| As I See It... | 
Every year our city has each department conduct year end appraisals on all full-time personnel.
Over the years we have taken this a step further by asking these staff members to write down a minimum of three tangible goals they would like to achieve.
These become our New Year's resolutions for the year ahead.
Here are some ideas for the year ahead:
Implement at least one new program in your store
This can include conducting an off-site tasting event or creating a customer loyalty program if you don't already have one.
Improve communications
Provide a monthly list of accomplishments for your administration and council. This update can be an invaluable tool, as it not only documents your progress, but it also provides a discussion mechanism which can produce even bigger rewards for your operation.
At the same time, remember to find ways to communicate with your staff.
In our operation, we create a one page document called "Weekly Briefs."
This includes sales to date as well as goals, updates on promotions and items, new employee introductions and more.
Educate your customers
Find four new ways to educate the customers about the benefits of your operation. To some cities these benefits may be as simple as employing residents. To others, this could be putting money into parks or public buildings. Whatever it is you do for the community, you need to share this with the residents. Cost effective ways to do this may include in-store signage, reaching out to your local news media, using social media, or speaking to local civic organizations.
Enhance your store
This doesn't mean a complete remodel. But each of us should walk through our store as if we are seeing it through the eyes of our customers. When walking through the front door, are you windows clean? If promotional material appears tattered or worn, remove it. This is your customer's first impression of your location. Make it a good one. Ensure other areas of your store, including rest rooms, are neat and clean.
Improve sales
Complete all of the above, be an integral part of the community, train and mentor your staff and the rest will fall into place. Your sales will increase!
Only 8% of people who make resolutions actually follow through and obtain them. They say that percentage doubles if you share your written goals with someone else. If you would like to share your goals with me or would like a copy of my 2016 goals, contact me at bvisnovec@lakevillemn.gov.
Brenda Visnovec
Lakeville Liquor
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| Returning Lottery Tickets to Players | 
From: Minnesota State Lottery
What should you do when a player wants his or her lottery ticket(s) returned after it has been scanned or a prize has been paid?
The answer is simple.
Give it back to them.
The retailer pay receipt that prints when a ticket is validated has all of the information a retailer needs to reconcile their account for tickets cashed.
We suggest you note on the retailer pay receipt that the ticket was returned to the player.
If you have questions, contact the Lottery's Games Control department at 651-635-8273, then press 2.
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| 2016 Marketing & Promotions Planning Guide and Holiday Calendar |  By Nightclub & Bar Big things have been happening in our industry.
Big movement in craft beer, big movement in whiskey, big changes in consumer tastes and demands, big changes to marketing and promotions, big technology, and big in the way we do business.
A big part of what has driven change and trends is the Millennial demographic, a big segment with big impact.
Now that we've entered the year 2016, we want to help you ring big profits.
With that in mind, we're proud to present to you Nightclub & Bar's 2016 Marketing & Promotions Planning Guide and Holiday Calendar. This is our most extensive - our biggest - planning guide and calendar to date, and we believe it will inspire you to come up with profitable and creative promotions. For your convenience, this is set up for you to easily sync to your Google Calendar with nothing but a click or two. It may look utilitarian rather than flashy but this is, after all, a tool, one we hope you'll take advantage of to build your business' bottom line. It's important you understand how each one of the promotions you choose to run fits into the overall big picture of your marketing and promotions strategy.
We suggest viewing 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.
Look over our calendar with your team, come up with promotions for dates on which you think your business will shine, and find dates that fall on days of the week during which your business is slow in order to create promotions to draw in guests.
Plan through all 52 weeks of the year and commit to reevaluate your plan at the 26-week mark.
With a successful plan in hand and the continuous updates we provide 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: - 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: they won't all complement your brand or relate to your target audience.
Keep in mind that the most effective promotional strategies are cohesive and well planned.
Promos are similar to stage productions:
- They need to be planned, budgeted, cast, rehearsed and directed.
- Each member of your team needs to know their role and what's expected of them.
Here's to you and an amazing 2016! We hope your cash registers keep ringing all the way through New Year's Eve, when we ring in 2017. Commemorative Months: - January - National Thank You Month, National Hobby Month
- February - Black History Month
- March - Red Cross Month, National Nutrition Month, National Reading Awareness Month
- April - National Humor Month, National Volunteer Month, Earth Month
- May - Military Appreciation Month, National Bike Month
- June - National LGBT Pride Month
- July - National Hot Dog Month
- August - National Sandwich Month
- September - California Wine Month
- October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month
- November - Native American Indian Heritage Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month
- December - National Eggnog Month
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The Man Who Gave Up Sex for Golf
|  A golfer is in a competitive match with a friend, who is ahead by a couple of strokes.
"Boy, I'd give anything to sink this putt," the golfer mumbles to himself.
Just then, a stranger walks up beside him and whispers, "Would you be willing to give up one-fourth of your sex life?"
Thinking the man is crazy and his answer will be meaningless, the golfer also feels that maybe this is a good omen, so he says," sure," and sinks the putt.
Two holes later, he mumbles to himself again," Gee, I sure would like to get an eagle on this one."
The same stranger is at his side again and whispers, "Would it be worth giving up another fourth of your sex life?"
Shrugging, the golfer replies, "Okay." And he makes an eagle.
On the final hole, the golfer needs another eagle to win.
Without waiting for him to say anything, the stranger quickly moves to his side and says, "Would winning this match be worth giving up the rest of your sex life?"
"Definitely," the golfer replies, and he makes the eagle.
As the golfer is walking to the club house, the stranger walks alongside him and says, "I haven't really been fair with you because you don't know who I am.
I'm Satan, and from this day forward you will have no sex life."
"Nice to meet you," the golfer replies, "I'm Father O'Malley." |
Remember, sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck
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Beverage Alcohol Training | |
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Pipestone Uses Liquor Revenues for Community Budget Needs
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How We'll Find Life on Other Planets
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