shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com November 19, 2019 • Page 3 4 Ways to Boost Your Sales and Grow 109th Engineer Your Business This Holiday Season Battalion Returns To SD National Guard Y’all, there are less than two months left until Christmas! If you haven’t already, it’s time to ramp up your businesses and attract new customers, because there’s no better time to grow your business than the holiday season. Right now, people are scouring the internet for unique gifts—and your products or services can be one of them! Christy Let’s dive right in. Here are four things you can do to boost your sales and attract these gifthunters during the holiday season: Incentivize advanced orders Unfortunately, most people wait until the very last minute to buy gifts—myself included—leaving you slammed. That’s why you need to incentivize customers to order early so you can get a head start on this busy season. Use your social media accounts and email list to offer discounts if they order before Thanksgiving or free shipping if they order before December 1. Whatever you do, give them a good reason to quit their procrastination and place their orders now! Incentivize referrals Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most powerful ways to introduce your business to new customers. People trust brand recommendations from their friends—I know I do! If you’re not incentivizing referrals from people who’ve already bought from you, you’re leaving money on the table. There are so many creative ways to do this. Try offering discounts to current customers or encouraging them to post a photo of their purchase on their social media accounts for a chance to win a prize. These are inexpensive—yet profitable in the long run—ways to have your current customers market your business to their own circles of influence. Say something different There’s no doubt that nearly every business and nonprofit organization plans to flood inboxes in the next few weeks. After all, they’re each fighting to make your customers their customers. But you know what? They’re all going to say the same thing. That’s why, if you want to stand out, you’ve got to say something different. Because if everyone is saying the same thing, then no one is really saying anything. Cut through the clutter by saying something the customer is WRIGHT not going to immediately tune out. A few years ago, my company, Ramsey Solutions, decided to offer a cash giveaway during the Christmas season. Instead of selling like everyone was doing, we were giving! So, what sets your business apart from the competition? What can you say or do to stand out from the noise? Begin with the end in mind You have an unbelievable opportunity this Christmas to attract new customers, and serve them so well they become lifetime customers. But that won’t happen by accident. You have to intentionally make decisions in the next few weeks to make sure you’re attracting loyal customers. That way, when January rolls around, your new customers won’t totally forget about you and your business. Ask your customers for their birthday when they check out so you can send them a coupon on their special day. Plan to follow up with your customers after the new year with a special offer to remind them that your business is a good pick year-round. And when you get someone’s email, make sure you have a content plan in place to keep them engaged with your business. Whatever you do, don’t treat your customers like a one-time transaction. Start planning today for how you’ll build a relationship with them, so they become repeat customers and huge fans of your business! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to grow your business this season. Get to work encouraging early orders and referrals, saying something different in your marketing communication, and planning how you’re going to turn your new customers into lifetime customers. When you do this, you’ll not only reap the rewards of making extra money this season, but you’ll also gain incredible momentum in your business going into the new year! For more tips on surviving the holiday season in your business, your life, and your budget, check out Episodes 5 and 6 of my podcast, Business Boutique. About Christy Wright: Christy Wright is the #1 national bestselling author of Business Boutique, host of the Business Boutique podcast, a Certified Business Coach and a Ramsey Personality with a passion for equipping women with the knowledge and steps they need to successfully run and grow a business. Since joining Ramsey Solutions in 2009, she has spoken to thousands across the country at women’s conferences, national business conferences, Fortune 500 companies and her own sold-out live events. You can follow Wright on Twitter and Instagram @ChristyBWright and online at christywright.com or facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright. RAPID CITY, S.D. - The 109th Engineer Battalion returns to the South Dakota Army National Guard following an uncasing ceremony at Range Road Armory in Rapid City, Nov. 2. De-activated from service in August 2007 due to an organizational transformation, the 109th returns as part of the SDARNG's force structure changes announced last year. The uncasing of the unit's colors (flag) is a military custom and tradition that signals the re-activation of a unit and continuation of its history and lineage. With about 160 Soldiers in the unit, the mission of the 109th is to coordinate and execute tactical operations involving mobility, counter mobility and survivability tasks on the battlefield. The 109th also provides command and control for about 400 Soldiers in five assigned units throughout the state to support training, administrative and logistical requirements to maintain readiness in support of state and federal missions. "It's an incredible honor to be the incoming commander for the 109th Engineer Battalion," Lt. Col. Dennis Bickett said during the ceremony. "The 109th has a rich history. We need to train so if called upon the 109th will live up to the awesome legacy established by the warriors who have come before us." The 109th traces its history and lineage back to 1884 as part of the Dakota Territory Militia. Its history includes federal service during the Philippine Insurrection, World Wars I and II and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 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