In the past couple of blogs we have talked about the different categories that wines may fall into and the pricing for those categories. Last week I wrote about the four categories of Premium wines. This week the topic is the highest categories, luxury wines. The three categories are: Luxury $50-100; Super Luxury $100-200 and Icon $200 plus. The basic definition of these wines is that they are great quality, handmade, exceptional in taste and expensive.
That is the beginning of luxury. If you want people to buy your luxury wines, it is not good enough that the wines are exceptional it is the whole experience. Start with your website and follow through with the way guests are treated in person, on the phone, via email and at every point of contact by every person in your company. The look of the winery is also important to many visitors, everything needs to be clean, tidy and promote a feeling of luxury.
The guests and customers who buy these wines do so for a lot of different reasons, but much of it has to do with connection and the feeling that they are making a significant purchase that will enhance their lives and possibly their reputation as a connoisseur of wine. The interactions need to be memorable and out of the ordinary.
Some of these customers are looking for wines that may be traditional with the luxury of the brand easily identifiable in the story of the wine, the winery, the owners and the winemaker. Others are willing to spend top dollar for wines that are innovative and present new ideas of how quality is perceived. It could be that some of your customers are looking for wines that will signal their sophistication or have relevance to their lives.
We also have to remember that luxury products, especially wines, are not things that buyers actually need (no matter what we would like to think), they are the products that they want. When we are selling wine, we are selling to customers wants because the wine will do something to make their life or view of themselves better in some way. And to get that feeling they are willing to pay for luxury.
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.
Follow E on twitter @esavant and facebook.
You are quite correct in your assessment.