This is a subscriber-only article.

For a limited time, join Entrepreneur+ and save 50% during our Cyber Monday sale. Use code SAVE50.

Join Now

Already have an account?

Sign in
Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Grace Under Fire: How to Prepare Your Sales Pipeline for 2021 2020 has been a kick in the teeth for businesses, but flexibility and agility can help any team bounce back.

By Mark Thacker

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Vladimir Vladimirov | Getty Images

Due to the havoc wreaked by the twin crises of 2020 — the global health emergency and the economic recession — every business has been forced to change the way it approaches sales.

More specifically, the crises completely upended businesses' sales planning. Economies around the world are cautiously reopening, but business in four specific sectors — restaurants, manufacturing, retail, and travel — could face a long and difficult recovery. These industries, which were hardest hit by the recession, could take more than five years to bounce back to previous GDP levels.

Businesses that lacked a flexible contingency operations plan were significantly impacted. It's always easier to establish a plan before there is a problem and make adjustments as you go rather than try to create a plan amid a crisis — or just try to wing it. That said, there are lessons to be learned from those examples that you can apply to your own sales strategy and contingency plan for the future.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Growing a Business

More Than 90% of Startups Don't Make It. This CEO Reveals What It Takes to Not Only Survive — But Thrive.

Learn what it takes to grow a company while also scaling as a leader.

Business Plans

She Wrote An 'Escape Plan' to Quit Her Job and Move to an Island. Now She's There Generating Nearly $300,000 A Year

"My detailed, step-by-step plan on how I would quit my job and move to a Caribbean island."

Business News

A Woman Is Suing a Popular Salad Chain After Allegedly Finding a 'Chopped' Human Finger in Her Bowl

The incident allegedly occurred at a Chop't location in Mount Kisco, New York, on April 7, 2023.

Starting a Business

How Business Community Is Making CEO Life Less Ghastly

People are starting to notice that if you want to get the best out of entrepreneurs, you have to support them. But how?

Business News

Mac Without Cheese? Kraft's Newest Product Is Going Vegan

Kraft is releasing a plant-based version of its iconic Mac & Cheese called "NotMac&Cheese."

Business News

Apple Moves to Sever Ties With Goldman Sachs — Here's What That Means for Apple Card and Savings Holders

The end may be near for one of the most prominent alliances between a technology firm and a banking institution.