When the Going Gets Tough - The Tough Start Looking For New Customers

At the moment the news seems to be full of nothing but doom and disaster, fire and famine, war and pestilence, death and destruction.

So it might seem insane to be talking about how to find new customers in these circumstances.

On the contrary, now is precisely the time when it is most important to be thinking about new business. For a start, during the bad times it may be essential to find new customers to replace existing customers who go to the wall. On a more positive note, the links one forges in the hard times tend to endure, and they will probably be the source of far greater profits when the good times return.

In many businesses, bad times produce as many, if not more, business opportunities as good.

If the newspapers are full of war and the threat of terrorism, now is the time to sell life insurance. For most people the chance of being killed in combat or by terrorists is negligible, but it is the fear of these remote possibilities that sells the insurance.

If there are pictures of tornados, floods, or hurricanes on the television, it is good time to be in building materials. The pictures of flattened wooden houses are poignant but also an advertisement for bricks. Again, the brick house would not stand up much better than the wooden one against a major hurricane, but it is the feeling of security that sells.

Even famine in the Third World is a business opportunity. It would be wrong to exploit the starving local people - who, in any case, do not have any money - but when the aid agencies move in, they and their employees will need all sorts of support on the ground.

At this point, there is an obvious question: why write about this instead of going out and doing it?

To this here is an equally obvious answer: even hardened entrepreneurs sometimes feel that there is something indecent about making money out of the suffering of others.

Yet surely it all depends on precisely how one does business.

Meeting a basic need is not in itself immoral. It is, on the contrary, essential that someone does. Indeed, it may be a positive moral good to provide food, shelter, water, healthcare and the like. No one in their right minds would suggest that those who provide these things should not be paid. If they were not, these products and services would be reduced to permanent subsistence level everywhere.

So the farmer who produces the food deserves to be paid. If he happens to be an enterprising and efficient farmer who produces more, and therefore lowers the price to the consumer, he deserves to be paid more.

However, if he reduces production or hoards food in order to drive prices up - which is actually government policy in many Western nations - he is a profiteer.

He is also a bad businessman. If the whole point of getting new customers in bad times is to make more out of them in good times, his exploitation will be remembered and others will make the profits he could have made in the longer term.

Guy Kingston produces and presents the Mind Your Own Business podcast, offering free business advice to entrepreneurs and business owners. As well as audio podcasts there are more articles like this, compelling videos and a must-read blog. All at http://www.myobpod.com or you can network and join in discussions on the MYOB Facebook group http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12117784275

Looking at Aetna Life Insurance

Aetna life insurance is recognized as being one of the nation's leading diversified health care insurance agencies in the United States. An insurance company that got its start in the mid 18th Century, Aetna makes sure that its consumers and policyholder receives adequate health and life insurance coverage.

As a company who prides itself on retrieving numerous amount of information and resources about medical care and medicine, Aetna lives by the following goals called the Aetna Way:

- To aide people in receiving financial security and health stability with affordable premium health care safety

- To put people first with integrity, communication, excellence and quality service

- To gain superior satisfaction from customers

- To obey specific business practices to complete their goals and produce profit

In case an individual would like to partake in other lines of insurance by Aetna, the insurance agency offers the following in health insurance:

- Medical coverage

- Dental coverage

- Behavioral Health coverage

- Long-term Care coverage

- Disability coverage

- Other types

Under Aetna group life insurance, businesses and their employees are able to get adequate coverage and useful information. As a health insurer mostly, Aetna has ample resources and information available to understand the health lifecycle. In addition, Aetna's life insurance coverage is competitive in the insurance industry.

Businesses are also able to receive the following benefits:

- Living Benefits

- End of Life Benefits

- Beneficiary Benefits

Headquartered in Hartford, Conn., Aetna life insurance hires more than 36,000 employees. Anyone wishing to buy life insurance from Aetna should go to their website for more information.

InsuranceAgents.com provides consumers with immediate access to insurance quotes, articles, and comparisons.

Affordable Insurance - If You're Looking For Ways To Cut Down Cost, Here They Are

If you're looking for how to cut down your insurance cost, you've come to the right article. I'll point you to a few tips that will go a long way to bring down your total insurance budget...

1. Registering with an HMO will help lower your health insurance cost. HMOs offer coverage that is far less expensive than regular plans. Nevertheless, registering with an HMO means you are restricted to the use of only doctors, other health care professionals and hospitals that are part of the network.

For folks who want total freedom of choice in whom and where to get health care, a traditional plan is still your best bet.

All you will have to do is do more thorough shopping for traditional health insurance. If you shop right you will spend much less on any plan you choose. But if in your case you are willing to go with the restrictions, then an HMO is a great option for slashing your cost.

2. The pharmaceutical industry has big brand names. You'll raise your costs if you buy big brand name drugs. But did you know that generic drugs are required by law to include the exact same percentage of active ingredients as brand name drugs? Where the differences start and end are in their selections of inactive ingredients.

This simply suggests that what you receive in brand name drugs is the same thing you get from generic drugs of similar specification. Nevertheless, take the time to ask a doctor you can truly trust about this before you settle for any drug.

3. Those who choose to participate in dangerous sports surely attract rates that are costly. Therefore stop any sport or activity that's either life-threatening or risky and you'll enjoy cheaper rates.

4. You'll spend less if you have more knowledge on the subject. Individuals who know more about health care and insurance get better deals. Furthermore, you'll find it easier to get every benefit that you are qualified for if you have access to the right information.

You can get help on health matters from government agencies by calling their number toll-free. One of such numbers is that of the National Health Information Center: 1-800-336-4797

5. That extra weight is costing you more in life and health insurance. Your BMI or Body Mass Index is a very important factor used to calculate your risk to an insurer.

The higher a person's Body Mass Index rating, the more expensive their rates will be. You're overweight for your height and sex if your BMI is high. Now don't wait until when you can lose 30 pounds because dropping as little as 5 pounds can drop you into a lower BMI rating which leads to cheaper rates.

As you do all these don't forget to get and compare quotes from five or more reputable sites. You will save a lot of money on health insurance if you obtain and compare quotes. Each site will take you around 5 minutes or less. (However, ensure you give your correct details as you complete the forms on each site. Giving wrong details will produce misleading results).

When you've received your quotes, compare them to determine which serves your interest best in price/value.

Here are great pages for insurance quotes...

Insurance Quotes

InsureMe Home And Auto Insurance Quotes

Publishers can get unique versions of my articles by following any of the links above. Click on "To Use My Articles" when you get to my site.

Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance.