Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/40615
MANAGEMENT WINE WISE MARKETING Why Do People here are many reasons why con- sumers visit wineries – and vari- ous combinations of them – and not all of them have to do with wine. If you want people to return and bring their friends with them, it's crucial that you discover what is drawing them to your win- ery in the first place. What type of experience are visitors to your tasting room seek- ing? There are several possibilities, among them: Emotion: To connect with the person pouring for them and pos- sibly find a community of people with whom they have interests in common. Intellect: To delve into the histo- ry, science or the deeper mean- ing of wine. SHORT COURSE Visitors can have many different types of experiences in tasting rooms. Create a personal connection with each of your visitors before you talk about the wine. The emotional brain has to be engaged before the intellectual brain will engage. Let visitors tell you what type of experience they want, instead of you deciding what they'll get. Be aware of when visitors' eyes glaze over, and change the sub- ject to one that relates to them. Making guests feel welcome is crucial to a great customer experience. 16 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT SEPT - OCT 2011 WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM ELIZABETH SLATER Visit Your Winery? One customer experience does not fit all Education: To learn little-known facts or the basics to develop more general wine knowledge. Escape: To get away from their worries or problems and concen- trate on something different. Fun: To spend time with people they care about in a beautiful area and in an atmosphere con- ducive to having a good time. Discussion: To talk about wine, what they collect, what they like to drink. Facts: All that information about wine, winemaking processes, viticulture, flavor profiles, etc. Impulse: They see your winery sign and decide to pop in. You'll notice that "Facts" are way down on the list of reasons Elizabeth Slater is the owner of In Short Direct Marketing, a direct marketing com- pany that works with individual wineries and winery associations. people visit wineries. This is inten- tional. Most wineries give visitors so many facts, without any idea of whether or not they are interested in them. A few facts may interest visitors, but too many turn them off completely. Your job is to find out why each of your visitors has decided to visit your winery. It's time to challenge your assumptions as to why you think they walked through the door, and just ask them. Asking the ques- tion is the first step in changing the people from anonymous visitors to loyal customers and perhaps even friends. SHOW YOU CARE There is a great quote by author John C. Maxwell: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Most human beings want to be liked for who they are, and to be