There’s more to choosing a bank for your small business than the location of its ATM machines.

Bankers can assist you with lending, banking services, credit cards, money management and more. Some bankers are so connected that they can introduce you to potential investors, if that’s what your small business needs.

When shopping for a bank (and a banker), look at four general areas:

• Services offered, specifically the type of services you need and use the most. Do you require online banking? Does the bank offer sweep accounts to help you manage cash flow? Can you get an attractive business credit card through the bank?

• Fees imposed on everything from ATM transactions to online banking. Pay particular attention to fees charged for minimum balances, overdraft protection and online bill payments.

• The individual bankers you’ll be working with. Here is where the big banks and the small banks often differ. At a small, community bank, you’ll most likely talk directly to senior bankers who can give you personal attention. Larger banks may have a small-business specialist in-house to help you. Choose the one that best fits your style.

• The ability of the bank to lend money to businesses of your size. Again, you might find a difference between the big banks and small banks. Larger banks can be in the position to make more loans. But community banks often base loan decisions on more than your balance sheet. They sometimes take into account your character, reputation and relationship with the bank.

If you need a loan or think you’ll need one as your business grows, search out a bank that is a certified or preferred Small Business Administration (SBA) lender. You can get help in your search by going to the SBA Web site, www.sba.gov.

When comparing lending practices of different banks, look at more than just the lending fees and interest rates. Ask how long it takes to get a decision on a loan. Two weeks to one month is reasonable. Find out if the bank has lending limits. You don’t want your small business to outgrow the bank’s capabilities.