A good rule of thumb for salespeople is to actively seek out new business relationships, rather than limiting their sales efforts to a dwindling customer base. Sure, leveraging and strengthening an existing customer base is important, but it’s all too easy to become complacent and keep calling on the same customers.

Sometimes the sales relationship has run its course, or the well has simply run dry. In an economic climate like the one we’ve been in lately, your best customer may now be in dire straits because of mergers or downsizing — the salesperson’s timing is off. He’s better off investing his time and efforts on fresh new opportunities.