The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Microsoft Great Plains are co-sponsoring an online seminar on effective strategies for small companies to do business on the Internet and profit from the global expansion of e-commerce.

Representatives from Compaq Computer Corporation, a leading manufacturer of hardware and software, also will be on hand to provide expert advice in this area.

The free, 60-minute online conference "How to Put the Internet to Work in Your Business" has been labeled a "Webinar" (short for Web seminar) by its organizers. Its focus will be the strategy and game plan small businesses need for creating an effective online presence that will allow them to grab a fair share of the expanding e-commerce pie.

The seminar will be held live on two dates: Wednesday, May 9, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. EDT and Wednesday, May 16, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The guest speaker will be Steven S. Little, Senior Consultant with Inc. Business Resources. Clifton Toulson, Jr., Associate Administrator for Business and Community Initiatives, will represent SBA in the conference.

Interested small businesses may register online.

Earlier this year, SBA and Microsoft Great Plains, a leading provider of e-business solutions that interconnect business communities, co-hosted a similar virtual conference via the Internet aimed at helping owners to "Jump Start Business Success." Participants learned about developing effective growth management systems, saw real-time demonstrations of the latest business management, and examples of how e-business techniques apply to specific situations.

SBA is offering more and more of its services on the Internet, to help small businesses keep pace with both technological and commercial trends. Much of this assistance is readily available online on the SBA's award-winning Web site, which features relevant information on most important topics for small businesses from "How to Start a Small Business" to "Financing Your Business," as well as links to other sites with a wide range of support.