And, based on this, I have come to a conclusion.  We are in irrational panic. People are over-reacting.  People are slashing budgets WAY TOO FAR, and people are slashing necessary heads.

Given that the recession was going on last year, what were you doing then?  Were you slashing budgets?  Or, were you making plans and taking action?  How was last year compared to this year?

And, for your target customers, remember it’s not their entire budget that’s being slashed, it’s just the stuff that isn’t important to their business.

Smarter companies realize that a recession is time to prove your value to the customer, and to aggressively take action.  Advancing companies capture market share and become more visible as a “star” in the dimness of the market. And, they most importantly position themselves more effectively for the time when the “mindset of the market” decides that it’s time to start executing on the backlog of projects.

My plans for 2009 include becoming more aggressive than I’ve been in the last decade (since the last bubble).  What about you?

A downturn is an opportunity, if you’re smart enough, and ballsy enough, to take it.