Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/56967
MANAGEMENT UNCORKING PR So You Want a ince my agency has a highly visible role in the world of winery public relations, I get a steady stream of visitors to my Napa Valley office who seek informational interviews – one to two a week. And after all the polite inquiries and flattery, every visitor wants to know the same thing: "How do I get a job in the wine industry?" I am pretty sure that this doesn't happen in the corn business, or the paper towel business. Wine has a special place in the hearts and passions of many peo- ple in the United States, and they all want to share in the fun of work- ing in an industry that they love. Of course, it usually turns out that they don't know very much about the wine industry; they love wine, and may know a lot about it from a consumer standpoint, yet in terms of understanding how the business works, and what needs to happen for a winery to be successful, well … that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish. SHORT COURSE Package yourself like a brand, and then sell yourself. Learn about wine, and understand that you will always have more to learn. Accept that wine is sold on the basis of relationships. Emphasize skills and experiences from previous positions. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM PAUL WAGNER Wine PR Job… It takes more than wine passion to get through the cellar door What amazes me is that the very people who are interested in a marketing communications position often don't have the nuts- and-bolts understanding of how to market themselves to others. And that really matters, because I often see people I consider to be highly qualified and interesting candidates get passed over by employers in favor of more traditional winery PR candidates. That means that the folks I find intriguing are not selling themselves appropriately, and that wineries aren't looking for the right traits in a candidate. SKILLS CHECKLIST Let's begin with a basic ques- tion: What makes a good winery PR person? It's simple things: The ability to think clearly, which allows you to write clearly. A basic knowledge of marketing communications and brand management. Excellent peo- ple skills, which allow you to forge relationships with a wide range of personality types. The ability to creatively solve problems involving many variables. A level of attention to detail that allows you to keep several balls in the air at one time. What about wine knowledge? I think you need to know the first 50 pages of "The World Atlas of Wine" by Hugh Johnson and Jan- cis Robinson; anything else you can learn on the job. Media contacts? If you know how to build relationships, this isn't an issue. A good story, well-crafted and targeted, will easily outper- form a bad story told to someone If you want to work in wine PR, market yourself like you would a brand. Photo: Thinkstock/John Rowley MAR - APR 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 15 Paul Wagner formed Balzac Communica- tions & Marketing and is an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Enol- ogy Department. you think is a friend in the media. In the best scenario, your friend in the media will tell you it's a bad story, and save you the trouble of selling it around to lots of his or her colleagues. In the worst-case scenario, you will continue to push the story, and your media colleague will cease to be a friend. BRAND YOURSELF So what is the job applicant to do? First of all, consider yourself a product. A brand, in fact. And to be a successful brand, you need to understand your long-term goals. What are they? How are you going to get there? If you can't answer these questions, you don't know what kind of job to seek.