When the economy is booming, winning new business can feel effortless, but what about when times are hard? How do the behaviors of buyers and sellers shift?

For doer-sellers and professional services BD pros, navigating economic cycles requires adapting your strategy without falling into common traps—from sacrificing future pipeline during busy periods to exuding desperation when work slows down. In this episode of Breaking BizDev, John and Mark break down how buyer psychology shifts between good and hard times, and share actionable habits to keep your pipeline healthy through every phase of the economic cycle. In this episode, you'll learn:

• How buyer behavior shifts between economic booms and market downturns.
• Why you must avoid the utilization trap during boom times to protect your future pipeline.
• How to build a proactive referral habit while client relationships are thriving.
• Why offering cut-rate loss leaders backfires—and how 3-option tables save margins.
• How to avoid commission breath and lower self-orientation when deals are scarce

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Welcome
02:12 Reading the Market Signals
03:46 Buyer Mindset Shifts
06:59 Biz Dev in Boom Times
16:09 Selling Through Downturns

Past episodes mentioned:

• The Power Of Saying 'No': Turning Down Opportunities May Actually Be a Good Thing
• A Referral Process
• How to Maximize Un-Billable Hours (And Not Squander Them)
• 7 Content Frameworks for Lead Generation
• Looking in the Mirror: How to Be Accountable Even When You Lose
• 3 Option Tables Part I: The Power of Three
• Building Trust At Scale (Without 1,000 Coffee Chats)

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