Most companies entering a period of slow growth or recession run for cover. In other words, they make sure that they batten down the hatches and restrict cost intensive activities as far as possible. This also impacts how they run sales. Companies tend to downsize the sales force based on the argument that sales are bound to take a knock during the recession. All sounds good and logical. However, what if you were to take different approach? What if you were to decide that a recessionary period is in fact a good time to shift market share; a good time to expand contacts and a good time to redefine value in the face of what difficulties most companies will face in a downturn? Companies that make a firm decision to use the opportunity presented by the environment may want to follow a process to make sure that they can optimise what they do during the downturn, to capitalize on the opportunities that may still be out there.

1. What if you
Selling in a Downturn
were to decide
that a downturn
in the economy Werner Hess
is in fact a great
opportunity to
grow market
share?
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

2. Introduction
Newcomers to the sales environment may perceive the sales
Most companies entering a period of slow growth or recession run for cover. In other
words, they make sure that they batten down the hatches and restrict cost intensive
activities as far as possible. This also impacts how they run sales. Companies tend to
downsize the sales force based on the argument that sales are bound to take a knock during
the recession. All sounds good and logical. However, what if you were to take different
approach? What if you were to decide that a recessionary period is in fact a good time to
shift market share; a good time to expand contacts and a good time to redefine value in the
face of what difficulties most companies will face in a downturn? Companies that make a
firm decision to use the opportunity presented by the environment may want to follow a
process to make sure that they can optimise what they do during the downturn, to
capitalize on the opportunities that may still be out there.
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

3. Review current revenue streams
Do a thorough analysis of the past period’s revenue stream composition in terms of;
1. New business (Acquisition)
2. Cross Selling ( Penetration)
3. Keeping existing revenue streams flowing ( Retention)
4. New product introductions (NPI)
An analysis may reveal shifts in your revenue generation patterns that
may just expose opportunities you weren’t expecting to be there. The
opportunities defined as acquisition, may present itself when
competitors are struggling to stay afloat in the current market. A quick
A Revenue
analysis of competitors and their relative positions in the market may Stream
throw out some opportunities that you may want to target in the event
of a competitor cutting service levels or going out of business. analysis may
Cross selling always presents opportunities. With the sales team lead to some
perhaps now entering a phase of relatively low activity levels, the
opportunities for cross selling and selling more product to existing
unexpected
customers may deliver better results than when the sales funnels are in opportunities
full swing and all the focus is on new business.
It may also be the right time to revisit the new product introduction
pipeline to evaluate whether there are opportunities to introduce more
productive products and solutions (less input for more output) to the
market. The market may show its readiness for your specific
productivity focused solutions, in a market where cost and performance
are paramount.
Finally, you need to build walls around your current customer base, to make sure that
someone else hasn’t read this article and goes on the prowl for new business within your
customer base. Customer retention is paramount in a downturn.
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

4. Refocus on segmentation
It a good idea to sit down with your sales teams and analyse the current market segments
that you are operating in and whether there are market segments that could be attractive
to you in a downturn scenario. Think of those segments that were out of reach because of
brand and image preferences, where now in a tight economy, companies may be looking for
better value. Many segments may be downsizing and this presents opportunities for
differentiated products. Re-visit your market segments served and identify segments that
may now be more attractive to you, given the economic climate.
Review
segmentation
in line with the
current
economy
Refocus on and re-evaluate needs segments
As a result of the downturn, your existing segments may also provide new opportunities for
a different approach and tailored offerings. Make sure that when you redefine needs in
particular segments that you re-think the entire segment. What will companies in specific
segments be doing differently in a down turn? What new needs sets may arise as a result of
the poor economy? How could we define the needs and tailor offerings that are aligned
with the newly discovered needs sets?
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

5. Re-Define Targets based on newly defined needs
When you have been able to isolate sets of newly defined needs, how will your market
targeting change? Will there be additional companies that you should be
talking to in regard to newly defined needs? You need to re-define your
target market (target customers) and go out into the market to validate the
possible new needs structures emerging. New companies that you will be You may
talking to automatically become new prospects. New prospects will open
new opportunities.
surprise
yourself…
Having
defined
new
targets
based on
newly
defined
needs sets,
you may
revise
targets
Re-focus your value propositions
UPWARDS!
Value in a growing economy is defined differently to when times are tough.
People are looking for different, higher value, higher productivity solutions that will help
them survive the slowdown. Once you have defined new offerings, make sure that your
value propositions are re-aligned and that they address the issues of the day. This may even
apply to existing business, where you want to be seen as being responsive to customer
needs.
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

6. Re-activate Opportunities
While sifting through the data base of potentially new
opportunities, make sure that you also identify past It’s a great time
opportunities and past contacts that never
materialised in any business and revisit the reasons to re-visit some
for loosing those deals. The lost opportunities (if you
maintained the contact) are still “open doors” and of your old
you may want to make use of the opportunity of
paying those contacts a visit to re-evaluate connections
opportunities within that base. Entry should be easy,
as you already have the contacts.
Trawl your data
base for some
new
opportunities
within older
contacts
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

7. Re-define value
In good times, companies strive to do business within a certain value range. Many
companies would place a “deal-size” qualifier in place to qualify potential new deals, in
order to maximize sales in a buoyant market. In a down economy, you may want to revisit
all the limits that you have set-up from a value point of view and enable your sales people to
go after more, perhaps smaller deals, to keep the deal flow positive.
Re-think your sales strategy
Most companies in the current down-economy will be re-jigging their sales force
deployment numbers and re-evaluate marginal territories. While this is something that you
need to do as well, you may also want to consider beefing up your sales force and enter
opportunities that were unattractive in the past. Re-thinking your go to market model, your
competitive landscape and your competitive position may open up doors that were shut in
the past.
Re-energise your sales force
Sales people very quickly fall into the “economic downturn” trap and they start believing
that sales will suffer. They can talk themselves into a downward spiral. Truth is sales people
who are out there taking more of the less that is available in the market place really
succeeded against all odds. Your sales team should be in predatory mode, looking for and
chasing down new opportunities, while your competitors waste their time lamenting the
negative state of affairs
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

8. Re-cover lost ground
Part of your evaluation should be to look out for areas where you have lost ground to
competitors in the past. This often happens when companies are successful and they don’t
really notice that that are losing ground in specific geographic areas or within certain
product categories or with specific customers. What you need to be doing is to brain storm
lost ground with your sales teams and decide whether you need to up your activities in
areas where you have lost out to competitors.
Re-engineer your sales process
With a recession at hand, buying patterns and buying behaviours would change to suit the
mood of the economy. Make sure that your sales process mirrors the reality and seeks out
opportunities in new and innovative ways. You may have to adjust the amount of empathy
you use to find common ground or you may need to be much more consultative in terms of
understanding needs, opportunities and value perceptions. Also make sure that you use
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

9. plenty of early warning systems (cancellation red flags – opportunity spotting – reduction
requests etc) so that you can react and renegotiate, rather than loose the business.
Finally….
A downturn in economic activity should bring out the best in your sales teams. Sales people
are at the ready to try new ideas and approaches and companies should turn adversity into
opportunity! It’s a winning strategy in a down economy!
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

10. About Carpedia Consulting…
Carpedia Consulting is an internationally relevant management consultancy firm, dedicated
to assisting clients to improve sales and profits through the implementation of improvement
programs. Our approach is what makes us unique. The way we design, develop and execute
our programs is hands-on, solutions-based and excellence driven.
Our programs are customized to the needs of your organisation and are designed to ensure
significant and sustainable improvements are made both internally and externally – by the
sales team, for the customer.
www.carpedia.co.za
About Werner Hess…
Werner Hess has spent 20 years of his career in various sales, marketing and leadership
positions with Bayer, Triad Electronics, GE and GE Plastics before serving as managing
director of GE Plastics and Polymerland. Werner’s first experience in the world of consulting
came about when he joined Proudfoot Consulting as Director of Business Development,
which included several international assignments in Europe and the USA, leading sales
effectiveness projects for global clients. Werner’s current company, Carpedia Consulting is
a specialist niche consultancy focused on sales and profit improvement.
Werner’s latest book, The Science of Selling has just been published and reveals
approaches, systems and processes that can be implemented to create a successful sales
platform.
Werner can be reached on: whess@carpedia.co.za
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn

11. Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd
PO Box 1701
GALLO Manor
2052
Building 2
Country Club Estates
Woodlands Drive
Woodmead
Sandton
South Africa
Tel: 27-11 – 258-8813
Fax: 27-11- 258-8511
Mob: 27-82-888-0228
Email: info@carpedia.co.za
www.carpedia.co.za
Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd – www.carpedia.co.za – Selling in Downturn