Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/197178
UNCORKING PR PAUL WAGNER house, especially if it means that there will be a lot of cars in it every day. When those cars bring people who laugh, talk loudly, cheer at concerts, and picnic on the property, it's even worse. If I were your neighbor, I might complain about it! What's the solution? Develop a complete communications plan for your neighbors. Invite them to see what you are doing, and ask them what they think. Communication, despite what we see from many politicians on TV, is a two-way street. Start by asking questions of your neighbors and listening to their answers. Many times, you will be able to address their concerns directly, person-to-person, so that they never make it to the city council or county board of supervisors. Part of your plan should include inviting your neighbors to visit the winery and meet you. But don't stop there. Continue to reach out to your neighbors on a regular basis. With the right approach from you, they can become some of your strongest brand ambassadors. COURT LOCAL MEDIA Let's put in a kind word for the reporters/bloggers/announcers at your local newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, and websites. While their circulation may be limited, they often have a serious influence in your own backyard. The next time you see a staff writer for the local paper, say hello. The foundation that you lay today will be very important later, when the journalist calls about something important to you. Make a plan to meet your local media representatives, not only to gain their attention now, but also to establish contacts with the fresh-faced, new college grads at small publications who just might become reporters and editors for major media outlets. Meet them now, while they live and work next door to you. Establishing media relationships also has an effect on your SEO (search engine optimization). As these publications put their content online, the search engines find w w w. v w m m e d i a.com it and put it near the top of your "Google" listings. Consumers who use search engines to find you on the Internet will see lots of independent, third-party articles about your winery and wines. That's good. Even better, you will find that many mainstream journalists (TV, radio and print) use these same techniques. They search the Internet, find these articles, and may even contact the authors to discuss what they know and what they learned. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS One of the most powerful wine writers in the world once told me that he got a lot of great story ideas from talking to the spouses of his neighbors at the grocery store. While a winery might well try to convey one story or one image to him, the word on the street from those who worked there was telling a different tale altogether. And he was smart enough to listen to both. For all the effort we put into managing our image on a national basis, we often overlook the locals who see us every day. While we would never appear at a winemaker dinner in New York City in work- out clothes, the residents in our town see us at the supermarket, the bank and the gym. And they remember us. Taxi drivers, restaurant servers and hotel concierges are all capable of telling stories about their neighborhood, and those stories may not be the same versions that we work so hard to develop with the marketing and sales team. It pays to make sure that when you communicate something to your key audiences, you don't forget that one of those audiences is your local community. Communicate effectively with local gatekeepers and they will appreciate your efforts and respect your honesty. Do it poorly, and they will take delight in telling their friends, neighbors and contacts about the juicy details – which may not be true – but which certainly make the story more interesting. 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. COMING SOON! details: wineriesunlimited.com N ov - D ec 2013 | V INE YA RD & W INE RY M A N A G EM EN T 17