Follow these easy tips to make more money, become more popular and feel better than you ever have.

The headline may sound like an email scam, but it’s not; it’s the truth. Just do these things and money will come your way.

1 Send a handwritten thank-you card to each and every customer. No one sends hand-written thank-you notes nowadays, only text messages and email — and emails are only opened 30 percent of the time. Do them once a week. You’ll stand out from the crowd. 

2 Carry business cards with you 24/7. Give them to everyone. At a restaurant, leave it with your signed credit card receipt and write on it, “Thanks for a great meal and service.” As you hand them out, tell people, “I’m in the ‘make people happy’ business.” Just like seeds, you’ll harvest what you sow.

3 Make arrangements once a quarter to speak at ladies/church/men’s groups on gems, jewelry and manufacturing. People love “how they do that” shows. You’ll become the area expert.

4Give every charity that knocks on your door something from your store. Suggestion: Buy calibrated colored stones, like 10×8 or 12×10 oval and emerald cut amethysts, citrines and blue topaz. In my store, we used to give them away along with a $50 gift certificate towards the labor to make something. 

5 When finishing a sale, you or a manager should go into the showroom area, shake the customer’s hand and escort them to the front door. That’s personal service.

6 Ask every customer what is the next piece of jewelry they’d like. Then ask them when (birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas). Then ask, “Whom shall I contact?”

Three weeks before the occasion they chose, mail a letter to the other person (including a photo of the item) telling them their sweetheart was recently in and said she’d like this for your anniversary, etc. 

The person who shared this tip with me said 90 percent of men buy the item within six months of receiving the letter.

7 Go to a movie theater or nail salon and buy $25 gift certificates. Once a week, hand an employee a gift card as a thank you for a job done well.

8 Open up a separate checking account and each week put 8 percent of your cash deposits into this account. One day, it will come in handy, and you won’t miss 8 percent.

9 Once a month, take off the first day of the work week so you can have a long weekend. It will recharge your batteries, and you’ll be amazed how well your staff does without you.

10 Once a quarter, get rid of 20 percent of inventory that’s over 2  years old. Hold a sale. Give staff 5 percent commission to sell this stuff. Exchange it with a vendor. Send it to close-out vendors to sell. Remake it into something new. Scrap it. This will give you cash, lower your debt and allow you to buy new exciting merchandise that will sell.

David Geller is a consultant to jewelers on store management. Email him at dgeller@bellsouth.net.