So, this is my 1,oooth post here on Auntie Kate the Blog.

I was trying to think how I could commemorate the one-thousandth entry here, and I played around with 1000 miles away, 1000 years ago, and all that.

Then I thought I would just give you the link to my first entry, in 2007. The jacket I left behind.

And then it struck me.

I’m a nag.

There are things I’ve told you a thousand times, and that maybe you’d like to review.

Like that first entry, about how being lazy costs you not only lost sales, but customer goodwill.

So here’s some nags. I hope they make your shop easier to run, more enjoyable, and of course, more useful to your ever-growing clientele. Which will make your profits better, too.

• Write thank-you notes. It helps cement your relationship with new customers and makes your shop stand out from the crowd.
• How to have a little fun, and make a little money, with weekend tasks. Some of which your spouse might even be willing to do.
• How important is the way you mark things down? More than you will ever imagine.
• Make your stuff interesting. For less than $10.
• Make your stuff talk. Again, less than $10.
• Watch your Internet reputation. Then, after you’ve buried the stinkers, go ahead and decorate.