Selling in a Slow Economy: What’s Working Now vs. Last Year with Amy Traugh
- Amy Traugh
- Oct 1
- 14 min read
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Selling in a Slow Economy: What’s Working Now vs. Last Year
Why Sales Feel Slower Right Now
Have you noticed that your sales have slowed down, even though you’re doing all of the same things that worked last year? You’re not imagining it. The economy has shifted, buyer behavior has shifted, and if you’re not adjusting your sales strategy, you’re going to feel stuck.
But here’s the good news: people are still spending money. The difference is how and why they’re spending. Buyers today are cautious, skeptical, and slower to make decisions. What used to be an automatic yes now takes more proof, more reassurance, and more trust-building.
Let’s walk through three things:
What worked last year but isn’t landing now
What’s working today in this economy
A few simple tactics you can use right away to boost sales
What Worked Last Year (But Isn’t Landing Now)
1. Income-Based Marketing
The “I hit 10K months, and you can too” style of marketing isn’t converting anymore. Buyers are wary of bold income claims, because many have been burned by overpromises that didn’t deliver. These messages now create doubt, not trust.
2. Generic Messaging
Vague promises like “I’ll help you grow your business with strategy and support” used to grab attention. Today, they blend into the sea of sameness. Buyers want specific outcomes, not general promises.
3. Selling Nice-to-Haves
Offers that aren’t tied directly to revenue, savings, or risk reduction are being cut from budgets. If your offer feels like a luxury or “extra,” it won’t be prioritized.
4. Banking on Fast Decisions
Last year, urgency and quick closes worked well. Now, buyers are slower, more cautious, and need multiple touchpoints before they commit.
5. Focusing Only on New Client Acquisition
Relying solely on new leads is harder in today’s market. Acquisition costs are higher and conversion rates are lower. If you’re not also nurturing past clients and encouraging referrals, you’re missing opportunities.
6. Discounts and Price Slashing
Price cuts used to boost sales. Now, they can raise red flags, making buyers question value. Today’s market is more focused on ROI than bargain hunting.
What’s Working Now in Today’s Economy
1. Clear, Practical Outcomes
Buyers want specifics. Instead of selling “coaching calls and workbooks,” show them how those calls will help them close more clients, save hours, or reduce overwhelm. Outcomes sell, not features.
2. Retention and Referrals
Satisfied clients are more likely to renew, upgrade, or send referrals your way. Focusing on retention creates steady revenue without the constant hustle of chasing new leads.
3. Longer Trust-Based Nurturing
Buyers need more touchpoints before saying yes. Keep showing up with value, answer their questions, and give them the confidence that investing with you is the right decision.
4. Positioning Offers as Essentials
Reframe your services as necessary for saving time or money. For example, a VA isn’t just “making life easier”—they’re freeing up 10 hours a week so their client can close more deals.
5. Flexible Selling Options
Offer shorter contracts, payment plans, or lower-barrier entry points without discounting your value. This makes it easier for cautious buyers to commit while maintaining the integrity of your offer.
3 Simple Tactics to Boost Sales Right Now
Reframe Your Offer: Audit your copy. Are you talking about features or results? Make sure your message highlights ROI and efficiency.
Reconnect with Past Clients: Check in with past and current clients. Genuine conversations often lead to unexpected opportunities.
Streamline Your Sales Process: Remove friction. Is it easy to book a call, see pricing, and understand next steps? Buyers won’t push through a confusing process.
The Bottom Line
Sales cycles are slower, but money is still moving. The businesses that thrive in today’s economy are the ones that adapt their messaging, positioning, and approach. By focusing on clarity, retention, and building trust, you can keep growing—even in a slower market.
If you're ready to finally ditch the data drama and create a simple, repeatable process for growth, this is exactly what we do inside Metrics Mastery.
Get started for free at amytraugh.com and let’s build a business that’s backed by strategy, not stress.
Until next time, stop guessing and start growing.
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Transcript for Episode 437. Selling in a Slow Economy: What’s Working Now vs. Last Year
@0:05 - Amy Traugh (Amy Traugh)
Have you noticed that your sales have slowed down over the past few months, even though you're doing all of the same things that worked last year, maybe even worked really well earlier this year?
If so, you're not imagining it. Something interesting happened to me last week. Nearly every single client that I spoke with brought up a similar challenge.
And I thought, well, if all of them are noticing this shift, chances are you're probably feeling it too. So I scrapped the episode that I had planned for this week originally and decided to bring you this one instead.
Because the fact of the matter is that the economy has shifted. Buyer behavior has shifted. And if you're not adjusting your sales strategy, you're going to feel stuck.
But despite how dismal the news is, And social media may make the economy appear. People are still spending money.
But how and why their spending has changed. And that's where the disconnect is happening for so many business owners.
Think back to last year. Buyers were really fast to say yes. They didn't really need much proof or as many touch points.
Those sales cycles were shorter. And things that felt like they were nice to haves, they were still getting purchased.
But when you fast forward to today, buyers are a lot more cautious and skeptical. They're asking more questions, comparing more options.
And generally, they're waiting longer before they make a decision. Because what used to be an automatic yes now requires more proof that they're going to get a return on their investment.
They want that reassurance. They want to see the clear outcomes. So today, let's walk through three. So We're going to talk about what worked last year, but isn't really strongly landing now.
What's working better today in this economy. And then a few simple tactics that you can use right away to boost your sales in a slower economy.
So let's start by talking about the things that worked last year, but aren't necessarily as effective today. And the first of which is income-based marketing.
Now, if you've been here for a while, you know my thoughts on income-based marketing. We see it everywhere. I still see it all the time and it just makes me cringe.
I hit 10k months and you can too. I had a 100k launch. All of these messages, they're taken out of context and they don't land the way that they used to.
And buyers realize this. Why? Well, because a lot of buyers have been burned. They've been burned by coaches, masterminds, courses, things that really over-promise and under-delivered.
And now the disappointment from that experience, it really creates a lot of skepticism. And these bold income claims that are taken out of context, they're triggering doubt instead of trust.
Today's cautious buyers are really looking for specific practical outcomes that they can trust. Not these promises that feel out of reach.
Now, something else that's really not working is generic messaging. And we just did an episode about this last week.
And these vague promises, they really start to blend into the sea of sameness. Things like, I'll help you grow your business with strategy and support.
Like that used to grab attention, right? Back in 2020, especially, like everybody's like, okay, how can I do this?
Well, vague promises aren't really converting anymore. Buyers really... So the more specific and tailored you can be, the more you'll stand out amongst the sea of sameness in a cautious marketplace.
Next up, selling nice-to-haves. Last year, offers that made business or life easier but weren't directly tied to revenue, savings, or risk reduction, those still sold.
I'm talking things like design refreshes, secondary tools, confidence boosters, all those things. But now buyers are saying, do I really need this?
It's kind of a nice-to-have. And they're cutting those nice-to-have things off their budget list and focusing only what they see as essential right now because they're trying to stay afloat too.
So your offer falls into that optional bucket. Your job is to really... Your really... Dig into your messaging to reframe it so it clearly connects to money or time because people view those things as essential to survival.
Up next, banking on fast decisions. Last year, buyers moved quickly. They really weren't second guessing everything and urgency messaging really worked well.
Now the same person, because they're skeptical, like we talked about earlier, they might need to sleep on it. They might have to ask their spouse.
They might be comparing your offer to other offers that are very similar before committing. And the sales cycles are longer.
It's just a reality and it's not a reflection of your skills. This is just buyer caution right now. And if you're still expecting this fast close rate, it can
Really start to feel like you're doing something wrong, but really the timeline has just shifted. Another thing that really, really worked well last year was an emphasis on client acquisition.
You know, when leads are coming in, you have that full pipeline, focusing mostly on new client acquisition. It makes sense, right?
Because there's enough volume in the market to keep your pipeline full. But when buyers are holding onto their wallets more tightly and acquisition costs are higher, conversion rates are lower, businesses that are only focusing on getting new leads are struggling.
But when you remember that, hey, if you nurture those people that are already in your world, re-engage with past clients, and turn satisfied customers into referral sources, the opportunity is endless.
It's absolutely incredible what can happen. And finally, something that worked last year, relying on discounts. Half the time, it ends up feeling like a 90s infomercial.
But wait, there's more. We see all this price slashing. All of these tactics were done all the time. And that may have gotten you yeses in the past.
But in today's economy, discounts like this can actually start to raise some red flags because people go, why? Why is this so much cheaper?
Is it less valuable? Maybe I should actually wait for a bigger sale. Maybe I'll just wait till Black Friday.
But today's buyers really want to know, again, what's that return on investment? How will this help me grow or save me money?
And while all these tactics aren't necessarily bad, they've just kind of lost their edge in the current climate that we're living in.
So if your strategy leans too heavily into these, you'll feel the slowdown. harder than those that are adapting because buyers want to feel confident that your offer is worth the investment and then they won't walk away burned like they may have in the past.
So if these things aren't working, what is working right now in this economy? Well, number one, clear, practical outcomes.
Buyers want specifics. Instead of saying something like, you know, the income-based marketing, I will help you hit 10K months.
Well, show them exactly what they're going to walk away with. Will they have a streamlined process, a content system that saves them hours, a way to finally close leads effortlessly?
These are the kinds of outcomes that feel specific, believable, and valuable because they want to know if I invest, will it help me make or save money?
It's less about the bells and whistles. We want to make them feel like this time is different because I see exactly how this will help me and I know that it will deliver.
Number two, focus in on the retention and referrals because looking for clients in a slow economy, it can really feel like pulling teeth.
I'm not saying stop lead generation altogether, but really start to get curious and double down with the people that are already in your world because your satisfied clients are more likely to renew.
They're more likely to upsell into a higher package or refer others to you. Retention is one of those gaps that creates steady revenue without the constant pressure of chasing.
It's gold. There's so much stability in there right now. So don't forget about retention and referrals. Number three. Three, longer trust-based nurturing with personal touches.
This is what's going to make you stand apart. Today's buyers, they just need more touch points before they're ready to commit.
It's, again, it's a fact. But this doesn't mean that you're harassing them. It doesn't mean that you're DMing them every single way.
It just means that you're consistently showing up with valuable content, that you're answering their questions honestly, and that you're giving them the space so that they feel confident in their decision.
Because when people are uncertain, they hesitate. But when we start to show them how, how it works for them and really make it personal by just being genuine, it really starts to humanize your brand.
People buy from people. And that trust is essential. When you are so confident in your offer, they feel it.
That builds trust. Next, we have positioning. Positioning your offer as essential. Again, if we're just selling those nice extras, people don't have the budget for it.
But if we frame them as support that will save them time, save them money, that they can't afford to pass it up, it works.
The solopreneurs that are thriving right now are the ones that have reframed their offers to sound like essentials. So what does this mean?
So let's take a VA, for example. A VA isn't just making life easier. They're freeing up 10 hours a week so that you can spend time closing clients instead of getting buried in admin, which feels more essential.
Making life easier or freeing up 10 hours a week so I don't have to do all this admin stuff.
It works. And lastly, consider being flexible in how you sell because buyers may want your solution. They may really want to invest with you.
But sometimes the size of the commitment can feel overwhelming. Again, especially if they've been burned in the past. So what if you tried offering a shorter contract, a different payment plan, or a very low barrier entry into your world?
We're not discounting your value. We're just lowering the barrier to entry while maintaining the integrity of your offer. So a lot of times I'll do just a quick flash sale.
You know, I don't always offer a la carte strategy sessions, but once in a while, if I have extra time in my schedule, I'll open them up for a week.
You could be like, hey, you know, do you want to grab one of these for this rate? And it works because then what happens?
They're more likely then to invest with me because they got a taste of the transformation. So now that we've nailed that down, let's talk about what you can do today to boost your sales, even in a slow economy.
Well, first, I want you to start by really digging into your offer. I want you to reframe your offer so it feels essential and highlights that return on investment and efficiency because this is the biggest shift you can make.
Right now, buyers want to know how your offer directly impacts their bottom line. So look at your website, sales page, Instagram, any content that you're putting out there.
Look at it with curiosity. Put yourself... in the shoes of your ideal client. You know, are you talking about the features or are you talking about the results?
So something that we could talk about with features would be like weekly calls, workbooks, Slack channels, or the results.
Like close more clients from the leads that you already have. Save time. Reduce overwhelm. Buyers really could care less about how you deliver and more about what changes.
Once they work with you, update your copy to make that crystal clear. Here's another example. An old way of saying it could be, I help you create a beautiful website so that your brand stands out.
Okay. I mean, it's not bad, but what if we said something along the lines of, I help you create a website that turns visitors into paying clients so you're not losing sales opportunities.
Do you see the difference there? It's the the the Same service, but one feels like a luxury and the other one actually feels like a revenue generator.
So take 10 minutes today, audit your offers, ask yourself, would my ideal client see this as essential right now or optional?
And then adjust your language. And if you're having trouble, brainstorm a chat GPT. I brainstorm all of the time with it and see what sounds best.
And then ask people, ask people that have nothing to do with your industry, what they think. I'm always asking friends of mine.
I'm asking my husband. I'm asking my kids. I really want those different perspectives. So number two, what can you do?
Proactively connect with your past and current clients. Because chasing new leads, it's time consuming. It's expensive, especially when your budget's tight.
So go back to the people who are already in your world and just check in with them. Not pitching them, just genuine like, hey, how have you been doing?
Is there anything I can do to support you right now? And these conversations often open the gates for so many things, for so many opportunities that you never even see if you hadn't taken the time to have a conversation.
So take the time to connect. Number three, try out different flexible payment options without undercutting your value. Buyers are curious.
They're not broke. Sometimes the hesitation is just about that commitment, again, because of the skepticism. So what if you tried a shorter contract length or a starter version of your service or added a payment plan in so that the
What we want to do is not discount our services. We just want to remove that friction that's keeping someone to say yes.
And along with that, we really want to make sure that the path to purchase is simple. Because if it's complicated, buyers are going to stop somewhere in your sales process.
So it's so important, again, that you're curious. You put yourself in your client's shoes and you go through your sales process as if you were a client.
Is it easy to book a call with you? Do they understand your offer within the first two minutes? Are you giving the information that they need, like pricing, what they can expect, next steps?
Or are they having to dig for it? We really want a streamlined sales process because it removes confusion, builds confidence, and really makes it easy to say yes.
Because your goal is not to convince someone to... spend money, especially right now. Your goal is to help them feel certain that investing money with you is the best decision they can make right now.
At the end of the day, I really want you to remember that people are still spending money, but they're just doing it a little bit differently.
And the way you sold last year may not be landing the same way with your ideal clients right now, and that's okay.
It doesn't mean that you have to burn everything down or start over. It simply means that, okay, buyers are more cautious, and your job is to meet them right where they are today.
A lot of times it's these few little adjustments that create the biggest impact. Because the businesses that thrive in slower economies are the ones that adapt, not the ones that keep doing the same thing over and over and over because it used to work.
And expecting different results, right? That's the definition of insanity. So when you get curious and you lean into what's working for you right now, you will grow sustainably no matter what type of economy we are in.
Your metrics will show you exactly where these wins are happening. They will give you that zoomed out objective view as to what's working.
Your sales cycle, that whole overview of it, double down on what's working for you. So if you have been noticing that your sales are slow, don't panic.
It's just a signal to adjust, check your messaging, and make sure your audience sees why your offer is worth it right now.
Because money is still moving and it can move your way. If this episode resonated with you, this is exactly what I love, helping clients.
with inside my signature program, Metrics Mastery, and working one-on-one. You can get started for free at amytraugh.com. And until next time, stop guessing and start growing.
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