If your sales are declining, it may just be time to give your customers a break.  At least that's what Dana Mattioli contends in her Wall Street Journal artice today. More and more small businesses are figuring out ways to entice customers to buy even in a down economy.

For example, Lone Star Limousine, a Palo Alto CA company, was seeing a decline in sales for two reasons: 1) customers were cutting back on business expenses and limousines are a luxury item, the first thing to go when you want to save money; and 2) more corporations are thinking about their image and the message they send when they use limousines, so they're opting for less ostentatious choices.  Lone Star decided to address this problem head on by adding a van to its fleet.  Demand was so great that they've now added another.  Even brides are choosing them to transport their wedding parties and save on the high cost of weddings.

Mike Cook, owner of Mr. Transmission in Marietta, Georgia, found that his customers were putting off expensive repairs because they were waiting to see how bad things would get.  Cook decided to offer vouchers for gas and food with the purchase of a transmission overhaul.  The result? Sales have soared 60 percent.

If you're seeing your sales slide, think about some creative ways to get your customers moving.  Lone Star and Mr. Transmission reversed the decline in sales in their businesses and proved once again that you don't have to participate in a recession.