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Getting Started | |
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Finding Your Customers: Market Research | |
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Are You Ready for Retailing? | |
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Franchise Opportunities | |
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Buying an Existing Business | |
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Starting Small or Staying Small | |
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Writing a Successful Business Plan | |
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Selecting Your Legal Format | |
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Financing Your Business | |
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Getting the Necessary Permits and Licenses | |
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Finding the Perfect Location | |
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Naming Your Store | |
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Developing a Logo | |
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Where to Get Help | |
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Ready Set, Go! | |
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Managing Your Store's Finances | |
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Setting Up Your Sales System | |
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Bookkeeping 101 | |
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Understanding Financial Reports | |
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Working with an Accountant | |
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Creating Budgets and Future Planning | |
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Tips for Taking Inventory | |
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Business Office Essentials | |
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The Bottom Line | |
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Successful Store Design | |
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Establishing a Design Budget | |
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Updating Your Look by Remodeling | |
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The Perfect Design Concept | |
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Welcome: The Storefront and Entranceway | |
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Efficient Layout Plans | |
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Well Grounded: Flooring Materials | |
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The Backdrop: Wall Treatments | |
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Lighting for Effect | |
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A Different Kind of Overhead: Ceilings | |
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Selling on Several Levels | |
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Maximizing Merchandise Fixtures | |
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Interior Signage that Sells | |
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Checking Out the Cash Wrap Area | |
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Store Security Concerns | |
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Background Music for Shopping Pleasure | |
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Creating an Aromatic Environment | |
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Restrooms, Offices, and Other Backstage Needs | |
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Gathering the Goods: Merchandise Buying | |
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Targeting Your Typical Customer | |
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Establishing a Buying Budget | |
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Where to Look for Great Merchandise | |
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Knowing What to Order | |
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Determining the Quantity | |
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Stretching Your Budget by Consignment | |
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Developing Original, Exclusive Products | |
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Higher Margins through Direct Importing | |
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Keeping Inventory under Control | |
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Tracking Sales for Reorders | |
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Seasonal Planning Tips | |
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Buying for Displays and Promotion | |
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Benefiting from Working with Sales Reps | |
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Buying Trip Tools | |
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Establishing Your Store's Financial Credibility | |
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Using Purchase Order Forms Efficiently | |
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Professional Ordering Procedures | |
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Specifying Shipping Preferences | |
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Setting Retail Prices | |
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Developing Beneficial Vendor Relations | |
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Visual Merchandising: Displays that Sell | |
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Check-in Time for New Arrivals | |
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Coping with Problem Shipments | |
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Pricing the Merchandise | |
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Getting the Goods on Display | |
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Maintaining Merchandising Excellence | |
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Using Store Windows Effectively | |
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Visual Merchandising in the Future | |
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Finding and Keeping Great Employees | |
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Do You Need Employees? | |
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Enlightened Leadership: Participative Democracy | |
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Hiring for Special Job Functions | |
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Appealing to a Shrinking Workforce | |
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Where to Look for Good Employees | |
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The "How to Hire" Guide | |
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Government Forms for New Employees | |
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The Employment Agreement | |
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Staff Training on Store Procedures | |
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Your Store's Employee Handbook | |
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The Importance of Flexible Scheduling | |
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Compensating Your Staff | |
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Attractive Benefits and Perks | |
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Using Open-Book Management | |
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The Importance of Employee Evaluations | |
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Correcting Performance Problems | |
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Saying Goodbye: The Exit Interview | |
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Creating Team Spirit | |
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Customer Service Essentials | |
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Motivating Employees to Give Great Service | |
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Time to Shop: Setting Store Hours | |
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Setting a Customer-Friendly Return Policy | |
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For Customer Convenience and Comfort | |
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Services that Exceed Customers' Expectations | |
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Added Sales through Wedding and Gift Registries | |
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Hot Trend: Gift Cards and Gift Certificates | |
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Special Service: Customer Orders and Holds | |
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Evaluating Customer Service | |
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Getting the Word Out: Advertising Your Shop | |
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Establishing an Advertising Budget | |
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Tools for Targeting Your Market | |
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Choosing the Best Media for the Money | |
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Should You Use an Ad Agency? | |
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Using Co-op to Stretch Your Budget | |
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Welcome to the World of Print Advertising | |
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Effective In-Store Advertising | |
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Direct Mail: Making the Best Use of Your List | |
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Broadcast Media: Radio and Television | |
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Retailing Online: The Next Wave | |
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Evaluating Your Advertising's Effectiveness | |
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Advertising When Sales Are Down | |
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Using the Internet to Promote and Prosper | |
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Establishing Your Home on the Web | |
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Advertising Online: Web Site Essentials | |
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Using E-mail for Customer Contact | |
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Permission Marketing via E-mail | |
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Keeping in Touch with Staff: Internal E-mail | |
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Bricks to Clicks: Selling Online | |
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Choosing Your Approach to Online Sales | |
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Shopping Basket Security Issues | |
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Better Service via the Web for In-store Customers | |
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Filling Internet Orders Efficiently | |
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How to Draw Customers to Your Web Site | |
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Creative Promotion and Publicity | |
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Sales, Sales, Sales | |
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Alternative Ideas for Promotions | |
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Rewarding Customer Loyalty | |
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Catering to Consumers through Collectors' Clubs | |
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Special Events to Attract Shoppers | |
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Taking It On the Road: Events Outside the Store | |
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Garnering Publicity and Good PR | |
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Beating the Big-Box Stores | |
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Finding Your Special Niche | |
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Offering Stellar Customer Service | |
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The "Buy Local" Call to Action | |
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Independents' Day Is Here | |
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Turning the Tide on Big-Box Development | |
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What to Do When Wal-Mart Comes to Town | |
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Good Works Are Good Business | |
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Charitable Donations: What and Where to Give | |
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Hosting Fund-Raisers and Benefits | |
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Selling Goods That Do Good | |
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Museum and Hospital Shops: Retailers Who Serve | |
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Environmentally Sound Retailing | |
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Giving Something Back to the Community | |
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Providing Community Leadership | |
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Volunteering Your Time | |
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The Rewards of Giving | |
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Managing during Tough Times | |
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Insuring Against Crime, Disasters, and Other Crises | |
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Curtailing Shoplifting and Employee Theft | |
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Preventing Burglaries and Holdups | |
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Fires, Storms, and Natural Catastrophes | |
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What to Do When Disaster Strikes | |
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When You Lose Your Lease | |
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Customers Can Be Trouble | |
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Coping with Vandalism and Graffiti | |
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Surviving Personnel Problems | |
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When You're in Financial Trouble | |
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Responding to Bad Publicity | |
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Keeping an Upbeat Attitude | |
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Improving Sales and Profitability | |
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Boosting Your Sales Income | |
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Growing Sales through Relationship Marketing | |
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Targeting Luxury Shoppers and Corporate Sales | |
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Markup Can Make Up Your Margins | |
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Expenses Down = Profits Up | |
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The Dangers of Too Much Inventory | |
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Plugging the Holes | |
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Staying Alert to Changes | |
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Looking to the Future | |
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Riding the Wave of Success | |
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Small Can Be Beautiful | |
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If You Decide to Grow Your Business | |
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Moving On: Selling or Closing Your Store | |
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Life Planning Issues for Shopkeepers | |
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Running the Mature Business | |
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The Outlook for Retailing Is Bright | |
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Glossary | |
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Resource Guide | |
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Index | |