com and our members' companies. You might say our clients and members authored our business model," states co-founder, Cathy Bass.

4smallbusiness.com's members now comprise one of the fastest growing on-line business associations. Business owners are choosing membership in 4smallbusiness.com because of its complete range of services, discounts, and personalized interactivity. These services cover many of the needs of small businesses, including discount purchasing, advertising, product testing, live marketing and management consulting, more than 400 pre-screened providers of services and products, chat rooms, message boards, seminars, and other offerings. Among the many partners of the Association are, Microsoft's Linkexchange, Recommend-IT, Schedule Online, Advanced Commerce Technologies, Websitefinancing.com, Liquidation.com and Everyone.net and Fast Company, who take an active role in selling memberships to their clients as well as provide services to the Association's members.

Unlike other web-based business portals, 4smallbusiness.com maintains its independence and, therefore, its credibility with members. There is no advertising on the site, resulting in no bias for or against any vendor, product, or service. The site operates as a fee-based association without basing its offerings on revenue generating associate programs or exclusive strategic partnerships with single vendors.

"We often are asked why we charge $200 to become a member," said Marc Glazer, chief executive officer of 4smallbusiness.com. "Our no advertising policy protects members from being swayed by Companies with big advertising budgets instead of using a company that caters to their special needs. We help members save money by negotiating purchasing discounts then rebating the savings back to our members. Our purchasing power can reduce typical expenses for a member's business by thousands of dollars each year. Also, an advisory panel is in place to test and research products and services, ensuring that members can make purchasing decisions more quickly and with greater confidence."

4smallbusiness.com has more than 400 approved vendors who have passed the association's reviews and examinations. Members are able to gain knowledge by navigating through articles, case studies, live discussions, message boards and links to researched and successfully tested resources.

Participating 4smallbusiness.com vendors are chosen only by merit, after passing performance examinations and reviews. Members purchasing services from 4smallbusiness.com participating vendors are then eligible to receive discounts and rebates on their purchases.

For example, a 4smallbusiness.com member can purchase office supplies from Staples.com for less money than if they shopped at the retailer's site. For each purchase the commission received by 4smallbusiness.com from Staples.com is rebated back to the member making the purchase.

The Association collaborates with over 75 business experts and companies to provide a well-rounded resource for its members. Participants include industry leaders, college professors, and owners of businesses. Members may also post questions to other members, enabling them to exchange both ideas and proven methods for success.

Site navigation is constructed around 4smallbusiness.com's members most pressing needs. Sections include information on building an online business, banking, delivering product, and administration and management. In each of the site's info areas 4smallbusiness.com has developed its offerings to exceed the quality, scope and personalization found at other business sites.

Live Virtual Advisors are on staff at 4smallbusiness.com between 9am-5pm Monday through Friday and can be contacted from the "At Your Service" Business Department of the site. Members simply fill out a questionnaire and an "At Your Service" advisor will be assigned to the research task.

Interactive Business Centers (IBC’s) offer complete resources including products and tools, reference and research, expert advice, events and communications centers where members interact on-line with each other and industry professionals. The communications Center serves to provide information on members' queries in the form -- and with the timing of -- the members' choosing. They can select from options that include message boards, instant messaging, and text and voice chat rooms.
All of 4smallbusiness.com's offerings are complemented by a variety of useful services. Among the selections are:

* A marketplace where a member may sell their products to members and non-members in auctions and in the mall@4smallbusiness.com as well as participate in huge savings on purchases. 

* The opportunity to list their web site among the top search results in its business directory, an area of the site that may be viewed by members and non-members.
* Price comparison services, where members may choose to use their own vendors who are not part of the association, but take advantage of pricing information that is posted on the site.
Reference URL: http://www.4smallbusiness.com
Contact: Cathy Bass
cbass@4smallbusiness.com
Direct: 877-411-6691 Fax: 954-321-5512

Reference URL: http://www.4smallbusiness.com
Contact: Cathy Bass

cbass@4smallbusiness.com

Direct: 877-411-6691 Fax: 954-321-5512