284: Mentally Preparing For The Coming Economic Recession

<p>A bloody war in the Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, global oil and gas prices surging, grains in short supply driving up food costs, rare metals shortages, inflation taking right off, increased spending on guns rather than butter – none of this looks good.  By the way, did I mention we have a world Omicron virus variant pandemic raging still, while 25% of Americans are unvaccinated and 42% of the US population are obese.  Even non-academic, totally amateur economic observers like me, can see the signs of a world about to tip into a recession.  If you are in sales, this can’t be making you more sanguine about the future.</p> <p> </p> <p>For many of us in Japan, the pandemic has torn through our industries like one of those mid-western American tornedos you see on the news. They lay waste to everything in their path, yet miraculously spare some houses in the same street, while totally obliterating the others.  Some industries have sailed through Covid but most others are on the ropes, looking for an end to the bout, so that the pain will cease.</p> <p> </p> <p>Buyers working remotely during the pandemic and emergency declarations have made networking almost impossible, as has been contacting them to start a business conversation.  In my experience, the Japanese glass of water is always half-empty and any excuse to do nothing is seized upon, like a drowning man grabbing a life-preserver.  “Doing nothing” means not buying from us.  Any hint of trouble and the faucet for various areas of spending is immediately turned off.  How do you sell in such a hostile environment?</p> <p> </p> <p>“With great difficulty”, I would venture and it is likely to get worse over the course of the next year or so.  The impact on our salesperson mindset is going to be extremely negative, unless we take steps now to bolster ourselves and prepare for “winter is coming”.  Great advice, a wonderful homily, a passionate declamation or more hot air and by the way, so what?</p> <p> </p> <p>Here are a couple of tools to use to steady our mindset