Dozens of wine industry pros shared insight with Outshinery last year. The first in a 2-part series, check out key items you can implement into your 2021 marketing plan.

Did you catch Outshinery’s On the Spot series? If you missed all or some of it, that’s no problem. All the replays are available on our resources page, so check it all out there. There are hours of free content, packed with tips and perspective from some of the most admired voices in the wine industry.

Only interested in the highlights? That’s cool too. We combed through the replays to find a few key nuggets to take with you into 2021. If you get tempted to absorb the full-length corresponding conversation, just click the link to make that happen. Also: watch for part 2 of this series for more moving insight.

Sound good? Let’s jump in.

Use automation for a seamless customer experience

Guest Expert: Ed Feuchuk | Tank Garage Winery

Session: Week 6 | How to delight customers with your delivery

“There’s been a hesitancy in the industry to use automated tools, use online tools, use things like chat bots, because people don’t want to have their wines become dehumanized.

But in reality, it’s a matter of getting the wine industry to make the step forward and realize that there are a lot of things that customers prefer to be automated or self-service. Those are things like updating their accounts, or buying wine in some instances.

And if we can shift those or make it possible for people to use technology in those instances, we can take people and put them to do what they do best, which is human interaction and personal touches.”

Use recipe pairings to improve search engine optimization

Guest Expert: Simon Solis-Cohen | Highway 29 Creative

Session: Week 3 | Use Food Pairings & Lifestyle To Market Your Wine

“Just by putting recipe content on your website, you’re giving an opportunity to be found by google. So if someone is searching for, let’s say, a flatbread with prosciutto on it, and you have that recipe on your website, and you say that it pairs really well with your chardonnay, you have a better chance of showing up higher in the search results.

So someone might not have been looking for your winery, but they’ll see the recipe, they’ll click on it, and boom! you’ve got someone on your website.

And if your website is pretty good and intriguing, they’re going to stick around, and then they might become a customer. It’s a great way—without ‘selling’—to actually get customers in the door, especially when it comes to your website.”

Use high-quality bottle imagery + Use the data to see what’s working well

Guest Expert: James King | King Family Vineyards

Session: Week 8 | All about creative packaging

“On a big wine reveal, I would always recommend getting a high-quality bottle shot. Because it looks so good, the people who are on social media, predominantly, like that high-quality look. And you know you’re going to get an amazing product every time.

You get to pick and choose—particularly with the Lifestyle Images— where you want and how you want to showcase that bottle or bottles.”

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“I think it’s really important to continue to try new things, look at your insights, to see what works well. For us in particular, I knew Outshinery was the way to go when we launched our first Lifestyle Image. I think it was in the winter of 2016, with our Seven. I sent Laurie, at Outshinery, a sales graph of this huge spike in our sales graph of sales, with that particular Lifestyle Image.

We knew we had to incorporate that into our social media plan after that, and it’s been wonderfully successful.”

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes

Guest Expert: Natasha Hayes | Marketing Consultant

Session: Week 10 | How to take off your winery hat and think like a consumer

“If you really want to break out, go visit 5-6 wineries. Or even better yet, take a huge step back, and pretend you’re a visitor to the entire region, and try and look at it with fresh eyes and say: ‘What is it that sparks my interest? What is it that makes me excited? What is it that people are talking about?’

You know, not only what’s new, but what’s different.”

Leverage technology tools like FB ads and email marketing

Guest Expert: Ben Salisbury | Salisbury Creative

Session: Week 4 | Why evolution is essential

“Anything that involves a person getting in front of another person—obviously, that’s the most elevated way to sell something. But it’s just not scalable.

Email marketing combined with lead generation using Facebook ads — there’s this unlimited scalability. You can literally reach thousands of people. I’m not talking about spray and pray reach—I’m talking about highly targeted things.

It’s the lowest cost, highest return, most scalable thing you can do as a seller.”

If these marketing tips help you, or inspire you to think BIG about what your brand can do this year, be sure to sign up for our newsletter and keep in touch about future events and opportunities. Be the first to know when seats open up for Outshinery On the Spot and other cool conversations about the wine industry.

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