ROHNERT PARK, CA. (March 17, 2023) – Announcing the Wine Business Institute (WBI) of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Sonoma State University (SSU) wine business certificates and course offerings for spring of 2023. The WBI, wine business courses and certificates are designed to help individuals and organizations in the wine business to succeed in this rapidly evolving and dynamic industry. Courses can be taken individually or as a certificate and provide industry knowledge in skill building, and comprehensive learnings of wine business including; marketing, sales, finance, and production. All certificates and courses are offered live online, making them accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world and are taught by leading experts in the global wine industry. The programs feature a mix of coursework, hands-on learning, and networking opportunities.
March 28 – April 25 ‘23
Wine Business Data Certificate: Data Visualization
Instructed by Dr. Peter Drewes of Amazon Web Services and a wine importer and distributor, will teach you about data visualization, the art and science of turning data into readable graphics. You will learn how to design and create storytelling visualizations based on data. This process includes data modeling, data processing (such as aggregation and filtering), mapping data attributes to graphical attributes, and strategic visual encoding based on known properties of visual perception as well as the task(s) at hand. Students will create their own data visualizations, and learn to use open source data visualization tools, especially D3.js. Learn more.
March 28 – April 25 ‘23
Wine Business Management Certificate: Social Media Marketing for Wine Business
Instructed by Emily Martin of Emily Martin Communications, participants will learn how to utilize social media to expand brand awareness and increase website traffic via Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Learned outcomes will include; increased engagement by channel, enhanced search engine optimization (SEO) through shared curated content; creation of compelling content & photography to reach new customers resulting in increased winery revenue and boosted social media presence to reach and increase wine brand awareness. Learn more.
April 5 – May 31 ‘23
Wine Business Finance & Accounting Certificate: Best Practices of Wine Industry Accounting
Instructed by Maria Dillingham, Chief Financial Officer at The Distillery – Elm Brook Farm, this course provides an introduction to general accounting principles and financial concepts, as well as financial best practices relevant to the wine industry. Revenue management and cost accounting will also be explored. Course concepts will be examined and explored through the lens of the wine industry. Learn more.
May 25- July 20 ‘23
Wine Business Management Certificate: DTC Marketing & eCommerce for the Wine Industry
Instructed by Ben Kraemer, Training and Development Manager, WineDirect, this course will take students through the evolution of eCommerce and digital marketing, from its beginnings in simple transactions to the larger role it plays today in customer relationship management (CRM) and omni-channel retail marketing (“commerce anywhere”). With the high costs of customer acquisition, maintaining a relationship with those customers to maximize customer lifetime value is more critical than ever. Learn more.
About the Wine Business Institute
The Wine Business Institute (WBI) serves as an intellectual and industry center for faculty, students, and the business community. Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the wine industry leaders and the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, the WBI provides cutting-edge research that informs industry best practices and program curriculum. For more information about degree and certificate programs or wine business research https://sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz.
About Sonoma State University School of Business and Economics (SBE)
The SBE is a leading institution of business education in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an emphasis on preparing students to succeed in an economy that is global in nature. Our commitment to sustainable business, diversity, social justice, and global partnerships echoes our core philosophy of purpose-driven leadership. As one of the 50 top-ranked public universities, we have been recognized worldwide for our investments in diversity, social responsibility, and visionary academics. Many classes average fewer than 40 students, allowing close interaction between students and faculty.
