smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

The majority of Britain's small businesses now see the internet as their primary tool for promoting their products and communicating with partners, a new survey has found.

Research by BT Business, which looked at 300 UK firms with up to 50 employees, found that 74 per cent of those businesses it surveyed believed the internet would have a key role in helping them achieve their business goals within the next three years.

The survey also showed that 63 per cent of firms felt that the rise of internet technology had significantly helped them compete with bigger businesses and those in different sectors to their own.

The internet was also seen as vital in extending business partnerships and networks, with more than a third of those polled keen to be part of an online business network.

Ivan Croxford, head of Market Development at BT Business, says: 'Relationships and networking are all essential elements of running a successful company and small businesses, in particular, rely on recommendations and personal introductions.

'There is a perception that technology has changed this and made the world less personal, but that's not the case. We may not go to as many face-to-face meetings, but we're communicating and sharing thoughts a lot more, using e-mail, blogs and social networking sites in both our business and personal lives.'

Only 21 per cent of those firms surveyed reported that they had no presence on the internet whatsoever.