Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/116557
CT, and he says that his use of social media has allowed the stores to build a regular out-of-store connection with a small group of customers who fit exactly into the consumer purchasing demographic he's been seeking. Using social media to generate more excitement about the brands the stores carry, to promote tastings and other events, and to build buzz for give-away contests, the stores have created a dialogue on Facebook and Twitter that has helped drive sales in select categories. "The great thing about Facebook and Twitter is that you can see the amount of people who respond, and who they are. With a couple of dozen consumers deeply engaged and about 500 or so who we can touch on a regular basis, that's a great way to communicate to your target consumer," he says. Cimini runs events off-site as well and finds that regular participants in a local bourbon tasting series often bring friends to the events, making his frequently participating social media customers in essence his store ambassadors. Loyalty cards that reward frequent shoppers are a less digital form of socializing with your customers, as is establishing a computer record of every wine or spirit any single customer has purchased in the past. The benefit? It will make sense the first time a forgetful customer asks a staff member not especially schooled in wine if your store still stocks that fabulous garnacha she bought last month. A quick check on her purchasing history, and the customer-store bond is strengthened. Forms of social media, whether reviews on Yelp, promotions on Facebook or Groupon, or sales alerts sent out to followers on Twitter, allow retailers to share crucial information about their stores, their discounts, rare or unusual vintages or bottles, give-aways, events and tastings in a way newspapers and flyers never could. At Hi-Times, communicating through social media about the arrival of those items generates enthusiasm and store loyalty, says Cokely. A social media presence requires some planning, time commitment, a sales strategy and monitoring to see what sort of activity works, but given how much retailers once spent on advertising in newspapers and other forms of media outreach that tried to connect with customers, the price is right. MAKE IT EASY S ince the mid 1990s when Joshua Wesson cofounded the Best Cellars chain, crafting a wine and spirits shop to be easy to navigate has become a retail craze. Many entrepreneurs have opened stores that stick to a certain segment of the market or with a narrow selection of products making the buying experience a relief Michael Cimini, owner of two stores in Massachussetts and one in Connecticut, uses Twitter and Facebook to maintain his stores' contact with a targeted group of consumers passionate about their wine and spirits preferences. rather than an intimidating chore. Best Cellars started out by organizing wines in eight style categories: fizzy, fresh, soft, luscious, juicy, smooth, big and sweet. With a goal of making shopping for wine as much fun as drinking it, the store style helped change wine and spirits merchandising. Bottlerocket Wine & Spirits in New York took a different tack, organizing the wines sold in two ways: alphabetically by country and also grouped around kiosks by theme - wine for seafood, or suitable for gifting, or by flavor profile. Other stores have opted for the so-called progressive list used in restaurants, in which wines are gathered by color, body, density and potency at a range of price points, from lighter intensity, sweet and slightly sweet off wines at a range of price points, to off-dry and delicate wines and whites with more intensity, and then gradually increasing in intensity and fullness to wines with big structure and intensity, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, regardless of origin. Organizing your wines and spirits in a way that makes them convenient to buy rather than by any default convention seems a no-brainer, but the changeover can be time-consuming. There are other ways to make shopping easier and to build loyalty with customers. One is to respond to their choices by expanding sections. Most stores keep adding vodka brands and flavors, hoping a new one will catch fire and planning to discount the rest. In New Jersey at Bayway World of Liquor in Elizabeth, the local customer base a few years ago started to buy tequila at a rapidly growing rate. 68 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • March/April 2013