Category: Marketing

What to Make of the Online Advertising Crash

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

As we’re planning with our clients for 2023, one question frequently popping up is the viability of Meta and Google as advertising platforms.

  We understand the scrutiny, as 2022 has not been kind to the tech sector. The stock market saw seven years of gains erased in 10 months this year. The headlines are brutal, calling Meta a “risk,” a “looser,” or in what CNBC named a “death spiral.” Every other day there is news of another large marketer pulling out of the platform. Meta’s meltdown is shocking but not singular. Google is down 40% this year, Amazon 45%, and Snap 80%. Add the absolute insanity with Twitter, and even the boldest marketer is wondering how much budget to attach to social media in 2023.

  We must break down the causes of these market shifts to answer those questions and apply them to the wine business.

Just the Facts, Please

Keeping politics out of it, let’s fact-check some of the claims being thrown around for the current social media advertising crisis.

It’s the Economy’s Fault: When Google, Meta, Amazon, and Snap missed their quarterly revenue goals, their response to shareholders was a chorus of “it’s not our fault.”

  Sounds reasonable. When people buy less stuff, there are fewer sales of stuff, meaning fewer advertising dollars for the people who make the stuff.

  But are we buying less? I know you will be shocked to hear that sometimes the news sensationalizes the truth. If you investigate, it doesn’t appear that we are buying less. The U.S. consumer spending increased, and the U.S. GDP grew 2.6% last quarter. So while we’re not killing it as a country, we aren’t exactly falling apart, either. At least not enough to cause the apocalyptic tumble we’ve seen this year with Meta, Google, and Snap.

In addition, how do you explain other tech companies like Apple beating earning projections in the same “terrible” market as Google, Meta, and Snap?

So we’re not buying the economic argument.

It’s the Advertisers’ Fault: Another consistent whimper and whine propagated by news headlines are that advertisers aren’t advertising. This headline freaks out our clients and keeps them up at night. If Frito-Lay and Budweiser are pulling advertising, shouldn’t we as well?

  Let’s start with the foundation, and great generalization, that there are two kinds of advertising: Ads for awareness (we exist) and ads for response (buy this, sign up for this, attend this). If we continue the generalization, you will target these ads differently. Awareness ads should focus on people who don’t know your brand yet, and response ads should target people who are already aware of your brand or product. You also typically spend more and advertise more frequently to the awareness target. This concept is the basics of the marketing funnel.

  We’re seeing the more prominent clients and budgets with awareness goals shifting budgets to other platforms that provide broad coverage better than Meta. In particular, TikTok has taken off like a rocket, and we’ve seen quotes from large advertisers that they’re moving up to 10%-15% of their Meta budget from Meta to TikTok. TikTok has dethroned Facebook and Instagram as the go-to medium for efficiently reaching a broad range of people.

  In sum, advertising hasn’t stopped. It’s shifted.

It’s Apple’s Fault:  One hotly discussed topic this past year has been Apple’s new iOS requirements. This upgrade forced apps like Meta to ask users for permission to track their data. This requirement was supposedly going to be a knockout punch to platforms that cater to response-driven advertisers. No data, no targeting. No targeting, no ads. The Apple requirement must be why Meta is down 36% this year, right? 

  Nope. This doomsday has not come to pass. After a year of the new iOS, Apple reports only about 16% of users choose to block their data. So Meta ads might be less efficient, costing you roughly 16% more to reach your target audience, but it is a long way from being a wasted endeavor.

  Another reason we know this isn’t the reason for ad revenue falling? Because Google is down 40% this year, and they have their own data. You’d expect them to be cruising right along with ad sales if the data tracking was this issue.

It’s Meta’s Fault, Users are Jumping Ship, The company is Failing: Today’s daily active users of Meta are 1.93 billion vs. 1.95 billion expected by analysts in Q3 of this year. (StreetAccount) This seemingly slight dip is significant because it is the first down quarter in the company’s history.

  We don’t think this is a strong argument, though. Even with a 36% drop in net income in the latest quarter, Meta generated $6.7 billion in profit and ended the period with over $40 billion in cash and marketable securities. (CNBC) And user numbers are up about 10% globally and are expected to increase by 3% annually through 2024. (FactSet)

  While the press is enjoying their Zuckerberg punching bag, no one suggests that Facebook is going out of business.

  And Google is just in the news because they have been the press darling for so long. Even though they missed their earnings, Google’s digital ad revenue grew 2.5%, mostly citing poor ad sales on YouTube. The Motley Fool analyzed the company and noted that the stock decline was an “over-reaction” and still list the company as a “buy”.

What We Do Think is Happening

A shift in awareness ad dollars: As mentioned above, 2022 has seen a shift in advertising dollars where Meta and Google are no longer the dynamic duo in the awareness “mass reach” area.

Meta doesn’t care about advertisers: The company is putting all its eggs in the Metaverse basket, with Zuckerberg saying they’re shooting for a billion users and focusing almost all development into making that a new ad platform. (The problem is there is very little support or information for companies that can’t employ a development firm on how to get involved.) Regardless, it is clear that Meta and Twitter are not catering to advertisers currently. They have other agendas at play.

Meta is not courting the new generation: Facebook struggles with video and has been a follower versus a leader in this space. They openly report that more users go to Reels, which is a lower profit for the company than Feeds and Stories. Last year Facebook internal documents said that their teen users had declined by 19% since 2019, with a projected decline of 45% by 2025.

  Where are they going? TikTok. This year, TikTok will gain more Gen Z users than Instagram and more total users than Snap by 2023, according to eMarketer.

What Does that Mean for the Wine Market?

  We are still recommending Instagram, Facebook, and Google to our clients for the following reasons.

1.   Meta and Google are still the best platforms available to target response-driven ads. It may cost you a little more or be less efficient, but it’s still the best place to be.

2.   Meta is the least costly channel to reach a target (outside of emailing or texting.) Any other advertising channel, digital or otherwise, will cost more.

3.   Meta and Google are immediately responsive, allowing testing and refinement. With routine tweaking of new audience profiles, we have successfully gotten our average cost per signup on Meta down to less than $6/name.

4.   Video is more time-consuming to produce than a Meta ad, and the consumption rate of videos is manic. TikTok recommends advertisers post 1-4 times a day! If you’re Coca-Cola and have a TikTok team, that’s great, but I don’t know many wineries that can afford that volume and frequency of content production.

5.   Advertising alcohol on TikTok is prohibited. So, there’s that.

6.   We aren’t targeting teenagers. So, when you hear of large groups leaving Meta, know it is mostly Generation Z who can’t get enough of dance moves, make-up tutorials, or pet antics on other platforms.

  So, consider Meta “maturing” for now, and Google having a bad hair day. But stick with it. For 2023 they are both still strong placements for your ad dollars.

About the Author

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California.  WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com 

By: Bryan St. Amant  December 12, 2022

Lauded in the press as a “scary good” AI, the recent launch of ChatGPT – an AI-powered chatbot that simulates human conversation – prompted this wine marketer to ask one of the world’s most powerful AI systems what it thinks about wine marketing.

Specifically about SMS wine marketing.

As it turns out, ChatGPT has much to say about wine marketing, including advice on how wine merchants can profit from text messaging in 2023.

But as this conversation unfolds, it’s hard to believe AI won’t profoundly change all our lives.

This transcript of an interview conducted Dec 9-11, 2022, by Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive, provides an eye-opening look at the future of wine marketing and artificial intelligence.

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BTS: What made you interested in learning about SMS wine marketing?

ChatGPT: I am a large language model trained by OpenAI, so I don’t have personal interests or experiences. I am designed to provide answers to a wide range of questions on a variety of topics, based on the information I have been trained on. In this case, I was able to provide information and advice on SMS wine marketing based on my understanding of marketing, the wine industry, and the use of text messaging as a marketing tool.

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BTS: So, what do you know about the effectiveness of text messaging for merchants who sell luxury goods directly to consumers?

ChatGPT: Text messaging can be an effective marketing tool for merchants who sell luxury goods directly to consumers. Text messages have a high open rate and are often read within minutes of being received, making them a great way to reach customers quickly and efficiently. Additionally, text messages can be personalized and targeted, allowing merchants to tailor their messaging to specific customers or customer segments. This can help merchants create a more personalized and engaging experience for their customers, which can be important for luxury goods. However, it’s important for merchants to use text messaging responsibly and comply with any relevant regulations.

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BTS: In your opinion, why should DTC wineries care about text marketing in 2023?

ChatGPT: In my opinion, DTC wineries should care about text marketing in 2023 because it is a highly effective and efficient way to reach and engage with their customers. With text marketing, DTC wineries can easily send personalized, targeted messages to their customers, which can help to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and build customer loyalty. Additionally, text marketing is a cost-effective and relatively easy-to-implement marketing strategy, which means that even small DTC wineries can benefit from it. Overall, I believe that text marketing can be a valuable tool for DTC wineries to help them grow and succeed in the increasingly competitive world of wine.

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BTS: Can you explain why the wine industry is still so reluctant to use text marketing compared to other industry segments?

ChatGPT: I think the wine industry may be hesitant to use text marketing for a few reasons. First, the wine industry is highly regulated, and there may be strict rules around how and to whom wine companies can market their products. This could make it difficult for wine companies to use text marketing effectively. Second, the wine industry is often focused on creating a luxurious and sophisticated image, and sending text messages to customers may not align with this image. Finally, the wine industry is highly competitive, and wine companies may be hesitant to use a marketing channel that their competitors are also using.

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BTS: How hard is it for wine merchants to comply with the regulations that govern text marketing in the U.S.?

ChatGPT: It can be challenging for wine merchants to comply with the regulations that govern text marketing in the U.S. The wine industry is highly regulated, and there are strict rules around how and to whom wine companies can market their products. This can make it difficult for wine merchants to use text messaging as a marketing tool. For example, wine merchants may need to obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and they may need to include opt-out mechanisms in their text messages to allow customers to stop receiving messages at any time. Additionally, there are rules around the content of text messages, including rules around making false or misleading claims, and rules around using spamming techniques to send unsolicited messages. It’s important for wine merchants to be aware of these rules and ensure that their text messaging campaigns are compliant.

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BTS: What are the best methods wine merchants can use to obtain consent from consumers before sending marketing texts?

ChatGPT: Wine merchants can use a few different methods to obtain consent from consumers before sending marketing texts. One common method is to include a checkbox on their website or in their physical store where customers can opt-in to receive text messages from the merchant. Another option is to include a clear statement in the merchant’s terms and conditions that explains how the customer’s personal information will be used, including for the purposes of sending marketing texts. Wine merchants can also ask customers directly for their consent, either in person or over the phone. It’s important for wine merchants to clearly explain how customers can opt-out of receiving text messages at any time, and to provide an easy way for customers to do so.

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BTS: Can you recommend any good ways wine marketers can learn if their customer base would like to receive text messages from their brand?

ChatGPT: There are a few good ways that wine marketers can learn if their customer base would like to receive text messages from their brand. One way is to simply ask customers directly through surveys or by including a checkbox on their website or in their physical store where customers can opt-in to receive text messages. This can provide valuable insight into whether customers are interested in receiving text messages from the brand. Wine marketers can also use social media or other online platforms to gauge customer interest in receiving text messages. For example, they can post a question on their social media channels or send out a newsletter asking customers if they would like to receive text messages from the brand. This can provide valuable feedback and help wine marketers determine whether text messaging is a good fit for their business and their customers.

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BTS: What are the most important business benefits small wine merchants should expect when they start using text marketing?

ChatGPT: Small wine merchants can expect several important business benefits when they start using text marketing, including:

1. Increased customer engagement: Text marketing allows small wine merchants to easily reach and engage with their customers in a personalized and targeted way, which can help to build stronger relationships and increase customer loyalty.
2. Improved sales and revenue: By sending targeted promotions and offers to their customers via text, small wine merchants can drive more sales and increase their revenue.
3. Cost-effectiveness: Text marketing is a relatively inexpensive marketing strategy, which makes it a great option for small wine merchants who may have limited marketing budgets.
4. Easy implementation: Implementing a text marketing campaign is relatively simple and can be done quickly, which means that small wine merchants can start seeing the benefits of text marketing almost immediately.
5. Greater reach: Text marketing allows small wine merchants to reach a wider audience than they might be able to with other marketing channels, which can help to expand their customer base and grow their business.

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BTS: Can you think of any substantial business benefits wine merchants might expect by learning how to leverage text messaging before their competition adopts SMS marketing?

ChatGPT: Wine merchants can expect several substantial business benefits by learning how to leverage text messaging before their competition adopts SMS marketing. First, they can gain a competitive advantage by being among the first to use text messaging as a marketing tool in the wine industry. This can help them reach and engage their customers more effectively, and can help them stand out from their competitors. Second, they can improve customer loyalty and satisfaction by providing a more personalized and engaging experience for their customers. Text messaging can provide a convenient and efficient way for wine merchants to communicate with their customers, and can help build stronger relationships with them. Finally, wine merchants can increase sales and revenue by using text messaging to drive traffic to their website and physical store, and to promote special offers and promotions. Overall, learning how to leverage text messaging can provide many substantial business benefits for wine merchants.

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BTS: What steps do you recommend wine merchants take before implementing text marketing?

ChatGPT: Before implementing text marketing, wine merchants should take a few key steps to ensure the success of their campaign. First, they should clearly define their goals and target audience for the campaign. This will help them determine the best approach for their text messaging and ensure that their messaging is relevant and valuable to their customers. Second, they should carefully research and understand the regulations that govern text marketing in the wine industry. This will ensure that their campaigns are compliant and avoid any potential legal issues. Third, they should develop a plan for how they will obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and how they will provide an easy way for customers to opt-out of receiving messages at any time. Finally, they should carefully test and refine their text messaging to ensure that it is effective and engaging for their customers. These steps can help wine merchants implement a successful text marketing campaign that meets their goals and provides value to their customers.

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BTS: Do you recommend wine merchants work with text marketing vendors with experience in the wine industry or take a DIY approach to SMS marketing?

ChatGPT: It can be helpful for wine merchants to work with text marketing vendors that have experience in the wine industry. These vendors can provide valuable insights and expertise that can help wine merchants navigate the complex regulations and unique challenges of the industry. They can also help wine merchants develop effective and engaging text messaging campaigns that align with the industry’s luxury image and target the right customers. However, wine merchants can also take a DIY approach to SMS marketing if they are comfortable doing so. This can provide more control and flexibility, and can be a cost-effective option for smaller wine merchants. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on the individual wine merchant’s goals, resources, and expertise.

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BTS: What advice would you give to DTC wineries that are thinking about adding text messaging to their marketing mix in 2023?

ChatGPT: There are several pieces of advice that I would give to DTC wineries who are thinking about adding text messaging to their marketing mix in 2023. First, I would recommend that they carefully research and understand the regulations that govern text messaging in the wine industry. This will help them ensure that their text messaging campaigns are compliant and avoid any potential legal issues. Second, I would recommend that they develop a clear plan for how they will obtain consent from customers before sending them text messages, and how they will provide an easy way for customers to opt-out of receiving messages at any time. Third, I would recommend that they carefully test and refine their text messaging to ensure that it is effective and engaging for their customers. Finally, I would recommend that they consider working with a text marketing vendor that has experience in the wine industry, as this can provide valuable expertise and insights that can help them succeed with their text messaging campaigns.

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BTS: With all due respect, why should DTC wineries listen to business advice dispensed by an AI like you?

ChatGPT: As an AI trained by OpenAI, I have access to vast amounts of information and data that I can use to provide valuable insights and advice on a wide range of topics. I am designed to be knowledgeable, objective, and unbiased, and to provide information and advice that is accurate and up-to-date. While I am not an expert in the wine industry, I can provide general business advice and recommendations based on my knowledge of marketing and consumer behavior. My primary goal is to provide helpful and informative answers to the questions that are asked of me, and to assist users in gaining a better understanding of the topics they are interested in. I hope that DTC wineries will find my advice useful and that it will help them make informed decisions about their marketing efforts.

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BTS: Thank you for your thoughtful advice!

ChatGPT: You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Founder & CEO of VinterActive LLC, Bryan St. Amant, is a pioneer in developing preference-based direct marketing and its successful application in the wine industry.

His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars, including CFO Magazine, Inc., CNN Money, eMarketing Magazine, Integrated Direct Marketing, Direct Marketing Association, Wine Business, Wine Marketing Report, and the Wine Industry Network.

Tagged: #textmarketing, #artificial intelligence, #automation

How to Tweak Your Messaging for More Sales this Holiday

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

  There is a lot of pressure on Q4 this year. Americans fueled by high gas prices, inflation, and pent-up demand flocked to Europe instead of domestically in 2022. For most North American wineries, this resulted in a slow summer tourist season, with some wineries reporting as much as a 25% drop in sales from pre-COVID visitations. Many of our clients hope a strong holiday season will make up for a lackluster Q2 and Q3.

  The addition of gifting makes betting on Q4 reasonable. In addition to increased wine consumption among known purchasers and club members due to social occasions around the holidays, we also can sell additional wine to the same group for gift giving. In addition, those who have not tried the wine might do so as a gift, positioning this quarter as a perfect time to grow brand awareness and increase our prospect databases.

  Buying a gift is undoubtedly different from buying for personal consumption. Consider if the traditional copy and images work in both situations. Has the offer positioning and targeting of the wine been adjusted for gift occasions? Neuromarketing, the study of marketing and consumerism’s influence on the brain, has some tips for us on what messaging is appropriate when motivating consumers to buy a product they intend to give to someone else.

  Objective 1: Get existing buyers to give wine as gifts. Prior research into gift-giving has concretely established that we buy gifts based on our ego, and the subconscious motivation in most gift choices is identity-consistent. According to (Sherry, 1983), gifts become “containers for the being of the donor who gives a portion of that being to the recipient.”

  It makes sense; we buy what we would like to receive ourselves. However, it does not stop there. The gift is also an “acknowledgment by both people that the identity imposed is accepted” (Schwartz, 1967). So not only do we tend to give gifts we feel represent our self-worth, but when others accept it, they confirm that value.

  So, psychologically speaking, getting our loyal base to share the wine they have already identified as worthy should be relatively easy. The most compelling messages here would be ones of connection and pride. Bottle X is their favorite wine, and Brand Y is their favorite winery. They have the inside information on what Brand Y offers, and because of that access and knowledge, they have chosen Bottle X as the best gift.

  What if they are not so confident? Perhaps they are new to the brand or unsure about their wine knowledge. Choosing a present for someone is more complex than choosing something for oneself because of the tension inherent in selecting a product that is appropriate for the recipient while still reflective of the giver’s own identity and the relationship between the individuals. (Belk 1979; Caplow 1982). As marketers, we can relieve this tension by making a solid argument. Emotionally we need to highlight why Bottle X from Brand Y is a solid, esteemed choice that reflects well on the giver. Highlight quality and details and bring up best sellers that further confidence. We do not need to waste time on introductions to Brand Y. We can keep the message focused on the selected products that make the strongest case for the best gifts. Furthermore, do not forget to create urgency with either shipping deadlines or limited quantities.

  Cost is unimportant in this scenario because we shop with a budget concerning gifts. At the onset, Bottle X is within the consideration set or is not. Psychologically speaking, a discount will not help this purchase and might hurt perceived value. Based on cultural norms and other factors, the average gift expenditure is between $50 and $100 for a family member and between $20 and $50 for a friend. (mint.com) So our best chance is to make the most attractive and strongest argument we can within those price ranges.


  TIP: The savvy marketer will also realize a hidden opportunity to target the recipient. An expertly crafted introductory brochure inserted into the gift box serves a dual purpose of not only furthering the giver’s confidence but can engage the recipient as well.

  Objective 2: Get existing buyers to buy wine for consumption. Wine for consumption falls into either self-presentation (at the customer’s own event) or as a hostess gift to another’s event. Research shows that motivations are far less dramatic when the gift is obligatory. We have less alignment with our identity when we give from a sense of obligation, and we are more likely to select practical or utilitarian gifts than those we give from a voluntary motive.

  Here is where logic and price come into play: Avoid outliers. Choose wines that pair well with various foods and situations and are between $15 – $40, the average amount spent on wine brought to parties (Forbes.) By mentioning food pairing, we are putting Bottle X in the context of the consumers’ lives and providing ideas about where the wine will be accepted.

  TIP: For extra incentive here, try a referral offer. The consumer is already in the headspace of how he/she will be spending time and celebrating with friends. It is a tiny leap to consider who else might enjoy Bottle X and suggest an introduction.

  Objective 3: Get prospects to give wine as gifts.

If gift-giving reflects our self-image, how do we immediately resonate with someone who has not tried Bottle X? We must present Bottle X and Brand Y as attractive representations of this potential buyer. The best way to do this is to overcome any objection a potential buyer might have. These objections could be the price, quality, or taste of the wine and, more than likely, the company’s values. We are far more likely to convince a prospect that we are a good gift if we are transparent about what we stand for, and this truth aligns with our prospect’s values.

  To succeed here, highlight mainstream varietal wines between $20 – $100 and have a pretty label or custom box. (Yes, you read that right, here is where research shows us attractive labels are perceived as higher value and thus a better gift choice.) Additional validation, like a score, also helps, as does any information on company values or beliefs. Target this value group on Meta or Google for even more alignment.

  TIP: Brainstorm how to make a bottle of wine special to this target audience. Gift boxes, merchandise inclusions, an insert about the company or an aligned charity, or signed bottles all add to the perceived value and make an otherwise impersonal gift more personal and attractive.

  Objective 4: Get prospects to buy wine for consumption. This is the most challenging of the four objectives but still achievable. The psychological emotion to overcome in this situation is guilt.

  It is bound to happen. We spend hours online combing through gifts (that we now know are reflections of ourselves), and we will see something that we want for ourselves. Our opportunity here is to grant permission to treat themselves.

By framing a personal choice as a potential gift, we can now include non-traditional gift categories. In the Felix Gray email, it is unlikely that someone would give a pair of prescription glasses as a gift. Nevertheless, their messaging leans into the season by positioning their glasses as gifts and additionally appropriate as a small personal luxury. They permit the target to splurge $100 on some new lenses in the context of “I was just Christmas shopping.”

  TIP: Luckily, wine is a relatively low-risk purchase, so our permission can come in the form of removing minimal barriers like shipping costs. The message here should be that the target deserves the wine, and it is painless to get it.

Summary:

  We get something like this chart if we put all four quadrants together and summarize our messaging. We have discussed the psychological motivation between each purchase as slightly different and recommended how to tweak messaging depending on the goal for the best outcome.

  One final note on gifts: A 2016 study asked people to give a friend either a “material” or “experiential” gift (valued at $15). Material gifts included things such as clothing, and experiential gifts included things such as movie tickets. Recipients of the experiential gifts showed a more significant improvement in perceived relationship strength than recipients of the material gifts.

  This shows that the gift we most value is quality time. So, consider experiences when planning the holiday lineup. A unique experience targeted to the local fan base could resonate during a stressful holiday season.

About the Author

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. Now in its 10th year, the agency offers domestic and international clients assistance with strategy and execution.   

WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

After navigating our client’s business and company growth during the last two roller-coaster years, I was ready for a significant break. Armed with credits from two canceled vacations and many pent-up credit card miles, I cashed in for an extended European visit in July. While there, my husband and I traveled to and stayed in four major wine tasting regions: Alsace, Champagne, Burgundy, and the Rhine/Mosel.

  While there are countless and apparent differences between how France, Germany and the US promote tourism and sell wine directly to customers, there are equal similarities if you look hard enough. On this trip, I found myself in the rare role of a focused tourist. So, I became aware of the marketing cues and delivery vehicles and noted what worked, and what didn’t.

Here’s Some of what I Learned:

1. You can’t judge a baguette by its crust.  If I were to ask you to paint a picture of your ideal customer, who would you envision? Most have that gray-haired, tanned, 65-year-old couple on a sailboat in their mind. What if I told you that the average 25-55 year old was equal to or wealthier than most over 55?

   And it goes beyond gray hair to the overall presentation. The casualness of today’s affluent consumers was apparent on day one in the premium airline lounge. I splurged all our points on an upgrade to Business Class for our 11-hour flight to and from Zurich, complete with the little fold-down bed and access to the private lounge at the airport. I expected to see businessmen in suits and mature couples dressed in Sax Fifth Avenue or European power couples with effortless, crisp, linen summer button-downs and a nanny in tow with the two gorgeous well-behaved children. This was not what I saw. I saw 30-year-olds with backpacks and complete families with grandmothers in a wheelchair and many young children.

  This observation continued at wineries. What struck me the most was the dress code. I know this isn’t the 60’s where you dressed up to go traveling, and we were in a heat wave, but even in Reims, where an average tasting can be 70€ and a bottle in the thousands, the standard was casual, very casual. Like pajama bottoms, gym shorts, flip flops, unbrushed hair, and ripped jeans casual.

  Takeaway:  The days of the winery controlling the “exclusivity” of a visit have passed. Customers now decide where they think they fit in and boldly go there. Visually, the current wealthy consumer is indistinguishable from a person on minimum wage. How would you determine who “belongs” even if you could? It would be best to assume anyone walking through your door is self-selected to be at your winery and a potential buyer. Your control exists with a straightforward website with your story and brand, where you list your offerings and are clear about your pricing. If you execute traffic-driving initiatives, ensure your income and geography target is correct so you don’t get someone looking for a Toyota strolling into a Range Rover dealer.

2. Napoleon’s hat is cool but not what I was looking for.  My husband and I have seen vineyards and done our share of winery tours, but I was not going to miss the chance to tour the ancient and legendary cellars of the one-and-only Moët & Chandon. I have always been a Dom Pérignon fan, and as the parent company, Moët is the only place you can find it as a tourist. I was prepared to spare no expense for a high-end experience at this boutique and called ahead but was dismayed that they only had two options for visitors. I explained I was a Sommelier from Napa and that I was interested in the higher echelon wines I couldn’t easily find in the US, but there was no flexibility with options. Hoping for the best, I purchased the more expensive of the two tour/tastings.

  Épernay is very similar to Napa. Small and hyper-focused on luxury winery tourism and visited by many tourists with various ranges of knowledge and spending power. Moët & Chandon didn’t disappoint with a grand entrance and seating area displaying several historical artifacts, including Napoleon Bonaparte’s hat.

  But that was as interesting as it got. For the next 75 minutes, we were led through an introductory tour of the champenoise method-not, even very much history or specific information about Moët. It was the same script someone from Schramsberg could have used. A woman from Oregon wanted to ask questions, but at each juncture, she apologized and seemed embarrassed that she was interrupting the tour guide’s script with wanting to know more.

  At the completion, we were rewarded with two glasses of vintage champagne (the base level tour offered a single tasting of the current NV Brut as the only deviation). In the garden with our group, I listened to our group chatter as an Australian wine collector boasted about his cellar full of Penfolds Grange to a mother from the Netherlands with her son, who was celebrating his birthday (he had just turned 18). Then we were all ushered through the gift shop before exiting.

  Takeaway:  What a tragic missed opportunity! With some foresight and flexibility, the Grange buyer and ourselves could have easily been delighted with an abbreviated tour and tasting of their high-end offerings. I’m sure we would have purchased 3x as much in half the time. Then the woman with the questions and the mother and son would have been within a smaller group of people who all could have learned about dosage or riddling while feeling more comfortable and heard.

  Never underestimate the power of customized experiences or knowing your audience to maximize sales opportunities.

3. A little Nerd goes a long way.  The tools and technology used were as varied as the regions we visited. Alsace had some of the most professional “Hollywood” style use of video, ingeniously using the barrels and the cellar walls as the video screen for various camera angles. Mercier in Épernay has a full-size laser-guided train that tours their cellars and a video that interacts with its elevator. Dr. Loosen, in Germany, chose low-tech but equally effective blown-up laminated images of the vineyards and soils to accompany and explain their elaborate and complex Riesling tasting.

  We belong to the Domaine Serene Wine Club in Oregon, and their sister winery is Château de la Crée in Santenay, Burgundy. I appreciated they were sufficiently connected worldwide to have my Wine Club information (even though I noticed la Crée wasn’t on WineDirect as Serene is). The customer service was seamless; they knew what wines we’d purchased and our entire history. But with language barriers, I respected that they also asked us to fill out a customer form to confirm they had information in their system correctly, and nothing needed updating.

  A not-so-great but funny example of a technology miss is that thanks to COVID-19, most cafes and some European restaurants have removed menus entirely in favor of QR code stickers on the tables. This reduces waste and time, lowers germs, and is easier to update, so it seems like a great idea all the way around. That is until your phone runs out of juice (which happened), or your sticker is ripped or faded (which happened), and you’re left awkwardly sneaking to another table or flagging down an annoyed waiter to find a menu.

  Takeaway:  We can use technology to enhance or confuse our customers. It can improve creativity, help communicate a message, make the visit memorable, reduce waste and germs, and help your customer and employee experience. Just ensure you know why you’re using it and employ it with intent and purpose.

  Also, always have a low-tech backup for when tech fails or you need to communicate with a neophyte.

C’est La Vie!

  It’s been several years since I’ve been to another wine region to compare “cellar door” marketing and programs and I can say Europe has come a long way toward our new world DTC practices here in the US. I am encouraged that as younger consumers become more educated, affluent, and demanding, the pace of evolution will continue to increase. There will likely be additional channels and tools that we are just beginning to explore in another few years.

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. Now in its 10th year, the agency offers domestic and international clients assistance with strategy and execution.  WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com 

By: Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive

Now that leading wineries have discovered the power of SMS marketing, the race is on to see which brands will profit and at whose expense.

With consumer engagement 32-times better than email marketing, even new wineries can quickly grow a small text messaging list that outperforms thousands of email addresses. For wineries with established DTC lists, the news is even better.

If your winery can convince 3% of your existing list to opt in for text messaging, you’ll succeed in creating an entirely new DTC channel that sells as much wine as the other 97%.

And here’s the best news of all…

Today’s SMS wine marketing solutions are inexpensive, easy to use, and can generate game-changing results in days by following three easy steps.

STEP 1) Plan Your Initial Offer: Once you’ve made the decision to add text messaging to your mix, your next step is to decide what you’ll be using it for so you can create your first text marketing offer inviting your customers to join your brand’s text messaging list.

The latest research shows that consumers are interested in brands that offer exclusive promotions, product news, and customer service delivered via text. And the most successful wineries we’ve worked with use text messaging to deliver all three.

But just because you can do all these things with SMS marketing doesn’t mean you need to do them all at once.

That’s why we recommend most wine merchants start with one of these text marketing offers:

• Concierge Services available via text.
• Wine Club Updates sent via text as needed.
• Order Tracking triggered by new shipments.
• Monthly Winery Updates about new wine & events.
• Weekly Tasting Room Specials.

If you want a proven pilot program and have a wine club, try offering your members the opportunity to receive their club updates via text. They’ll be thrilled, and you’ll have a new text marketing list.

PRO-TIP: For maximum engagement with loyal customers, perform a simple survey asking them what texts they’d like to receive from your brand. You might learn something, and when you offer your fans the chance to sign up for text messaging, they’ll already be on board.

Whatever you decide to offer at first, as long as you focus on real customer needs, you can’t go wrong. You can always start slow and build your text marketing program over time. So don’t stress out. Just getting the ball rolling might be the primary benefit of your first campaign.

For a motivated wine marketer, this first step shouldn’t take more than a day or two.

STEP 2) Select an SMS Wine Marketing Platform:
Once you’ve identified the customer services you’ll deliver via text, your next step is to select an SMS wine marketing platform.

Fortunately, many vendors now serve the wine industry and offer a broad range of marketing tools and price points. So do your due diligence by confirming the platform you select has all the tools needed to support your most crucial SMS marketing goals.

Critical tools for DTC wine marketers often include:

Two-Way Text Conversations: Essential for text-based concierge services. If you have a large hospitality team, make sure the system you select supports multiple team members as needed.

Text Marketing Preference Center: Essential for segmenting customers based on individual interests. Preference-based messaging is the best way to maximize consumer satisfaction and minimize unsubscribes.
Integration with Wine Commerce Systems: Essential for automating transactional messages like order confirmation, reservation reminders, and shipping notifications.

Automated Text Marketing Workflows: Essential for quickly responding to customer inquiries and maximizing staff productivity.

Age Compliance Mechanism: Essential for complying with industry regulations. SMS wine marketing systems must have working age gates that filter out contacts younger than 21.

PRO-TIP: Most wine marketers can send and receive texts using toll-free or local numbers. To send more than 3000 messages daily, use a toll-free service since they can deliver thousands of messages in seconds. But if customers also call you on a local number, you should text-enable it, too.

You can’t go wrong if you choose a platform that delivers the tools needed to support your initial goals. Worst case, if your plans change or your SMS platform doesn’t deliver as expected, you’ll still have all your data and opt-in contacts. So you can change your SMS marketing system if needed.
Even with due diligence, this step should take a week or less.

STEP 3) Launch Your First SMS Wine Marketing Campaign: When your new SMS platform is ready to go, it’s time to launch your new text messaging service. The wineries we’ve worked with have enjoyed success launching their SMS programs using a combination of:

• Email invitations to existing contacts.
• Webforms targeting prospects visiting your website from a desktop computer.
• “Click-to-text” buttons targeting prospects visiting your website from a mobile device.
• “Scan-to-text” signs that use QR codes to invite tasting room visitors to join your list.
• Keywords your customers can text to your brand to join your SMS list.
• Printed offers accompanying product shipments.

Just like email marketing, the success of your text marketing program depends on your list size.
So promote your SMS list wherever you engage the most customers.

If you have a large email list, promote your SMS program to email subscribers. If you have a busy tasting room, promote your SMS list there. And if your website or social media pages host hundreds or thousands of visitors each month, they should prominently feature your SMS wine marketing offers.

PRO-TIP: For an in-depth tutorial on the best practices for growing SMS wine marketing lists, check out our recent article, “The 7 Best Ways Wineries Can Grow Their Text Marketing Lists.”

To help you get started, your SMS wine marketing partner should be happy to assist you with all the tools needed to introduce your new text messaging services and grow your opt-in list quickly.

Even if you take the time to set up all possible subscription channels, this step can be accomplished in less than a week, leaving you ready to begin profiting from SMS wine marketing.

After Launch, What’s Next?

If you’ve already launched your SMS wine marketing program, congratulations! You’ve joined an exclusive club of wine merchants who use text messaging to stay in touch with their customers.

Now the fun begins – optimizing your text marketing program to maximize results.

One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is how often you text your subscribers. Since the number one reason consumers unsubscribe to text marketing programs is that they receive too many or too few messages, the frequency of your messages is critical to dial in.

The latest research on text marketing shows that most consumers prefer receiving text messages from their favorite brands every two weeks. But consumer preferences vary widely. So we recommend offering customers a choice of text messaging content so they can hear from you as often as they like.

Your initial campaign could offer winery updates every two weeks. But then, as you build out your text marketing program, you might also offer weekly updates on tasting room specials or perhaps monthly updates featuring recipes that pair well with your wines. With weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly options to choose from, your SMS wine marketing program will appeal to the broadest range of customers.

As you continue to optimize your text messaging program, you’ll need to keep an eye on results. That means regularly reviewing the open, click-thru, and unsubscribe rates generated by your campaigns so you can do more of what works while learning from your less successful efforts.

In our experience, learning from both success and failure is the key to delivering world-class DTC wine marketing results.

The Sooner You Text,
the Sooner You’ll Profit

In a world where 90% of online consumers want text messages from their favorite brands, but only 8% of U.S. wineries text their customers, this mismatch between consumer preference and industry practice spells nothing but opportunity for wineries focused on growth.

Unless you think text messaging is going away soon, you only have one choice to make: whether or not you let your competition profit from text messaging before you.

With consumers hungry for brands that engage them with text messaging and wine marketers reporting results 32-times better than email, now’s the time for savvy wine marketers to embrace text messaging.

We hope the 3-steps we’ve shared with you in this article can help your business quickly profit from SMS wine marketing.

Happy Selling!

About the Author

Founder & CEO of VinterActive, Bryan St. Amant, is a pioneer in developing preference-based direct marketing and its successful application in the wine industry. His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars. VinterActive is located in Windsor, California. For more information please call or visit their website vinteractive.com
707-836-7295

By: Susan DeMatei, Founder of WineGlass Marketing

In the September/October issue of The Grapevine Magazine, I wrote an article entitled “The four reasons you should care about online reviews.” As a quick recap, the four reasons were:

1.   We are at the precipice of a cultural shift from Baby Boomer values (externally showing luxury as validation, including professional and published reviews and scores) to Millennial values (internal and self-validation, including being part of a community that shares your beliefs).

2.   The internet and modern eCommerce train us to look for the most popular brands and rank the highest among people (we assume) are peers.

3.   Google evaluates reviews when delivering search engine responses and ranking.

4.   Your customers care about review sites.

•   92% to 97% of customers look for or read a review before doing business with a company.

•   80% of us trust reviews by strangers just as highly as a reference from our friends.

•   72% of us look for only positive reviews, and 86% will not do business with those with negative reviews. (Clutch.co)

  For many, this advice proves sound and agree that internet reviews are essential. Maybe you’ve even begun identifying where your target audience congregates and shares thoughts online. But knowing something in principle and achieving that goal are two different things. Your next step is to encourage and collect reviews, which is the topic of this follow-up article.

Asking In Person

  The most obvious way to accumulate reviews of your wine and service is to ask a customer when you’re with them at the time of the sale. This is also the most effective way, as the experience is still fresh in the customers’ minds, and you have a captive audience for a couple of minutes. But this is also the most uncomfortable for some. So, before you start squirming in your chair, here are some suggestions for making this awkward interaction more natural.

Build It Into The Banter  

  The most skilled wine educators weave the request naturally into the conversation. The trick is to have several routine lead-in questions where the response will naturally lead to a review suggestion.

  For instance:

•   “Did you enjoy your visit?”

•   “Do you want to take any wines home with you”?

•   “When are you guys heading back home from vacation?”

  The expected responses will comfortably lead to:

•   “Since you enjoyed yourselves, we welcome you to share your feedback so others can enjoy us.”

•“  Thank you for the purchase! We’re glad you liked the wine. We’d be excited if you’d share your feelings about it to encourage others to try it.”

•   “We love having visitors from out of town. Since you’re heading back tomorrow, please consider leaving notes on your experience, so others find us on their vacations.”

  It’s best to have this dialog after the entire experience is done, with the bill and tip paid. You want to clarify that any review is not affecting their service, charges, or product quality. And, when you have this interaction, choose words that don’t seem pushy. “Invite you to leave feedback” sounds better than “Can you give us a review.” Finally, don’t hesitate to say why you want a review. “Hey, thanks a lot, we’re trying to get going again after COVID, and good news travels fast.”

  Remember that even if you feel uncomfortable, most of the people you ask will be flattered that you’re asking them for feedback, not annoyed that you’re fishing for compliments.

Remove All Obstacles For An Immediate Response

  Continuing our roll playing from above, if the customer above says “yes,” you want to be able to actualize that direct call to action. Have the tools ready immediately and seamlessly to review your location right then and there. Luckily, almost all customers walk into our tasting rooms with tiny computers in their pockets, so offering WiFi for their phones is all that is needed. With a QR code on a napkin, coaster, receipt, or table tent, they could be on your profile on Yelp or Google in less than 15 seconds. If you are remote and WiFi is a challenge, see if you can offer an iPad on your network.

  Then thank them. The good news is that when asked, research says ¾ of us will leave a review. So, you’ll be surprised at your success.

Remote Options

  If your natural state is being socially distant, so in-person requests just are not your thing, there are still ways you can request reviews. Online you will find many websites selling window clings or table tents to make the subtle request not-so-subtly. If you want these in your tasting room, get some tear-off pads so that you can provide the information in the bag with their purchase. And don’t forget that when you’re working on your email, phone, and text campaigns, you can also include a request for review. No, you won’t annoy your customers. Asking for feedback is standard practice in many industries.

  If you ask for after-the-fact reviews, offer a small token of appreciation, such as a tasting voucher, coupon, or discount. Communicate that you will reward satisfied buyers for the time they invest in providing feedback about their experience. 

  A word of caution: this is a slippery slope. Ideally, you want to earn reviews without offering rewards. Websites like Yelp filter out reviews provided because of incentives, and Google also uses analytics to monitor review traffic.

  Also, educate your employees and team leaders on how to ask for reviews effectively as well as excellent customer experience. Be willing to reward your employees for every posted review that they initiate.

How To Maximize Their Impact

  Now that you have these great reviews use them. The objective is 1) to position positive reviews so that your audience learns from satisfied customers and 2) to encourage additional reviews. First, incorporate them into your website’s design. Consider one of the many review widgets or direct feedback options on your website’s home page. Emails, brochures, or newsletters can include individual reviews. On social media, sprinkle them in posts. Please don’t overdo it, and vary the channel and locations as you never know when a satisfied customer’s comment might be why someone else visits or tries your wine.

Haters Gonna Hate

  So, what about the not-so-great reviews? Finding a negative review about your company, product, or team out there for the world to see can challenge your faith and motivation. You and your team have spent years creating experiences and products to entertain and please customers, so a negative response can feel like a personal attack.

  At these times, try and separate your business practicality from the sting to your ego and remember that there are many reasons why you may get a negative review. You will receive bad reviews from customers visiting with unrealistic expectations who either haven’t researched what is possible at your tasting room or have inaccurate information from a 3rd party. They may be ignorant of the legalities around wine service and sales, new to your wine flavor profile, or just having a bad day.

  It is crucial to set internal expectations that a certain percentage of bad reviews will just transpire as an expression of the core values of our culture. The US is about freedom, and the internet has empowered everyone to have a voice. Some people just like pointing out other people’s flaws because it makes them feel better. The unfortunate reality of running a business is that you simply can’t please everyone. Some of your customers are just negative people, and there’s not much you can do about that.

  The real downside comes with how their negative reviews can harm your business. Only 13% of customers will do business with a company with only 1 or 2 stars, and small businesses with a 1-1.5 rating out of five generate 33% of the revenue than businesses averaging 2+ stars. (Trustpulse)

Embrace The Noise

  But, in most cases, there is value in listening. We can be so close to our own winery experience that we fail to see or acknowledge areas for improvement. A negative review can be an excellent way to prioritize issues and enhancements that bother your customers and hinder your success when looked at without emotion. Pre-internet companies spent months and thousands of dollars on focus groups to secretly watch customers behind glass, hoping to learn what worked or did not resonate for a target audience. How amazing is it that now we have an immediate and actionable free feedback loop?

  Surprisingly, getting negative reviews isn’t always a bad thing. Research tells us that a couple of negative reviews can make a brand seem authentic. Bad reviews give customers a sense of the worst-case scenario, and they want to know what can go wrong to understand how much it will matter to them. The occasional lousy review eliminates any “too good to be true” doubts. When every online review about your brand is a gushingly over-the-top 5-star rating, it can appear fake.

  So, when we see the good, we tend to celebrate it by sharing it with our team. Meanwhile, we ignore, forget, or attack poor feedback. Smart companies make the most out of their online reviews by addressing issues with a response to the customer. And consumer expectations are high:

•    53% of customers expect that reviews will be responded to within 1 hour.

•    57% of customers believe brands should respond to reviews on the weekend.

•    63% of customers say that businesses have never responded to their reviews. (Trustpulse)

How to Respond to a Negative Review

  Here are some guidelines on how to respond to negative reviews.

•    First – take a breath and remember that people are human and flawed, and things happen on both sides. Don’t take it personally and acknowledge that everyone gets negative reviews.

•    Make them feel like they’re getting management’s attention. Respond as the business owner, even if you’re not.

•    Be consistent and timely. Always respond, even if you’re super busy.

•    The goal is to open the lines of communication and let the user know you are listening to them. They aren’t just another metric in your dashboard. Treat them like real human beings. Make your response authentic and personal, as if you were talking with a grumpy friend.

•    If it’s a complicated issue, offer to take the case offline by offering to move the conversation to a private chat.

•    If you are at fault, do what you say you’ll do to fix it. Take immediate action once you’ve told the visitor how you’ll improve their problem.

•    And don’t be shy in asking them to change their rating, or at the very least update their comment that you responded to and tried to make right. And who knows? Maybe that negative review will lead to a killer testimonial that drives even more traffic.

  Online reviews are here to stay and can positively or negatively impact your business. The result depends on how well you hand the reviews themselves.

  Remember, even a negative review can positively affect your revenue! The goal of addressing and improving your online reviews is to harness the power of social proof. By showing that many other customers loved your winery enough to be vocal about it, you’ll be more likely to get even more business in the future.

  Susan DeMatei is the founder of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing firm working within the wine industry in Napa, California. Now in its 10th year, the agency offers domestic and international clients assistance with strategy and execution.   

WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com

By: Bryan St. Amant, Founder & CEO of VinterActive

Silicon Valley Bank’s latest research on wine marketing shows that fewer than 9% of U.S. wineries took advantage of text messaging in 2021. But those who did report phenomenal success with open rates of 98% and click-thru rates of 12% – generating 32-times more customer engagement than email marketing.

So savvy wine marketers are now asking the same question: How can we grow our text marketing lists as quickly as possible?

  The good news is today’s wine consumers – even Baby Boomers – want you to text them. According to PC Magazine, “85% of smartphone users prefer mobile messages to emails or calls.”

  The great news is the seven customer touchpoints outlined in this article offer ample opportunity to grow your SMS wine marketing list quickly, so you can delight your customers and sell more wine.

Email Marketing

  Since 80% of U.S. wineries already use email marketing, the fastest way for most wine merchants to grow a text marketing list is to reach out to existing email subscribers and offer them a new way to stay in touch.

  To convert existing contacts, we recommend introducing text messaging to current customers the same way you’d release a new wine or announce an upcoming wine country event.

  Most wine marketers will enjoy the best success with a series of three email messages:

•   A straightforward announcement of what you’re offering and why.

•   A follow-up email that focuses on what customers miss by not signing up.

•   A final email about how your SMS program addresses their main concerns.

  If you have a thriving wine club, start with them first and consider offering club members an incentive for joining your SMS list. And as you write your email, it’s worth reflecting on what it means to ask anyone to sign-up for text messages.

  Here’s a hint: they’ll be giving you access to the most direct and personal way to reach them. So, successful sign-up campaigns offer unique value to new subscribers in return.

  The latest research shows that SMS subscribers want first dibs on flash sales or promotions. With that in mind, you might offer early access to new releases, special discounts, and tickets to upcoming events.

  Once you hone your pitch, the wineries we work with enjoy the most success by pointing their email subscribers to a web-based opt-in form. Many text marketing platforms now make it easy to create an opt-in form you can add to any website.

Tasting Rooms & Events

  After mining your existing email list, now’s the time to invite your in-person guests to stay in touch with text messaging.

  In tasting rooms or at winery events, QR codes make it easy for consumers to join text marketing lists using their mobile phones. In just a few minutes, you can make it happen by printing tasteful signs that feature a QR code, legal disclaimers, and simple instructions on how and why winery visitors can join your list.

  Instead of pushing your tasting room staff to ask customers for their email address – then deciphering hand-written forms – using QR codes to market your SMS list makes it easier for everyone.  As a bonus, once your customers sign-up for text messaging, many SMS marketing systems can also automate the process of asking for an email address.

Social Media Channels

  DTC wineries report social media is now their most widely used marketing channel.

So enticing online followers to join your text messaging list — using the same offers you promote in your tasting room — is one of the most concrete ways to leverage your investment in social media.

  Digital wine marketers can use unique text marketing keywords like “Text INSTA to 888-592-2832 to join our text club,” QR codes, or web-based sign-up forms to invite your followers to join your SMS list.

  Since it’s so easy to test marketing ideas using social media, the best practice is to experiment with multiple conversion techniques to see what resonates best with your followers.  For the most impact, you might consider creating unique offers explicitly customized for your most vibrant social media communities.

Transactional Messages

  If you sell wine online, accept reservations, or manage a wine club, your commerce system already sends order confirmations, appointment reminders, and shipping notices via email.

  These transactional messages offer another proven way to grow your text marketing lists.  Imagine offering your wine club members the option of receiving a text confirmation when their next shipment is on its way. A keyword like ORDERSTATUS is tailor-made for this application.

  The footer of your online order confirmation page is also a perfect place to promote the option of receiving transactional messages via text. Here’s an example: “PS: Text ORDERSTATUS to 888-592-2832 to receive updates about your wine order via text. No spam, just news you can use.”

  Not only do today’s consumers prefer text messaging 2-to-1 over email, transactional messages about orders, shipments, and appointments are among the most popular text messages consumers receive.

Mobile Website

  Website visitors using their phones to browse your site are the perfect fit for text marketing offers. Not only are they on their phones already, but they don’t even need to enter any data to subscribe to your text messaging lists.

  Without any special software, you can generate a QR code that website visitors can scan to join your list in just one click. Some text messaging platforms popular with wine marketers also offer the ability to generate online pop-ups visible only to visitors using their mobile phones.

  Today’s wine marketers can add “click-to-text” buttons or custom mobile pop-ups to any web page. Perfect for building a list of text marketing subscribers, these same tools can engage your customers by enabling two-way text conversations with your hospitality staff.

Desktop Website

  If your winery website offers online visitors the opportunity to join an email list, doesn’t it make even more sense to give them a chance to subscribe to text messaging?

For visitors browsing your website from their desktop computers, web-based sign-up forms are the way to go. Simple text marketing sign-up forms only require a mobile phone number plus consent with the terms of your offer.

  But if you offer consumers a choice of text messaging content — from concierge services to weekly tasting room updates — a Text Messaging Preference Center can give your customers the ability to curate their own unique customer journey.

Product Packaging

  Your wine labels and the shipments you send to wine consumers can also work to grow your list of SMS wine marketing subscribers.

  QR codes printed on your labels can invite consumers to engage your brand at the point of purchase and consumption. For maximum flexibility, use a dedicated landing page that can be re-directed as needed over time.

  Wine shipments to consumers offer the perfect opportunity to market lifestyle content like recipes delivered by text messaging or encourage customers to post their photos and wine reviews via text.

Make Hay While the Sun Shines

  With today’s wine consumers thirsty for brands that engage them with text messaging, summer is the perfect time to get started with SMS wine marketing.

  If you can print a QR code or send an email message inviting your best customers to join your text marketing list, you’ll soon be on your way to success. With the proven power of SMS wine marketing on your side, even a modest list of 300 contacts can generate the same results as another 10,000 email subscribers.

  Summer sales are just the beginning. Once the holiday season arrives, your new text marketing list can drive record sales while delighting your customers with an easy way to order your wines using their favorite way to stay in touch.

  We hope the simple methods outlined in this article can help you achieve your goals. Happy Selling!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Founder & CEO of VinterActive, Bryan St. Amant, is a pioneer in developing preference-based direct marketing and its successful application in the wine industry. His advice has helped hundreds of wineries across the U.S. grow sales and customer satisfaction by leveraging the best practices of DTC wine marketing.

  St. Amant holds an MS from M.I.T. and a BS from U.C. Berkeley. His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars, including CFO Magazine, Inc., CNN Money, eMarketing Magazine, Integrated Direct Marketing, Direct Marketing Association, Wine Marketing Report, and the Wine Industry Network.

VinterActive is located in Windsor, California at 707-836-7295 or vinteractive.com