Direct to Consumer Consulting
Apri la connessione. Open the connection.
The beauty of the wine DTC channel is it has the potential to supplement your omnichannel business model or, when carried out well, can be the whole pie. Of course, DTC is a quite broad term, so let's break it down slice by slice. Here are some of the avenues I can help you explore:
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Brand building: identifying who you are and telling that story in an authentic and engaging way is the crux of building connections.
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Customer acquisition: most likely, customers aren't finding you. How can you find the right ones? What is your strategy for developing an acquisition budget?
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Customer retention: ok, so you've got your people. Now how do you plan to keep them? How can you prevent attrition before it occurs?
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CRM: How are you capturing the data of every person you meet? What kind of information are you storing? How are you leveraging this data into a more meaningful relationship with your customer?
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Communication: this can take on many different forms (email communication, social media, phone campaigns). Stay in touch with your customers is crucial. The DTC channel is a relationship, and we're not in the business of ghosting anyone.
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Membership: though this model has existed in the California wine industry for some time, subscription-based deliveries are a huge part of the current economy. This is a good thing for our wine industry; it means people are becoming more familiar with the concept of reoccurring delivery. How will you capitalize on that in a way that makes sense for your brand and provides value to your customers?
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Customer surveys: this is an extremely underutilized tool. The truth is, you don't have to guess your customers' behaviors, you can just ask them. But, what are the right questions to ask that capture the best data? To which groups of your customer base are you asking questions? How can you use this feedback to improve DTC sales and retention?
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Hospitality: we're in the age of the experience economy and how you receive guests (in-person or virtually) can create a lasting connection. Don't be fooled into thinking you need a state-of-the-art facility to provide exceptional hospitality -- you are exceptional! Let's get creative about how we can share who you are with guests in an impressionable way.
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e-Commerce: how easy is it for visitors to your website or social media pages to purchase your product? How are you creating calls to action to inspire purchases? How many sales-driven marketing campaigns are too much? How many are not enough? You have mere seconds to inspire an online customer to act, so how, when and where you are targeting these efforts is imperative. I can help you crack this code.
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Website Strategy: is your website a user-friendly experience for a customer looking to acquire your wine? Are you telling your story in an intriguing and engaging way? Together, we can elevate your website, whether through small tweaks or an entire overhaul
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Technology: no matter how you feel about it, we're living in the digital age and technology is here to stay. How can you leverage in a way that's in line with your brand growth goals? How can you use it to increase the bandwidth of your team? To delegate tasks? To create opportunity?
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Fulfillment: so, you've got a DTC channel. Great! Now how are you getting your product to your customers? Fulfillment can be laborious and downright expensive. I can help your streamline this process to save you time and money.
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Collateral: how you share your story through print materials matters; often (with the ability to share online) these vignettes will live in perpetuity. It can be difficult to produce high-quality collateral in-house, and expensive to hire a marketing firm to do it for you. I can help.
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Team Training: it's one thing for those in charge of strategy and operations to have a firm grasp on all the above, and another to bring your day to day team into the fold.
Wine Education
Apri la menta. Open your mind.
As someone who has spent a career in Direct to Consumer wine business, I know firsthand how daunting wine can seem to a consumer. I've also seen so much misinformation out there (don't get me started on the incorrect usage of the word "varietal"...). I can help clarify confusion, dispel myths, and spread education about this wonderful beverage that blends passion, environmental stewardship, art and science.
Having a Direct to Consumer team that can accurately (and simply) explain your wines, growing methods and production methods to your customers means more engagement and deeper connection between you and your people.
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I will work with you to design the exact course of wine education that fits the needs of your staff and brand, whether it's learning about specific varieties, growing areas, wine service, or all of the above. Knowledge is (purchasing) power!
Career Coaching
Apri la porta. Open the door.
For leadership teams: how you show up will directly affect not only how your team performs, but how long they stay with youHere are some areas I can help you strengthen:
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Team member development: each person on your team is a unique individual with a different learning and processing style. How are you understanding the individuality of each member? How are you using this understanding to fit them in to larger collaboration?
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Communication flow: How we share communication with our team is a huge driver of employee retention. How are you making everyone feel a part of the larger mission? How are you sharing information with them so they can understand the why? How are they able to share ideas and goals with you?
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Company culture: This doesn't happen naturally -- it requires nurturing and nourishing to thrive and grow. What is your company culture? The first step is identifying it so we can then develop tools for keeping it healthy.
For individuals: There are so many avenues of the wine industry, and understanding your strengths and growth edges can help you identify where to direct your attention. Whether you're just starting, looking to change course or looking to move up to the next level in your career, I can help you.