No businesses are truly recession-proof. All businesses have cycles where sales become easier or harder to make. Consulting services are subject to the same business cycle that most businesses face. Even so, there are steps you can take to minimize the market's downswing and extend its upswing.

Identify Cycles

First, determine the business cycle for your industry or market. Reviewing income and financial records from prior years or checking with the local chamber of commerce, you can draw a chart illustrating the local business cycle. In your region, it may be that most of the market for your service occurs in the spring and summer. Or the cycle may be fairly equal across the year, but alternate years may fluctuate up or down. The first step to coping with recessions in the local business cycle is to determine exactly what and when that cycle is.

Plan for Cycles

The next step is to begin planning for it. That is, if you're coming up to a typically slower period, determine what you need to do. In past years, how much has income dropped? For how long? Can you find income sources in other specialties where the cycle is moving up? What expenses can you cut? Do you have an employee who would like a seasonal layoff so he can catch up on other interests?

Maybe you need to drastically cut back on your expenses and debts for this period. If so, list them out now and determine which will naturally diminish and which will need to be reduced. If you aren't into your slow season yet, you can also talk to your lender about building a line of credit now that will help you get through the tougher times ahead.

Build Assets

Another source of cash to tide you through a recession is a second mortgage on your building, your home, or another large asset. Speak with your lender about this opportunity. Even if you decide not to take out a second mortgage, you will be ready if and when you need to do so.

Market Expansion

Consider widening your market. That is, travel to a nearby metropolitan area and study whether you can expand your services to reach it. If so, you can pick up additional sales by either subcontracting your services or by promoting your services in the expanded market. It certainly beats starving at home.