Small business forums are a great place for networking business professionals and entrepreneurs, even wannabe entrepreneurs, to get free business advice, tips, and tricks. It is an easy way for people with business questions to seek advice from the online business community. And, people are always willing to help and answer any questions that you may have. I've been using online business forums for a while now, not only to seek business advice but also just to browse and read through interesting topics. Scroll to the bottom of this article for a link to the best internet business forum.

Here are some of the most popular topics being discussed in online business:

Joining a Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce - Most cities have a Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce and there are good discussions about how a small business owner can use it to promote their businesses, to network with other entrepreneurs, and learn about local trade laws/zoning/issues. A Board of Trade can be utilized by many business professionals, including real estate brokers, insurance brokers, office equipment salespeople, lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers, financial planners, website designers, customs brokers, sales consultants, and general contractors.

New Business Ideas - Small business forums are a great way to bounce your new business ideas off of fellow entrepreneurs. Sometimes this is a great place to start to see if your idea will fly before investing time and money into a new venture or startup. Browsing through current topics in the forums I see new business idea topics such as vending businesses, Chinese exporting, online businesses, tourism industry, lottery & gambling businesses, landscaping businesses, carpet cleaning businesses, nursing agency businesses, and health supplement businesses.

Sales & Marketing - Sales and marketing is the lifeblood of any small business. Business forums are a great way to learn the sales techniques and tricks of other small business owners. Use it to learn what has worked for other entrepreneurs and use that knowledge to replicate that success. Discussion topics could include internet advertising (including SEO, PPC, and CPM), email advertising, public speaking, business networking, niche markets, elevator pitches, publicity, sponsorships, promotions, product displays, and cold calling.

Most business forums categorize by topic. You can normally find the right topic to interest you, including, insurance, law, venture capital, accounting, taxes, sales, operations, business planning, and even a place for business small talk.