304: Preparing For Selling During A Recession

<p>“Out of the frying pan into the fire”, seems to be an appropriate descriptor for where we are now.  We have been battered by Covid, or at least many of us have had that unpleasant experience, but now everyone, even those who sailed through Covid, are about to get swept up in to the next recession.  Inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain turmoil, energy supplies being weaponised, the list is long and depressing.  Japan relies on foreign markets and if the USA has a sniffle, Japan catches a cold is another old idea.  So what happens in sales if we find ourselves getting daily cases of covid deaths and infections under control through vaccinations and herd immunity and yet are now in a global recession?</p> <p> </p> <p>Here are some things to think about.</p> <p> </p> <p>Covid may have wiped out some of your rivals.  I couldn’t believe that the Heichinrou Chinese restaurant in Yokohama closed down in May.  It has been serving customers since 1884 and now is gone.  For the other Chinese restaurants who are still in operation in China Town they have seen a major competitor vanquished. The other businesses are still operating and so they have buying needs.  In fact, they may have an uptake in customers who cannot go to Heichinrou anymore and so their sales may pick up. It is a sad day when legendary business names fall, particularly in Japan where corporate longevity is treasured, but that is the capitalist system.  Maybe your rivals are not extinguished entirely but they may be wounded.  They may have fired staff to reduce costs and so their scope of capacity has diminished.  They cannot see as many potential clients as before, but maybe you can see them, because you toughed it out and kept your crew together.</p> <p> </p> <p>Recessions are uneven phenomenon.  Some industries are hit harder than others.  Covid hit tourism, training and hospitality particularly hard, but other industries sailed through the pandemic with barely a flesh wound.  The recession will impact certain industries more than others and