Now try this on for size...less than 50% of today's business-to-business salespersons have ever sold during an economic downturn. ...........

So what's the plan? What are the selling strategies and tactics for a reeling economy? Maybe it is best to start with what not to do. Here are a few misconceptions and time-tested action items that don't work in tough times:

• Pumping-up the volume of client calls
• Selling "harder" and pushing buyers
• Lowering prices
• Cranking out more proposals
• Doing more demos
• Giving more presentations
• Prospecting and making more cold calls

There is nothing wrong with ramping-up any of these selling activities. Keeping the pipe filled with prospects, hustling and working hard has always produced bottom line results. And, if you sell low- value products on a one-time basis--just go with the above action items. But, history tells us that these activities prove to be less productive for more complex, consultative selling environments. Why? There are lots of reasons, but the key one is that buying cycles in economic downturns take up to 40% longer. Pushing your clients and prospects produces anger and resentment. Besides, it makes you look needy and desperate. So, don't count on amping-up selling activities or price-cutting as a means for generating new business in tough times. It just doesn't fly.

There is a smart alternative, however, and it focuses on less being more. The tough times in the late '80s provide lessons worth of review today. Research shows that unsuccessful salespersons focused on MORE....calls, deals, prospecting, etc. They chased every opportunity--however small. They were busy, they were fired-up and they were ineffective. The average value of each of their sales actually fell. They relentlessly burned themselves and their clients out-- toast for two.