Shifting Strategy for Premium Wine Brands
Priorities falling where marketing, operations, and sales intersect
After talking with many wineries and industry partners about their 2021 priorities, there are a few themes that are dominating.
Marketing strategy
All things digital
DTC business
Process improvement
Distributor & sales team communication (see more related information here)
We are collectively reshuffling priorities and embracing change.
There are so many opportunities where marketing, operations, and sales intersect, and things look quite different than they did a year ago. Previously you may have opted to put a band-aid on one of these items, to ride out the covid era. Now, you’re realizing you need a longer term strategy to invest in new initiatives and technologies, since consumer behavior has actually shifted quite quickly. Those “trends” you were witnessing in consumer patterns and business strategy are now here for the long-haul.
If you are one of the wineries or portfolios thinking like this, there is some comfort knowing you are not alone. It also means you have some serious competition.
If any of these themes need improvement in your world, here are 5 strategic steps to get started.
Identify the core issue and why you want to solve it. A 6-month effort on improving your brand’s digital presence looks different than a long-game branding and distribution overhaul. Perhaps you want to consider tackling multiple issues because your business is growing.
Do the research. Review the market landscape and tools available. Can you find a specialized vendor? Blindly partnering with the wrong one can feel like dumping money into a black hole. Finding the right partner takes time and extra scoping. If this work is done up front to set things up, the actual meat of the project can flow quite smoothly.
Consider hiring outside help. This is one way to develop the plan of action and/or manage the transition. Not sure what you need? Concerned about various outside forces that may affect things over time? Many proposals will include an initial audit of the current landscape in order to raise necessary considerations and inform next steps. This is sometimes the most valuable piece to help companies move forward in the right direction. Services offered by Clarity & Co can be found here.
Identify a clear project manager. Will the person overseeing next steps be inside your organization, or would you benefit from an outside consultant who can deliver on a set timeline and agreement?
Communicate, communicate, communicate. How can you communicate business changes to consumers, the trade, and your staff? Giving the relevant facts to your partners across all levels generates buy-in so they can be your best ambassadors. A little goes a long way.
And finally … Reap the rewards of your efforts, but don’t sit back with that glass for too long. You may have an opportunity to capitalize on recent efforts in a very positive way for your business.
About Clarity & Co
Clarity & Co’s mission is to offer marketing, trade relations, and project management services to the premium wine industry, and to do so with clarity and collaboration, or Clarity & Co. For more information, please visit www.clarityandco.com.