“Norm!” was the greeting for Norm Peterson, the lovable character from the 1980s sitcom “Cheers.” Everyone knew his name and was happy to see him.
As a new year arrives, the new norm has sauntered in and perched itself on bar stools across center city at St. Michael’s, Springfield Brewing Co., Ebbets Field and Lindberg’s. It isn’t as funny or endearing as George Wendt, but at least it’s becoming familiar.
Here’s what the new norm looks like today.
• No more tabs. The days of big tabs are gone. Patrons are beginning to turn loose with a little more discretionary spending after the austerity of the past three years, but they are much more deliberate in their spending and focus on whittling away on personal debt.
• Shop local, and drink local. The first choice is to support the local pub or store whenever possible, because the public recognizes that a much greater percentage of what they spend will stay in the community and help employ friends and neighbors. But between hungry national franchises and Internet retailers, competition is fierce.
Businesses must find their unique niches and cultivate them aggressively. Aviary Café brought a distinctive crepe menu and inviting atmosphere to downtown earlier this year, and it has been well received by a predominantly female demographic.
• Socially savvy. While Norm Peterson’s only use for a phone was to call Vera to let her know he would be late again, the new norm is well versed in all the social media tools.
The challenge for businesses is to know how to best reach their customers. Facebook, Four Square, daily deals, texting, e-blasts and online contests are just a few of the options available. Mother’s Brewing Co. produced a YouTube video as a parody of the “Laverne & Shirley” theme song that generated 42,000 views in one week. It was a creative, fun and relatively low-cost way to promote the brand. Businesses must know their customers and continuously invest in the most effective ways to connect with them.
• Active environment. Today’s patrons may be more connected, but they’re not just texting from their bar stools. More than 8,000 people turned out to the Turkey Trot this year.
Hardly a weekend goes by without a run, walk or bike ride in center city.
Businesses should explore tapping into the community’s desire to be healthier, especially in January when resolutions are made.
• Competitively focused. The new norm requires businesses to be more focused in 2012 than ever before.
They must manage their limited resources wisely, carve out and own their niches, invest in the right marketing strategies, and maximize area amenities in order to compete long-term in today’s marketplace.
If you’re looking for a visual, the old Norm at Cheers has been replaced by our own Brian Fogle, president of Community Foundation of the Ozarks, at Mud Lounge.
Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, can be reached at rusty@itsalldowntown.com.[[In-content Ad]]
