Online research can give you an edge

Most small business people are too busy doing business to conduct research, but if major corporations spend millions on research each year, there must be something to it. Fortunately, the Net lets you conduct your own research for a small investment of your time. By searching with web search engines, Gopher, Archie or Veronica, you can locate information about your competitors, results of opinion polls, government reports on consumer habits or agricultural markets, and hundreds of other topics. This information can help you plan your marketing attack, focus your goals or product designs more precisely, or go after foreign market opportunities you may not have considered. Spend a little time each month conducting basic research about your business; the intelligence you gain will be worth it.