• Maintaining sales and income as much as possible in the current environment. Be very careful to differentiate between crucial advertising that brings in business and that which doesn’t. Ask customers how they heard of you. Offer coupons that must be brought in so you know the source of the customer. Record the answers and use it to manage your advertising budget. In addition, use your sales records to rank your reps and assign territories. Know who needs to improve their performance, and help them increase their achievements if you can. Or, cut them, if you must. In a recession, the survival of your business may be at stakes. Examine closely the functions of the other employees. In a recession you may be forced to retain only key employees. Be ready, have the decisions made ahead of time and hope the day never happens.