getty An economic downturn can be a difficult time for any company. During a downturn, consumers tend to spend less money, resulting in downward pressure on prices, sales cycles getting longer and fiercer competition. All these developments can lead to a decrease in revenue and profitability as well as a higher risk of going out of business for many companies. However, with the right strategies in place, a company cannot only survive but flourish during such a period. Here are 10 tips that can help a company stay afloat and come out stronger on the other side. 1. Optimize your operations and P&L. One of the first things a company should do during an economic downturn is to take a hard look at its income statement and consider optimizing its operations. This can include reducing some expenses or freezing business lines that are marginal or are not likely to deliver during a tougher economy. By doing so, a company can maintain its margins and have enough cash to invest in other areas and improve its bottom line or at least have a more solid position. 2. Maintain a strong balance sheet. Following profit and loss statement (P&L) optimizations, management […]