If and when I get to look back on my career in the liquor business I will remember 2014 for the year of change and 2015 as the year of the battle.  

2014 THE YEAR OF CHANGE

• Sunday sales made a big splash at the capital this but was defeated once again
• Total wine opened its first liquor store in Roseville in March.
• Craft distilleries have been popping up like crazy this past year with more to come.
• Craft breweries have also had rapid growth in this market.
• Total Wine opened its second store in Burnsville in Sept.
• National brand pricing lower than anyone has seen in many years.
• Total Wine opening in Woodbury and Bloomington (after a year of delays) within a week of each other.
• More liquor ads in the newspaper over the last 2 months than I can remember in my 31 years in the business.
• Surly Brewing opening their "destination brewery" in Mpls.

I am sure there are a few things I missed but you get the idea.  

Lots of thing going on or changing whether we wanted them to or not.

2015 THE YEAR OF THE BATTLE

• The new legislative session has just started and Sunday Sales are one of the first things that get brought up. Some are saying that it has a good chance of passing this year.
• Craft brewers will be fighting again this year to hopefully be able to sell growlers on Sunday's.
• Craft distilleries will be bringing legislation forward to allow these distilleries to sell their products on site just like the craft brewers (growlers) and farm wineries do.
• Below cost pricing. Can it and should it continue?

Again, I may have missed something but you can see we have our work cut out for us this year.  

Making changes in how you do business will be very important in 2015.

You need to analyze your numbers and inventory and make some hard decisions if you want to be viable.  

The competition is not going away, so we all need to adjust and get better at what we do.  

Some in the trade have decided that matching Total's low prices is the best way for them to compete.  

That may work for them, but we need to look at other ways to keep our customers coming back.  

Get creative, think out of the box, get out of your comfort zone and take risks and share what is working and what is not.

As far as the battle goes, we need you all to get involved, talk to your representatives, become involved and engaged.  

We need to lean on each other and now is the time more than any other.

By being a strong force we can make a difference, but we need everyone's help or you will see more retailers closing, private and municipal.

If you have questions or need help, reach out to a board member or contact the association.  

We are here to help!

Stay warm!

Steve Grausam
Edina 

City of Longville, Minnesota is seeking an outstanding candidate for full-time On-Sale Liquor manager.  

The City liquor operation consists of a full time schedule that includes weekdays, weekends, and some holidays.  

This position is eligible for a benefit package.

Responsible to organize, develop, plan, coordinate and supervise the day-to-day operations of the liquor store.  

Provide a controlled retail service to the community at a profit; provide development of retail objectives and merchandising.  

Prepare an annual budget for the On-sale store.

This position works under the general supervision of the City Council.

A complete job description and application is available by request at: 

City of Longville, PO Box 217, Longville, MN 56655.

Contact by phone: 218-363-2022.  

Website: CityofLongville.com   

As it typically does, the Fergus Falls Municipal Liquor Store was among the top 10 municipal liquor stores in Minnesota in terms of revenues, and second among cities outside the Twin Cities metro area.

While some may prefer allowing private liquor stores rather than two city-operated stores, the facts seem to suggest keeping the system as it is makes the most sense.

* The municipal liquor store will contribute $500,000 to the city's general fund for 2015.  

Without it, the Fergus Falls City Council would have had to reduce city services or raise property taxes to make up the gap.

* Not allowing private entities to sell liquor also ensures the profits stay in Fergus Falls. While private liquor stores might have local ownership, it's certainly not a guarantee.  

It may well be that profits generated from private liquor stores may be shipped out of Fergus Falls.

* It's possible that competition would be beneficial to consumers in the form of lower prices, more variety and additional locations.  

However, an informal pricing check would suggest the Fergus Falls stores offer competitive pricing.  

If they were not, more residents would buy their alcohol elsewhere. In addition, the two locations and large selection, thanks to the city's investment in the west side liquor store, seem to meet the demands of consumers.

A municipal liquor store system may not work for every community.  

But it works for Fergus Falls, and at this point, should stay that way.

Editorials are the opinion of The Daily Journal editorial board.  

In order to increase traffic and make that register ring throughout 2015 your small business needs to avoid dangerous promotions and focus on the ones that you are guaranteed to reap the benefits of. 

So how do you make sure that happens?

By following our 2015 Marketing & Promotions Plan and utilizing our Holiday Calendar!  

Our plan aims to give you practical strategies that are easy to implement over the course of the year.  

It will provide focus and direction while encouraging you to think outside the box to create promotions that are unique to your venue.

It's important to understand how each one of the promotions that you choose to run fits into the overall "big picture" of your marketing and promotions scheme.  

Therefore, it's useful to view each promotion as a single step in a series of activities designed to build sales.  

Mapping them all out at the beginning of the year allows you to see how individual promos fit together to make a bigger impact on your business.

Ultimately, we're suggesting that you look at not just your Monday through Sunday promotions on a weekly or monthly basis but planning through all 52 weeks of the year - reevaluating the plan at 26 weeks.

With this plan in hand, along with continuous updates on Nightclub.com, you'll be armed with ideas to attract crowds every day of the year! The more you plan, the easier and more successful your promotions will become.

Where to Start:

-       Determine your main focus of the marketing and promotions plan.
-       Identify a weekday that you see as having potential to increase sales.
-       Establish a revenue goal based on past sales history for that particular day.
-       Budget appropriately taking into consideration all the costs associated with running a promotion.
-       Based on your main focus carefully direct your promotions at the right audience.

A systematic approach to building sales can produce amazing results if you plan in detail and cover all the bases.  

Do not fall prey to the latest trends or fads.  

Not all of them will compliment your brand or relate to your target audience.   

The most effective promotional plans are cohesive and well-planned.  

The key is to be organized and have a game plan.  

Promos are like little mini-stage productions: They need to be planned, budgeted, cast, rehearsed and directed.  

Each member of your team needs to know what his/her role is and what's expected of them.