Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/267019
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a r - A p r 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 1 7 new business than your existing customers. They already know who you are, and they like you. But do you know why? Your tasting room is the perfect place for some market research t h a t w i l l h e l p y o u u n d e r s t a n d what you are doing right, and what you need to improve. Do not assume that you already know the answers. I have never done a mar- ket research project that didn't gen- erate at least some surprises for my clients. You can do this research more formally, by inviting your custom- ers to fill out a questionnaire. (You can reward them with a discount on wines or the chance to win an invitation to a private event.) If the questionnaire is thoughtful and probing, and you get enough peo- ple to fill it out, you can learn an astonishing amount about your cus- tomers and what they think about you. It's the kind of information that Procter & Gamble would spend a fortune to have. You can also research informally, by training your tasting room staff to ask the right questions of guests. The results here are much harder to tabulate, but that just means that you should limit the number of questions and keep them sim- ple. Instead of one large question- naire, ask your staff to just spend one week asking every customer a single question. Over time, if you do this right, you will get the infor- mation you need to be much more successful. And you will make your visitors feel as if they are not just customers, but part of your team. Don't view your tasting room only as a retail center, but also as an in-house PR agency that can help increase the rings on your register, and also deliver intangible value and good will to your business. Paul Wagner formed Balzac Com- munications & Marketing and is an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Enology Depart- ment. He has been a columnist for V&WM since 2003. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. COLLEAGUES, NOT COMPETITORS Other wineries might be your neighbors. If so, take the initiative to host their staffs, as a group, at your winery and make them feel as if they are part of your audience – because they are. Hosting an informational discus- sion group once a month about winemaking and hospitality issues of common interest is a great way to build rapport, and it can cre- ate some additional opportuni- ties. Don't forget that the Napa Valley Vintners Association, the most powerful organization of its kind in America, began just this way. You might make the focus of one meeting a wine tasting, another could address issues such as destination marketing for your area, traffic management, custom- er referral systems, neighborhood watch programs, and local regula- tory issues. As the host of such meetings, you position yourself as a local industry leader, and that's good PR. It's also good business, as peer respect can lead to other winer- ies' employees recommending your winery and wines to their visi- tors. Resist the urge to view other tasting rooms as competition and instead embrace them as partners in the promotion of your region and possibly your own wines. And give your employees permission to reciprocate by recommending nearby tasting rooms that provide a positive customer experience. Also look to area restaurants, bars and wine shops as not just great sources of new customers, but also as ambassadors for your brand. Even if you don't sell wine to these businesses, you should host an event at least once a year where they are invited to visit you. Tell them your story, show them a good time, and make sure they taste all of your wines. It will help drive referral business to your winery over the long haul. CUSTOMER COMES FIRST I ' v e s a v e d t h e b e s t f o r last. There is no better source of does. Then your problems will mul- tiply many times over. If you see a neighbor working in his or her yard, or walking along the road, stop and say hello. Ask how he or she is doing. Describe what's going on at the winery and invite neighbors to stop by and see for themselves. It's what you would do if you were planting a new garden at your house, so why not do it at the winery as well? I n f a c t , I r e c o m m e n d i n v i t - ing your neighbors to attend any events you have at the winery, free of charge. Give them a standing discount on purchases in the tast- ing room. If you're planning a big event at the winery, let the locals know well in advance. You should also consider host- ing a community meeting once every six months or so to give locals a chance to chat with you, and you a chance to listen. The ground rules here should be pretty loose. You can tell them a bit about what's going on, but also ask them how your business is impacting them. Take the opportunity to talk about any awards or good news you have received, but the key ele- ment of this meeting is to listen to neighbors. You might even create a local advisory board from those who attend this meeting, so that you can access their input more regularly, and make them feel part of the solution. Host community meetings to solicit feedback from your neighbors about how the winery impacts them. Photo: Thinkstock/Robert Churchill UNCORKING PR PAUL WAGNER