Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/155925
WINE WISE MARKETING ELIZABETH SLATER Now is the time to start budgeting for 2014 marketing programs. Photo: Thinkstock all the methods of promotion you have decided upon. You can go back through the plan after the first draft is done and add other items. Give some thought to the costs involved with your marketing budget. If you plan on doing printed materials, be sure to add in the cost of a graphic artist, copywriter and photographer, if needed, as well as the printing expense. To minimize costs, give the graphic artist and copywriter as much information as you can in advance, which will start him/her on the right path. You may also want to create the first draft yourself and let those you hire embellish and edit it, rather than creating it from scratch. If you choose to write or create a piece yourself, have it professionally edited for both words and design. It will be well worth the money you spend. Don't forget to include postage in your budget, as you should still mail printed materials to your best customers. to create a strong social media presence for you. This includes not only posting on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus, but also the time for social monitoring – discovering who is saying what about you and responding to those who speak both positively and negatively about you. Also allow for promotional materials in your budget. If you distribute wines through the three-tier system, there are costs associated with spiffs for sales people, as well as for little gifts for wine club members and other good customers. MIX IT UP AND TRACK Create a marketing plan and budget that has a good mix of different avenues of promotion. One size does not fit all. Just because it is inexpensive to use e-mail for all correspondence doesn't mean that it's entirely effective. Segment your best customer and treat them differently than the way you treat customers who don't spend much money with you. For example, include in the budget the cost of printed invitations to special events for your best customers (top 20%); send postcards presenting the same event to your good customers; the rest of your list receives an e-mail. If you have an audience of various generations, create marketing pieces that speak to each generation. Place the information in different media that each age group will appreciate. As young people get much of their information via text, collect cell phone numbers so that you will be able to optimize this manner of communication. The reach of every type of advertising and promotion can be tracked, and if you are not tracking your results, you aren't spending your marketing money wisely. If you are dealing with a salesperson, ask that person to create a way for you to track your spends for effectiveness. You may need to include money in the budget to stay on top of that, but it's definitely worth it. Elizabeth Slater is the owner of In Short Direct Marketing, a direct marketing company that works with individual wineries and winery associations. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROMOTION Many like to think that social media doesn't cost anything. But if you don't do it right, it can cost you money in lost sales. In your budget, set aside funds for the creation and implementation of a social media strategy. If you have an employee who has realworld experience in social media, plan for extra hours for him/her to develop and administer your plan. Allot enough hours for this person w w w. v w m media.com S e p t - O c t 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 19