MARKETING MIX | LEEANN FROESE
Move Your In-Person Experience Online kind. A database of fans that buy via email or online from your business when you are closed is a great way to create a recurring source of revenue. Aside from this, consumer wine clubs are springing up everywhere, as pandemicchallenged sommeliers seek something different for employment and aim to bring a curated list of wines straight to the public.
visitors: reservation-only sitdown tastings have largely replaced the “belly up to the bar” approach, and allow for a deeper connection to customers.
W
hile many companies have finally been allowed to shift back to in-person events, visitor season is quiet with the cold weather. As in-person visitor traffic stagnates for hospitality businesses, attention moves to how to maintain or stimulate sales in other channels. It’s important to think about taking your offline experience back online. A transition from in-person to online can be a challenge to navigate for brick-and-mortar brands, but if done successfully and strategically the opportunity is there to reach a vast customer base. In the last two years most businesses had to pivot, wineries for example, have adjusted the way that they welcome
Another approach was to shift from a quick pitstop to guided personalized visits. These unrushed tasting experiences provide an opportunity to learn more about your customers and their preferences while teaching them and turning them on to your brand. Your in-person experience can be curated and deep, and now you should work to bring that curated in-person connection online.
What your membership looks like can vary, but whatever the method, online memberships offer an opportunity to make your customers feel like VIPs while creating ongoing income for your brand. For example, hold club-only events and provide exclusive merchandise for members of your club, incentivising members to pay an annual subscription to get access. Special releases, behind-the-scenes information, and front-of-line access all make your members feel important.
Remember it is important not to neglect creating impactful online experiences, too. After all, community building happens on-screen and off. Here we share a few ways to get your customers from the wine shop to the internet. Online Memberships Wine clubs are an article of their own, and it’s well known that most wineries, cideries and distilleries have a customer club or contact list of some
Create an At-Home Experience Creating an at-home kit for your customers to “DIY” can
be another source of revenue for your brand. For example, creating a wine and food pairing kit with ingredients and recipes delivered to your customer’s doorstep is a great way to stay connected with those who are now back to evenings at home. With a little creativity in repackaging your products and services, you can offer the best of both worlds to a wide range of customers. Consider creating a theme like “movie night” and add popcorn, or add a gift card for groceries and an instruction card for the perfect plantbased snack board. Carry on the Virtual Tastings We saw how the COVID-19 pandemic prompted brands to find new, creative ways to bring their communities together and while it’s true that in-person events are a solid tool for building community, virtual events provided a new way to connect with and educate people. Many wineries and businesses held virtual guided tastings and now that the visitor season is ending
Vineyard Mulch Spreaders Custom Equipment Built to Last
Engineered for Precise Mulch Application. For moisture evaporation *weed control amendments * enhancing soil tilth. • Follower hitch for tight turns around end rows • Available with Quick Change discharge system • Belt discharge for on the row & spinners discharge for broadcast spreading Engineered for all applications: Mulch, Sawdust, Shavings, Manure, Solids, Gypsum, Organic Compost, Wood Chips etc.
Whatcom Manufacturing Mulch Spreaders Save Time and Money Also Available Orchard Mulchers Fertilizer Spreaders and much more …
Call today to locate a dealer near you and schedule a demo!
Whatcom Manufacturing Inc. Lynden Washington • Phone: 360.354.3094 www.whatcommfg.com • info@whatcommfg.com
Year End 2021
33
