Owners of growing businesses are an optimistic lot. Despite difficult economic conditions, when the gap between opportunity and adversity is slight, they continue to have an optimistic outlook — for these four reasons:

1. Agility and responsiveness, factors that allow a small business to act quickly in adopting new marketing and customer acquisition strategies

2. Greater availability of talent in a down economy, which enables growing businesses to boost their go-to-market strength

3. Industry predisposition, or the natural inclination of certain types of businesses to experience an increase in demand during an economic slowdown

4. The ability to move ahead with current small business development plans and adopt a more cautious approach toward future plans

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To boost sales, generate leads, and grow market share, experts say, a company must have a business development strategy in place that’s efficient and cost-effective. That only comes through preparation, foresight, and a can-do attitude.

Involving employees at the start of the business development process can be a difference-maker, but it’s a step many companies fail to take, says JP Magill, founder and president of Achilles Group, a human resources consulting firm in Houston. “Employees are smarter than owners often give them credit for,” he notes. “If a business is facing any kind of economic pressure, it’s a good bet the employees are aware of it.”

Adopting a strategic approach to cost management — and sharing that strategy with employees — is also essential to business plan development, no matter how the economy is faring, says Owen Connaughton, founder and president of Creative Mobile Interiors, a Grove City, Ohio, company that modifies motor coaches. “I challenge each employee to eliminate waste, save time and labor, and decrease parts on every project,” he says. “I share my goals with managers of each department and let them develop ways to implement them in their divisions.”

Deborah House, CEO and founder of the Adare Group, a business and profitability consultancy in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., suggests a multipronged business development process to meet the challenges of a struggling economy:

• Have a plan in place, and reevaluate it regularly.

• Innovate. It’s one of the few proven ways to grow revenue, profits, and market share.

• Make it easy for customers to do business with you.

• Focus on productivity.

• Make decisions based on real-time information.

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