Boost Revenue and Build Relationships by Pairing Every Sip With a Story
Written by Ashley DeCarli
(5 min read)
When wine is paired with an enriching story, it makes for a pretty memorable wine experience. You know this as well as anyone, which means you’ve likely taken great care to craft private/small group tastings that immerse your customers in your brand story while they learn about your latest vintages. Guided by your wine experts, these bookable tastings capture your customers’ hearts because they do such a good job of showcasing yours. The emotive connections that result not only drive additional sales; they forge relationships that continue on long after your customers’ last sip.
Understanding this — the valuable role brand story plays in your business’s success — we have to ask, why would you serve a single glass of wine without some element of storytelling? Why reserve such a powerful tool for booked tastings alone? You probably have a good reason in mind, but hold that thought and hear us out.
We get it. There's no way your staff can deliver a customer purchasing a wine flight the same level of storytelling that’s offered in a private tasting. And we know that not all of your customers are looking for an in-depth immersion when they walk through your doors. But it’s important to recognize that not all storytelling requires personal delivery, nor do you need an hour to make an impact. There are so many creative ways you can deliver a story-infused experience that any customer will appreciate. Here are a few ideas you may want to consider:
1. Transform your flights into self-guided tastings.
Take your flights beyond simple wine groupings with basic tasting descriptions, and turn them into educational and entertaining tasting experiences that customers are 100% in control of. Start by concepting a brand-driven theme for each flight, and then build your experience around them. Craft a story that invites customers to see how the three to four wines they’re sipping reflect your brand character. Put that story in print by creating custom-designed collateral tools that customers can use to guide themselves through the tasting experience. This format will allow customers to taste at their own pace and dive as deep as their level of interest leads them, without the need of staff to facilitate.
2. Design wine cards to accompany each glass.
Yes, another collateral piece, but instead of taking customers on a wine journey, these should give customers who prefer a single glass something to ponder over while they savor each sip. They can certainly include tasting notes, but don’t stop there. Use these cards as an opportunity to spark interest and connection by humanizing your wines. Liken them to your brand personality and/or explain any nuance that surrounds the wine. Create a card for each wine you carry and when a glass is served, pair it with its matching card. There are plenty of formats to consider, but let your brand dictate the most appropriate design.
3. Create interactive self-guided tours.
Channel your favorite museum experience and turn your tasting room (or even better your entire property) into an interactive wine exhibit. Sounds like an ambitious undertaking, but simple and polished can be just as effective (if not more) as elaborate and expensive. As you send customers on an independent trip through your vineyard, cellar and so on, you could use signage to tell your story or you could even prerecord an audio tour accessible via QR code. The route you take really depends on what’s appropriate for your brand. And don’t forget to make it interactive by introducing elements that help customers appreciate your wine-making process or the complexity of the wine itself, such as aroma jars full of different scents often associated with your wine.
As expressed, these are just a few possibilities to consider. If your winery has made the conscious decision to only welcome guests through booked tastings, maybe some of these ideas have you considering expanding your services to welcome walk-ins. And if your winery is already open to the public, maybe you see some new ways you can make your experiences more impactful. Regardless, we hope you’re inspired to infuse more of your brand storytelling into your wine experiences.
