Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138003
UNCORKING PR PAUL WAGNER After meeting and exchanging contact information with a trade member or customer, follow up to say you enjoyed the conversation, or simply say thank you. Photo: Thinkstock You should do this because it is true. You should also do this because it helps you build those very relationships that will pay dividends later. And you should do this because most other people won't – and this will serve to create a unique point of differentiation for you. You are the one who actually follows up. This is not just true of big industry shows where you are meeting members of the wine trade. You should also do this with your consumers! It is amazing to me that wineries don't call their customers and talk to them. When a customer visits your tasting room and purchases a case of wine, it's an important relationship for your winery. Within a week or two that customer should get a phone call from you or an employee to say thank you. You can chat about the wines, ask about their visit, and suggest a food match for the wine they bought. This is not junk mail nor telemarketing, but rather relationship-building with people who have already told you that they love you. What department store chain has the highest reputation for customer service in America? Nordstrom. When you buy something nice at one of its stores, you get a thankyou card and an invitation to call on your "private shopper" for exceptional and personal service. Why wouldn't you do that at your winery? It obviously works. Or are you simply going to leave money, and good customer relationships, on the table? USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY CONNECTED Of course, the buzz words in today's market are all about social media, and it is far more effective when it is based on an existing relationship. You need to take the relationships you have built through your marketing efforts over the year and reconnect with them. Social media is perfect for this. If you have customers who love your winery, take their photo when they visit and post it on your Facebook page. Write them an e-mail. Thank them. Talk to them. Make them feel that you actually like them, rather than seeing them as merely a source of revenue. With all that work you do throughout the year, you are not getting your money's worth, or your time's worth, if you are not following up. It turns that out the most important thing you can do to make all of your marketing efforts successful is the last thing you do. Paul Wagner formed Balzac Com- munications & Marketing and is an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Enology Department. He has been a columnist for V&WM since 2003. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. w w w. v w m media.com J u l y - A u g 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 17