Jan. 5, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by the South Dakota Retailers Association.

No matter what 2020 was like for you as a retailer, the coming year offers new opportunities to connect and grow your business — starting with joining this organization.

Nearly 4,000 retailers statewide and businesses that support them are members of the South Dakota Retailers Association.

“We’ve been members for a long, long time,” said Kevin Nyberg, owner of Nyberg’s Ace Hardware in Sioux Falls. “What we get out of the South Dakota Retailers Association is the support our business needs, whether it is our health care program or the stellar benefits of the lobbying efforts. The Retailers Association provides so much to us as an independently owned business here in South Dakota.”

Here’s just a brief look at some of the many benefits:

Information

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, SDRA members received clear and immediate guidance on regulations and assistance programs, plus access to subject-matter experts at a local and national level.  The association also was actively involved in the development of the South Dakota Small Business Grant Program.

“During a time of so much uncertainty, SDRA kept us connected and informed with what was going on in South Dakota and across the country,” said Eric Sinclair of Montgomery’s. “With ever-changing guidelines and restrictions, it was nice to have a trusted source compiling and distributing the information businesses needed.”

And that’s just one instance. SDRA consistently keeps members informed of industry issues that directly impact their businesses.

Advocacy

Retail businesses seeking opportunities via legislative changes can reach out to the SDRA for support and use the association to keep updated on potential policy changes that affect them.

“With all the action happening during the legislative session, it is hard for business owners to stay on top of everything,” said Travis Anderberg, owner of Rexall Drug in Miller. “For our SDRA membership to manage what goes on in Pierre and for the Retailers Association to have their finger on the issues, it is priceless!”

Collaboration

As businesses seek to capitalize on new opportunities, collaboration and networking with fellow business owners is invaluable for unlocking new approaches and strategies.

“​Doing business in South Dakota allows us to get to know our customers and fellow business owners personally,” said R.F. Buche of Buche Foods. “The Retailers Association helps facilitate inter-business relationships and provides networking and a sense of community among our state’s business population.”

HR support

It’s hard to grow a business without an active, engaged workforce, and SDRA has human resources support available at no cost to members.

“The program that SDRA provides with Jackson Lewis Employment Law Attorneys has been invaluable to Black Hills Bagels,” said owner Debra Jensen. “We’ve used them for everything from helping us write a simple sentence to do with an unemployment claim dispute, all the way to a whistleblower case involving federal labor attorneys — and ultimately, the cases were dismissed just from his advice.”

Savings

Through group buying power, SDRA is able to provide big savings for our members through negotiated rates for key business services such as:

• Credit card processing
• Business insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Employment law assistance
• 401(k) plans
• Data security
• Music licensing
• ​Shipping

Do you want to capitalize on these and other new opportunities in the new year? Learn more about the South Dakota Retailers Association at sdra.org or contact LuAnn DeGreeff at 605-906-3370 or [email protected].