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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 | |