Most people tend to mistake virtual worlds as simple “games.” That’s not actually the case. To call a virtual world like Second Life a game is to actually underestimate what the virtual world sim can bring for you. There are more than just gaming in virtual worlds: you can also conduct business in here, if you just know how to pull it.

For starters, a virtual world is simply a software that attempts to mimic the real world in almost all aspects. Of course, as part of their appeal, some aspects of virtual worlds are totally impossible in the real world or are stuff that only a few people would dare do in real life.

Because the focus in virtual worlds like IMVU is social interaction, it’s a wonder that some entrepreneurs don’t see the opportunities that these simulators present in a business aspect.

In any case, doing business or porting a specific business process over to a virtual world is possible. You just need to know which ones you can do, and how you can pull it off with one of them sims.

First off, you can use the virtual world as a conferencing tool. Instead of just using an Instant Messaging service like Skype to conduct a video conference, why not make it more fun for your employees by having them create an avatar in any of the popular virtual worlds? Once everyone has their account and avatar made, all you have to do is create a private room for all of you, and then organize an event.

This form of conferencing is also more efficient, bandwidth-wise, than using IM services. It also allows you to read each and every message or question the participants pose, as they are presented in thought balloons instead of scrolling text common to chatrooms.

In a similar sense, you can also create business training sessions to take place in these virtual worlds. Just like conferences, you simply gather your employees in a private room that you furnish and design to look similar to a real-world office or training room. You’re then good to go!

Virtual world simulators are particularly effective at simulating events in real-life, so they can be used to train your employees in various processes. These include fire drills, customer service, and the like.

Even policemen and soldiers can use this to role-play certain scenarios so they can study how to approach these from a tactical aspect -- other games can take care of the actual combat situation. These warriors can then carry out actual drills to test the scenarios and the possible solutions that they’ve brainstormed using the virtual world.

So, you see, the value of virtual world simulators extends beyond the entertainment aspect of these software. There is a definite use for these simulators in a business environment. Aside from the applications outlined above, businessmen are also free to think of other creative ways to make use of these simulators for their endeavors.