I've been noticing more and more comments that try to squeeze a little optimism out of bad situations. 

I fully expect to hear someone say, "Wasn't February a Great month?  With fewer days, I lost less money than in January."

When you hear that, you know people are really tired of bad news.  They're desperate for something positive, even if it's a stretch.  I'm not sure whether that's a prelude to prosperity or a sign businesses are about to throw in the towel.

Let's pretend the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a locomotive about to run you over.  It's been so long since we've been on an upward path, perhaps we should do a quick review of what to when you have new opportunities.  Even if happy days aren't just around the corner for everyone, perhaps they are for you.

• Wake up Your Team.  In a recession, the winter-like blues can sink in and remain long into a potential recovery.  Your team gets lethargic.  If you want energy, you have to shake them up.  When boom times were ending, you may have shaken up your team by scaring the daylights out of them.  Try the reverse, if you think you're on the verge of new opportunities.  Get them in a positive mind set.  Get them looking for opportunities more aggressively.  While it's theoretically possible that opportunities will walk in the door and hit them in the head, it's not likely.  Get your team out looking again.  Your sales team may have been turned down by 100 customers.  They've got to overcome that for the next round.
  
• Wake up Your Customers.  In this economy, you've got to have a compelling story to sell anything.  Customers won't part with cash, unless they either absolutely have to or you can help them make more money.  So, you have to know your customers' businesses well enough to know how you can help them make money.  Others will be trying the same tactic.  To be convincing, you have to know and communicate the details.  Saying you can help a customer save money, won't work as well as providing a detailed project plan that makes shows how you can help them achieve dramatic cost savings.  Invest the time to do this.
  
• Know You Competitors' Problems.  If your business is hurting, your competitors also have problems.  They have probably cut back on staff, inventory, sales budgets and other resources.  Some companies have cut back more than they should have.  They cut muscle and bone, not just their fat.  Maybe their customers are underserved and feeling unloved.  Focus on finding ways to turn their problems into your opportunity.

The best way to say something positive is to do something positive.

For further information regarding the issues described above, please contact James F. Verdonik.