I've said it... the "R" word.  There is one going on right now.  If you aren't yet feeling the early symptoms - be grateful. 

Here are some early plans you can put in place to ensure that your business does its best to survive.  I am starting with Lead Generation.  This is the earliest part of the business development cycle where your marketing communications have attracted a prospect to begin a conversation with your company.

1. Eliminate prospects who won't buy from your pipeline
2. Qualify your leads very carefully - ask golden questions, listen twice as much as you speak
3. Get the remaining prospects to acknowledge that they have a need
4. Nurture these prospects.  One response is not enough. 
5. Build a relationship with the prospects - it will take at least 3 "touches" to convert
6. Plan for a longer lead cycle
7. Manage the hand-off between sales and marketing carefully.  Writ large this means a weekly discussion with all parties involved in Biz Dev planning exactly what to do with every lead and understanding who will do what, when to whom. Micro-manage this in a recession.
8. Track your metrics - the % of opportunities that become clients.  This number will change and you need to be on top of what is influencing that change.

Let me know how you get on.