When economic uncertainty hits, most companies reach for the same playbook: cut headcount first, ask questions later. It's a knee-jerk reaction that feels logical in the moment but often creates more problems than it solves. What if there was a better way?
Lisa Honaker, Vice President of Account Management at Actabl with over 20 years of experience leading sales teams at companies like FedEx and Highspot, has a different perspective. In her view, the path through a downturn isn't about slashing your team—it's about investing in them smarter.
In this article, we'll explore Lisa's four-pillar approach to navigating tough economic times without treating people as disposable assets.
According to Lisa, when economic pressure mounts, the C-suite playbook rarely changes. The first move is almost always the same: reduce headcount to cut costs. The thinking goes, "If we reduce spend, we'll survive."
But here's what that mindset misses: while money can be re-earned, the damage to team morale and trust cannot be easily repaired. "Money can be re-earned. But rifts? They destroy lives," Lisa explains. When you treat people as expendable line items on a spreadsheet, you create fear across the entire organization. The survivors aren't relieved—they're anxious, wondering if they're next.
This fear-based approach doesn't just hurt morale. It destroys the very foundation you need to sell through a downturn: confidence, trust, and relationships. Your sales reps can't project confidence to prospects when they're worried about their own job security. They can't build authentic relationships when they're in survival mode.
Instead of defaulting to cuts, Lisa advocates for a fundamentally different approach. Rather than treating your team as disposable, focus your energy on four key areas that actually improve sales performance during challenging times:
Let's dive into each pillar and explore how you can implement these strategies in your own organization.
One of the most common mistakes companies make is treating all sales reps the same when it comes to training and enablement. But as Lisa points out, pre-sales acquisition skills are fundamentally different from post-sales retention skills.
The hunters who excel at opening new doors and closing first deals often struggle with the long-term relationship management required for account expansion. Conversely, farmers who shine at nurturing existing relationships and identifying upsell opportunities may feel uncomfortable with the aggressive prospecting required for new business.
Lisa recommends separating your training programs to reflect these different skill sets. Here's how to implement this approach:
For pre-sales teams, focus your training on:
For post-sales teams, concentrate on:
By customizing your enablement programs, you ensure that each sales rep is learning skills directly relevant to their daily responsibilities. This targeted approach makes training more effective and helps sales people see immediate improvements in their performance.
As selling becomes increasingly difficult during downturns, buyers become more selective and less patient with generic pitches. They're overwhelmed by aggressive outreach and cookie-cutter sales decks that could apply to anyone.
Lisa emphasizes that in today's environment, sales reps must do their homework before every single call. This isn't optional anymore—it's table stakes. The good news? We now have AI tools that make comprehensive research faster and more accessible than ever.
Train your sales reps to complete these research steps before each call:
This level of preparation transforms your sales reps from product pushers into informed consultants. When you demonstrate that you've done your homework, prospects are far more willing to engage in meaningful conversations.
In a downturn, buyers are bombarded with aggressive outreach and transactional pitches. Everyone is trying to close deals faster and hit numbers. This creates an enormous opportunity for sales reps who take a different approach.
Lisa's insight here is powerful: turn your sales reps into trusted advisors instead of quota-carrying vendors. This means fundamentally shifting how your team thinks about customer interactions.
Perhaps Lisa's most powerful insight is also the simplest: when people do what they love, they perform better. When they perform better, you don't need to cut them.
This seems obvious, yet how many sales organizations actually assess whether their reps are in roles that align with their natural strengths and interests? Too often, companies slot people into positions based on availability or tenure rather than fit.
All four of these strategies stem from a fundamental shift in how you think about your team during economic uncertainty. Lisa challenges leaders to ask themselves a critical question before making any decision:
"Am I balancing the desire to grow with protecting the people who will help me grow?"
This question reframes the entire conversation. Instead of viewing your team as a cost center to be minimized, you recognize them as the engine that will drive your recovery and future growth.
Lisa's perspective on this is refreshingly clear. Your team earns their job daily through performance—there's no question about that. But you, as a leader, earn their loyalty by protecting them in hard times. This reciprocal relationship builds the kind of trust and commitment that carries organizations through downturns and positions them to capture opportunities when markets improve.
Before you reach for the layoff list, think a little longer. Consider whether you've truly exhausted every option to help your existing team perform better. Have you tailored your training? Have you taught them to research deeply? Have you positioned them as trusted advisors? Have you put them in roles where they can thrive?
If you haven't done these things, you're not facing a headcount problem—you're facing a leadership problem. And that's actually good news, because it means the solution is in your hands.
Selling through a downturn without cutting your team isn't just possible—it's preferable. Lisa's four-pillar approach offers a roadmap that respects both business realities and human dignity:
These strategies require investment, intentionality, and patience. They're harder than simply cutting headcount. But they work—not just to survive downturns, but to emerge stronger on the other side.
In this episode of SellMeThisPen Podcast, Michael and Lisa discuss practical strategies for navigating economic downturns without resorting to layoffs, how to build trust-based relationships with potential clients, and why putting people in roles they love creates a performance multiplier effect that benefits everyone.
Lisa Honaker is the Vice President of Account Management at Actabl, bringing over 20 years of experience in sales, account management, and customer success leadership. She has led high-performing teams at major companies including FedEx and Highspot, and she's passionate about building people-first sales organizations that deliver results without sacrificing team culture.
