The economy is always in a state of flux. While there are stable and unstable times, there is never a moment when the market isn’t moving. When the market spikes, business owners and investors can always expect it to drop again.

For large companies, these small fluctuations aren’t a huge issue. However, if you run a small business, even the smallest recession can put you in danger. Rather than leaving your business vulnerable, here are three ways you can protect your start-up during a recession.

Monitor Your Spending

The first way to help your small business survive a recession is by monitoring your spending. If you constantly have money going out but don’t have much coming in, your business will have a tough time staying afloat. To combat this, it’s crucial to set up a budget and stick to it religiously. While you likely have a budget that you’ve been using, you may need to adjust it to accommodate for the recession. 

Along with monitoring your spending, you may need to bring in some additional capital to make up for what the economic downturn is costing you. If you aren’t seeing many sales, getting a small business loan or grant can help you out until the economy is back on its feet. These aid packages are designed for people like you; they’ll help you stay afloat while your sales and income are low so you can keep production and marketing going. Once your small business is back on the up and up, you can pay your loan back and stay firmly in the black.

Improve Customer Relations

The second way you can protect your small business during a recession is by improving customer relations. Your clients are the key to your company’s success, both in and out of an economic downturn. If they aren’t happy, you won’t see profits rolling in. By focusing on customer service during a recession, you can help ensure you get as much business as possible, even without money flowing through the economy like normal. 

When your business prioritizes customer service and feedback, you set your company and products a step above your competitors’. While you may be selling the exact same product or service, the personal touch will help market your small business as the superior choice. Customers will want to purchase from you rather than a different company because you’ve built a rapport with them. 

Along those lines, make sure you build relationships with the clients you have. Offer loyalty reward programs, such as punch cards or special discounts. There should be some kind of incentive that keeps people returning to your small business instead of running to your competition. By optimizing your customer service, you can keep income flowing through your doors despite the recession. 

Find Your Niche

The third way to keep your small business afloat during a recession is by finding your niche. While you can explore research and development opportunities when the economy is on an upswing, there is a much lower ability to do that during a recession. If your funding is going toward R & D, you’ll quickly lose the savings you have and end up in the red. Rather than potentially putting your small business in danger, focus on the core values and products you’re known for. 

For example, if your small business produces candles and wax melts, the recession isn’t the best time to try and introduce a line of soap. While there may be some success in selling the products, there’s no guarantee that your investment will see a return. That risk simply isn’t worth it mid-recession. Instead of leaving your capital at risk, focus on what you’re good at. Make new scents of candles, update your packaging, Make new scents of candles, update your packaging, focus on eco-friendly packaging for small businesses, and keep marketing. When you have a good niche, use that to your advantage during a recession. 

To sum things up, a recession doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your small business. While things may be tight and stressful for a few months, your brand can make it through stronger.