Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter
(February 6, 2011 - February 12, 2011)
 Click Here
for the
As I See It...
 
Churchill  

 

"Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning."

                Winston Churchill

 

  

  • The City of Fargo is asking for volunteers to fill sand starting on February 14 to prepare for possible flooding in the Red River Valley in west Fargo. Shuttle buses will be operating to and from a warehouse dubbed "Sandbag Central" from several locations in Fargo to transport volunteers to the worksite.  The goal is 3 million sandbags by Mid March. 
  • Minnesota municipalities are required to retain a portion of their annual general fund budgets to prepare for potential budget shortfalls.
  • Minnesota municipal liquor managers throughout the state purchase product in preparation for peak sales periods.
  • MMBA Members across the state braved the elements on January 31, travelled to St. Paul and clambered on to shuttle buses to the Capitol to ensure that their voices were heard by their legislators.

The last paragraph was not reality but wishful thinking on my part.

Attendance at our annual MMBA/MLBA Legislative Day has declined steadily over the years. Wine in Grocery, Sunday sales and potential attacks on our three tier system have slowly slipped to the back burner as each Legislative session began and ended without serious challenge or concern.

The 2011 session is not the docile tabby cat of the past but a roaring lion prepared to potentially gnaw on your nose!

2011 Legislative Day is over. Thanks to those who attended. For those who didn't, now is your time to be an educated constituent and contact your legislator.

Personal visits are fabulous; your district Senators and Representatives would love to see you! They were even seemingly pleased to see me! Email and voice mail work too.

If you need information call the MMBA Office or a Director.

It is your duty to make your opinion known! It will affect your job and your cities future. The groundwork for the legislative decisions of the future was laid yesterday!

Gary Buysse, MMBA Director

More on Sunday Sales

 
Sunday  
MMBA received a couple of calls this week asking our position on Sunday Sales.
  
MMBA is opposed to this initiative.
  
We recognize Sunday sales would benefit some of our members.  However, the majority of facilities would be negatively impacted by spreading six days of revenue over seven days of expenses.
  
In addition, ALL of our members would be negatively impacted if Sunday Sales leads to Wine in Grocery, as was attempted in Colorado.  (Click on the Newsletter Archives button to see last week's issue.)
  
Some Sunday Sales news from this week:
  
  • MMBA Director and Edina Liquor manager Steve Grausam made an appearance on Twin Cities Fox 9 News.
          Click Here to See the Video
  
  • Two studies show how Sunday Sales negatively impacted public safety in New Mexico.
          The original study concludes...

          Our results strongly suggest that increasing alcohol availability on Sunday was associated with increases in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes and fatalities. Legalizing Sunday package alcohol sales may increase state tax revenues, but at the same time it exacts a significant price that is paid by crash victims and their loved ones, health care providers. insurers, and law enforcement and judicial systems. State legislators should consider these consequences when deciding policy that is intended to serve the public well-being. 

 

          Click Here to View the Study

 

 

 The follow-up study concludes...

          Our previous work has shown a significant impact of increased ARC risks when the ban on Sunday packaged alcohol sales is repealed. The current study shows that this impact varies considerably across counties in New Mexico. Furthermore, the negative impact of legalized Sunday packaged alcohol sales appear to have been mitigated in counties with large communities that quickly held an election to re-institute a ban on Sunday packaged alcohol sales.

 

          Click Here to See the Study

 

  • An article from Growth & Justice makes the case that the financial benefit to the state may not be as great as stated by issue advocates.

 

          Click Here to View the Article 

 

 

Making Bar Marketing More Effective
 
Marketing  
By BarOwnerTips.com

 

You can't give your customers what they want if you don't know what they want. 

 

If you never uncover your customer's needs and your bar's competitive advantages, you're just spinning your wheels whenit comes to marketing.  

 

Ask yourself these questions to make your bar marketing more effective: 

 

1. Who exactly are your customers? 

 

Only when you find out who your customers are, can you effectively market to them.  You may also find that you could expand your customer base by marketing to another type of customer.   

For example, say most of your customers are professional men, 25-35 years old and making between $50,000-$100,000 per year.  You realize that your bar isn't appealing to women of the same age and income level.  With this information, you can change your marketing strategy to include promotions that will attract more females into your bar.   

 

2. Why do customers come into your bar? 

 

The answer to this question will help you identify the strengths of your bar and also areas where you can offer additional products or services to your customers.
   
For example, if customers come into your bar to relax and unwind from the day's stresses, one of your strengths is that your bar's ambiance is peaceful and non-threatening.   You could add to your product offering with a stress relief cocktail menu featuring drinks like ginger martinis.    

 

3. What do you offer that your competition doesn't?

 

What does your competition offer that you don't? You may want to add new products or services to your offerings, and you will realize what you can do better than your competition.    

 

If you find that your competitor is offering something that you might want to offer also, you can add it to your bar.   But be wary of copying things that the competition does, you want your bar to stand out and not blend in with the rest and you can never know if what the competition is doing is really profitable.   Instead of copying the competition, think of things that you can offer that will be unique to your bar. 

 

Future Dates to Remember!!
MMBA Boot Camp

February 21-23, 2011
Breezy Point Resort

Click Here for Details
 
MMBA Scholarship Deadline
 
May 1, 2011
 

 MMBA Annual
Conference

May 22-24, 2011
Arrowwood Resort

Ask A Director

Gary Buysse
Rogers
763-428-0163

Bob Leslie
 Pelican Rapids
218-863-6670

Brian Hachey
Stacy
651-462-2727

Nancy Drumsta
Delano
763-972-0578

Lara Smetana
Pine City
320-629-2020

Michael Friesen
Hawley
218-483-4747

Tom Agnes
Brooklyn Center
763-381-2349

Steve Grausam
Edina
952-903-5732

Toni Buchite
50 Lakes
218-763-2035

Michelle Olson
Sebeka
218-837-9745
E-Mail Me

Bridgitte Konrad
North Branch
651-674-8113

Paul Kaspszak
MMBA
763-572-0222
1-866-938-3925

 
Click Here For Newsletter Archives 
Join Our Mailing List
Wine 101
Wine2
One Day....
Flies
One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together.
 
They each bought a pint of Guinness.  
 
Just as they were about to enjoy their beverages, three flies landed in each of their pints, and were stuck in the thick head. 
 
The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. 
 
The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer, and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. 
 
The Irishman, picked the fly out of his drink, held it out over the beer, and started yelling, "SPIT IT OUT! SPIT IT OUT YOU THIEF!"
 

 

The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake