There were no surprises with how the participants answered this question. Over the years I’ve learned that the economy always does come back and when it does, there are no big announcements, no mass emails, and no midnight phone calls. It just happens. Unfortunately for many salespeople, when the economy turns, it will come as a surprise. Many won’t even notice it’s turned until it’s too late.
It’s important to not let the state of the economy undermine your thinking. Instead, choose to simply not participate in the discussion. In all of my work with clients, I tell them to seek out the opportunities that are there and not to worry about the ones that aren’t. In addition, never give up selling and laying the groundwork with new customers. If you think you can lay back in the weeds and wait for the economy to turn before ramping up your sales efforts, you’ll be too late. I often stress with my clients the need to maintain a high commitment to sales and marketing during this timeframe so they can grab new customers when they do decide to buy. By doing so early in an economic recovery, they’ll be your customers for the duration of the economic boom.
