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of these examples is creativity. As Eddy points out, "Any communication strategy or technique that delivers a message and cuts through the clutter and noise of everyday PR is effective." His Washington comparative tasting was effective because it delivered a distinctive message and did so creatively. A simple conversation on the phone or message delivery by way of a press release could have been successful, but would ultimately have a less resounding impact. Another important aspect of doing creative PR is overcoming objections and coordinating all the moving parts. It's a considerable undertaking to host these types of tastings in numerous cities. When pouring wines that aren't all in one distributor's book, garnering wholesaler support is ambitious. Eddy had to convince those involved that showing such impartiality would be a draw for many, allowing for a greater and broader audience to hear and genuinely experience the brand message. Ultimately, Eddy said, "Participants went away thinking about the things that make Washington different and unique, not about how one brand is necessarily better than another. It's a subtle quality message that resonates because it's educational rather than blatantly promotional." The goal is to have the opportunity to deliver your brand's message – and the method of delivery can make a big difference. Each of the examples cited will more likely have a lasting impression compared to other, more standard forms of message delivery. That's not to say that you should abandon traditional communication methods in favor of only executing "big ideas." Creative projects can hit a budget rather hard, and doing them exclusively ignores the funda- mentals previously mentioned. Creative PR, used in a balanced fashion, supports all the other methods of message delivery so that your strategic marketing plan is cohesive and powerful, with lasting effects. The last piece of this creative PR advice is the same as the last piece of Selling 101: Ask for the close, or in the case of PR, remember to follow up. If there's one critical mistake that can be made, not following up is it. Follow-up is the final fundamental and it, too, is essential. Robert Larsen started in the wine business in 1992 as a public relations intern at Glen Ellen Winery. Since then, he's worked for a number of wineries and a few agencies. He is now the director of communications for Rodney Strong Wine Estates. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. 800.371.3303 www.chartdosers.com Liquid Nitrogen Dosing Systems: Dosing The World One Drop At A Time Key Benefits: Flushes oxygen out of bottle head space Keeps the fruit in every pour Best "locks in" FSO2 levels ChartDosers HalfPg Wine_2013_VWM.indd 1 w w w. v w m media.com M a r - A p r 2 0 13 | 1/14/13 9:29 N T V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E AM 111