You are most likely aware that the best way to generate wine sales is to get people into your tasting room. For obvious reasons, this is where you'll sell the most wine. Guests get to sample what they are buying before they buy it.
That being said, there's more to it than just tasting the wine before they buy it. The entire experience they have while at your tasting room contributes to a feeling. It's that feeling that more often than not pushes guests to purchase wine and, if they're really blown away, join your wine club.
So what are some ways you can perfect your tasting room experience?
- Make it easy to find. First and foremost, you need to make your tasting room easy to find. Make sure your website gives good directions and that there's clear signage to get to your establishment.
- Be welcoming. Make sure you are friendly and inviting. Chances are there are quite a few other wineries nearby. You want to make someone else feel welcomed instantly, otherwise, they can quite easily turn around and walk out on to the next winery.
- Keep it casual. Most people who are out wine tasting are out enjoying themselves with friends, family, on a date, no one wants to spend their downtime in an atmosphere that's just as formal as the office.
- Music. Background music is a must. This can really help shape the personality of a tasting room. It can be quiet, or maybe loud is your thing. Classical music, classic rock 'n' roll, modern pop- whatever feels true to who you are you should go with. Music really helps to kill any silent awkwardness.
- Comfort. Make your tasting room comfortable to be in. Think about the different tasting stations you have. Is it just a single bar? Do you have tables with comfortable seating? Whatever you're working with, make sure it's comfortable.
- Trained staff. Make sure your staff is knowledgeable of all the wines and the back story of your winery. Now-a-days people really click with unique wines- that includes taste, sure, but that's not all. Why was this wine created? How is it different than a traditional Pinot Noir? What's with the name? How did the winery come to be? Your staff should be well versed in all of this knowledge and be able to tell anecdotal stories to guests.
- Market yourself- WELL. This is key. Don't go over the top with the promotional materials, email sign ups, selling the wine club etc. All of this is important and NECESSARY, however, there are ways to do it tastefully. Have fun rustic clipboards with flyers of the information that you post your receipts on. Train your staff on how to sell things when appropriate- don't just push things for the sake of pushing them. For example, if you throw events, have your staff talk about how awesome they are FIRST, then invite them to join the wine club.
- Add personal touch. This can be anything from art exhibits, to selling locally made crafts, to selling vintage records. Let your unique personality stand out. What can you do to make your tasting room be different from the rest while being true to your brand?
In order to perfect your tasting room experience, you need to really think about the feeling you want to convey. If you had to pick one feeling what would it be? How would you apply that to all of the above tips?
Everyone's tasting room experience is going to be different, what's yours like? What do you think is missing? Want to talk about it? Click the link below and let us know. We'd love to set up a time to come visit and give you some pointers.