It’s September already, hard to believe but the year is almost over. How are your plans coming for Thanksgiving and the December holidays? Before someone sends me a “To heck with you” email, I know this is a very busy time of year, with harvest and the kids just going back to school and all the other things you have on your plates. It is also the time to make sure that your plans to maximize the upcoming buying season are clearly defined and ready to roll.
For the smaller wineries especially, the needs of marketing and promotion tend to take a back seat as this time of the year, but if you can manage to squeeze some time out the time is ripe to organize the holiday selling season.
What do you have planned for Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Do you offer corporate gift packages?
If so, now is the time to send your customers a quick preview of what you will have coming up.
Work on the first draft of your holiday newsletter done by the end of September. That will give you plenty of time to review it, edit it and make it more effective.
- Outline your email campaigns for the coming months to maximize holiday sales.
- Start promoting wine clubs as great gifts in the tasting room
- Add a sticker to your wine club brochure, “The gift everyone can enjoy” to remind visitors to make wine club memberships holiday gifts.
- Outline a phone sales program
Your customers really do want to hear from you. Give them a call and let them l know about your holiday offerings
Before the visitor count slows down with the cooler weather and the upcoming holidays, focus your attention on getting the names, addresses, email and phone numbers of visitors who come into the winery.
There are many people who start planning early for the holidays. They like to get their shopping done and everything squared away. Help them reach their goals by being read for them to buy from you.
A tip of the glass from me to you
E column
by Elizabeth “E” Slater, In Short Direct Marketing
A recognized expert in the fields of direct marketing and sales in the wine marketplace. Slater has taught more wineries and winery associations how to create and improve the effectiveness of their direct marketing programs and to make the most of each customer’s potential than anyone in the wine industry today.
