What Really Happens to Sales Professionals During a Recession

Economic downturns are inevitable. Yet most sales professionals—whether in real estate, mortgages, financial advising, or insurance—aren't prepared for what happens when the economy contracts.

The Uncomfortable Truth

When revenues decline, companies make cuts. And while sales teams are often protected longer than other departments, the protection doesn't last forever. Here's what typically happens:

1. Territory Consolidation

Companies merge territories and eliminate positions. If you're not a top performer, your book of business gets redistributed to whoever remains. Your clients? They'll never know you left.

2. Commission Structure Changes

Even if you keep your job, commission splits get renegotiated. That 80/20 split you negotiated in boom times? It's now 60/40. Or 50/50.

3. Client Service Degradation

With fewer people handling more accounts, service quality drops. Clients start looking around. And when they do, they ask: "Who can I trust?" Not "which company," but "which person."

The Real Risk Nobody Talks About

Here's what keeps me up at night about recessions and sales careers:

Your clients don't follow you—they follow whoever answers the phone.

When you leave (voluntarily or not), your company doesn't tell your clients. They just reassign your accounts. The new person calls your clients, says "I'm handling your account now," and that's it.

Your relationships? Your years of service? Your late-night calls and weekend emergencies? None of it matters if clients can't find you.

What Separates Survivors from Casualties

The sales professionals who thrive through recessions share one thing: they own their relationships, not just manage them.

They have:

• Direct contact with clients outside company systems
• Personal brands that exist independent of their employer
• Regular touchpoints that maintain relationships beyond transactions
• Authority in their space that transcends their current role

When they move (or get moved), their clients follow—because the relationship was with them, not their business card.

The Time to Prepare is Before You Need It

Waiting until you see the warning signs is too late. By then, you're in reactive mode, and clients sense desperation.

The professionals who weather economic storms start building their personal authority during good times. They create systems that keep them connected to their book of business regardless of employment status.

Because in the end, your book of business isn't really yours unless you own the relationship.

Want to protect your book of business before the next downturn? Learn how to build authority that travels with you, regardless of where you work.