End of year is a great time to work on ‘Messaging’, as we start preparing next years marketing plan. Messaging directly influences wine sales and brand building results. Remember, your brand and its messaging are not about Product. Producing excellent wine is just the start. Quality wines are assumed by the consumer, and quality is the price of admission for any premium wine brand in this crowded marketplace.
Your brand is the set of experiences and images in the minds of your consumers. Please read that last sentence again and think about how your brand is different from other brands, and how you can create compelling and memorable experiences for consumers.
Let’s talk about Differentiation…
Have you ever used these words when describing your wines to consumers – artisanal, burgundian-style, elegant, complex, terroir driven, well balanced, reserve, etc? Although there may be some truth to all of these, consumers hear this messaging all too often. We need to tailor our messaging in ways that are important to our customers and compel them to buy our wine, join our clubs and become ambassadors for our brand.
Start by documenting your winery’s unique and relatable stories – the inside stories of the winery, property history, personal stories of the founders, winemakers and team members. This can be an excellent team building project that results in distinctive and consistent communications whenever you are engaging or selling wine to consumers (eNewsletters, events, tasting room, website, traditional and social media).
Do this Exercise!
Everyone has heard of the ‘Elevator Speech’ where you have 30 seconds or less with a total stranger, to provide them enough information to peak their interest and search out your brand. In 30 seconds (or about 100 written words) verbally explain who your winery is, how you’re different and why a consumer should care. After each statement ask the question “So What?” to test relevance. I did this exercise recently with a client and found that everyone on staff had a different elevator speech! Some were surprised at what others were saying and new facts were discovered by all. This activity can be difficult to do, but should result in the distillation of a few key points of differentiation, your unique position in the marketplace and what your winery brand really stands for.