Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/197178
WINE WISE MARKETING ELIZABETH SLATER their knowledge of your wines, wine in general, and their interest in the product. Are they occasional drinkers, those who regularly have a glass of wine with dinner, or aficionados? I like to send secret shoppers to wineries to evaluate the visitor experience. One set reported back that the tour guide had told the group that the winery was founded in 1985, and asked the visitors what they were doing in 1985. That question immediately formed a connection between the winery and guests, as they recalled what they were doing at the time the winery opened its doors. The query also works for those who were not yet born in 1985, as they get to hear about what they missed. There are many questions you can ask guests, including how much they enjoy drinking wine; the types (varieties and brands) of wine they drink; the foods they eat; how much entertaining they do; and whether they would like to learn more about wine. Those who are most interested in wine will want to know more about the wines you are pouring. Put that information into context as to how your wines will relate to their lives. Gathering information about visitors' wine-drinking and wine-buying habits gives servers insight on how to converse with their potential customers. Staff should know how to talk at a level that guests understand and are comfortable with; some visitors appreciate the basics, while others seek a more detailed, complex explanation. Read the audience and present the wines accordingly. TASTING ROOM DO'S Here are a few things servers should do when visitors come to the winery: + Welcome them and thank them for visiting. + Tell everyone in the party your name, even if you're wearing a name badge. w w w. v w m m e d i a.com + Explain the tasting process, including the cost (if there is one), the number of wines available for tasting, and the options and costs for tasting wines not included in the standard tasting. The process varies from winery to winery, so be sure to detail yours. + If the owner or winemaker is present in the tasting room, point him/her out to the guests. This allows them to match a face to the name and enhance their connection to the winery. + Change your verbiage. Many times, the different groups at the tasting bar can hear what you are saying to others, so vary the information you give each time you pour a wine. + Compliment guests if you have an opportunity to do so. TASTING ROOM DON'T'S While some of this advice might seem rudimentary or simple common sense, I have experienced all of these gaffes during my recent visits to tasting rooms: + Don't recite information verbatim from the tasting notes; vary the words from what is written. If you quote from the tasting notes, at least say something along the lines of, "As you will see in the tasting notes," or, "As our winemaker (give name) wrote in the tasting notes." + If you don't enjoy drinking a wine that you are pouring, do not share this information with guests. They might like the wine but decide against purchasing it if they know your opinion of it. + Don't talk about things you don't know. I was at a winery where a server told me that the chardonnay went through partial malolactic fermentation, then said to me, "But I don't really know what that is." Hint to server: find out! + Don't assume that everyone wants to try every wine. Ask each guest which wines he or she wants to taste. You can suggest other wines, but don't automatically pour them. + Don't tell customers how a wine tastes before they've tried it. Instead, ask them what they taste, acknowledge their opinion, and if it seems appropriate, point out the additional sensory notes that you pick up in the wine. IT'S STILL A PEOPLE BUSINESS Many winery owners and their staff assume that folks visit because they are interested in the winery and its wines. It's easy for employees to immediately start talking about the winery without showing interest in the guests themselves, or in learning the reasons they have decided to visit. It could be just a whim, a desire for adventure or a break in a long drive. No matter the reason, you have an opportunity to win over customers by embracing them during their visit, asking just as much about them as you explain about your winery. Technology changes, but people stay the same. No matter how many whiz-bang customer service and sales tools you employ, the foundation for success in the wine industry remains with your interactions with customers. They want to be important to you and liked by you. If you appreciate your visitors, show it; if they like you, they likely will also love your product. It is up to everyone at the winery to be more interested in guests than you expect them to be in you. 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. N ov - D ec 2013 | V INE YA RD & W INE RY M A N A G EM EN T 19