Why Now is the Time to Double Down on Sales Performance
Spring 2025 isn’t exactly coming up roses for most businesses.
The conversations I’m having with CEOs and sales leaders right now have a common theme:
💥 Budgets are tighter.
💥 Decisions are slower.
💥 Buyers are more cautious.
💥 Teams are stretched thin.
And yet—amid the uncertainty, I see something else.
A pattern I’ve lived through more than once in my 25+ years in sales.
When the economy gets wobbly, the best sales teams don’t pause.
They push.
The Worst Thing You Can Do Right Now? Freeze.
When business feels fragile, it’s tempting to circle the wagons. You might find yourself thinking:
“Let’s wait until things settle down.”
“Maybe we should postpone that sales hire.”
“Let’s cut back on training until the market picks up.”
I get it. These moves feel safe. But they’re risky in disguise.
Because sales doesn’t stop.
And the companies who pull back now will absolutely feel it in Q3 and Q4.
Strong Sales Performance is Your Best Insurance Policy
What separates companies that grow in tough times from those that stall?
It’s not luck.
It’s not a flashy product.
It’s not who you know.
👉 It’s discipline.
Top-performing sales teams keep showing up. They stay consistent. They don’t let a slower economy become an excuse—they use it as motivation to tighten up their process and do better.
And most importantly, they measure what matters.
Here's What That Looks Like in Practice:
If you’re leading a team—or managing sales alongside everything else—now is the time to lock in your focus and reinforce the basics:
✅ 1. Set Weekly Activity Targets
Don’t just hope your team is being productive—track it.
Set clear, realistic weekly goals for:
Calls made
Emails sent
New leads generated
Meetings booked
Activity breeds results. Especially now.
✅ 2. Follow Up on Every Lead
So many deals are left to die in inboxes.
If someone showed interest before? Circle back.
The economy may have changed—but that doesn’t mean the need went away. Often, prospects are just waiting for the right nudge.
✅ 3. Hold Meaningful Performance Check-Ins
This is a big one.
If your 1-on-1s sound like:
“How’s everything going?” “Any updates on your pipeline?” …then it’s time to upgrade.
Use structured performance check-ins—like the ones from the Sales Management Toolkit™️—to guide conversations that actually drive improvement.
Make sure each check-in covers:
Specific goals vs. actual results
Win/loss debriefs
Pipeline roadblocks
Next steps
Your reps will leave clear-headed, motivated, and more accountable.
Leading Through Uncertainty is Still Leading
The best sales leaders I know aren’t reactive—they’re proactive.
They don’t let market conditions dictate their outcomes. They adjust, but they keep moving forward.
And they hold their teams to that same standard.
So if your gut is telling you to pull back… consider this your nudge to do the opposite.
Double down on performance.
Support your team with structure.
Stay close to your numbers.
Keep your pipeline active.
There’s still business to be won.
And the teams who go after it—strategically, consistently, and with discipline—are the ones who will thrive on the other side of this.
💬 Want help implementing a more consistent and accountable sales structure?
Let’s talk.
Or check out the full Performance Section inside the Sales Management Toolkit™️ for tools, templates, and techniques to drive results—no matter the economy.
If you are an “accident” sales leader and need leadership advice? Click here.