The Wine Marketing Strategists

Posted by Tom Wark on Aug 26, 2006

There are more states today than a year ago and two years ago that allow wineries to ship wine direct to consumers. Some provide easy access to consumers without too much effort, while others have installed real barriers to their market.

While barriers put in place to essentially protect wholesalers don’t serve either the consumer or the winery, but in the end it’s the winery that has do decide if they want to jump through the hoops.

Paul Mabray over at the Inertia Beverage REthink Blog makes the case for wineries putting their efforts toward those states that allows direct sales to their customers with the least hoops. And of course he’s right.

Among the important points Paul makes is:

"I think sales are the key to a winery’s success – not sales
restrictions. There are enough states that wineries are not servicing
properly through good direct sales techniques to increase each of their
business over 300%. Why break your neck trying to battle for that one
customer in a state that restricts free trade? This is a customer
centric world – you want to give customer service – unfair constraints
don’t allow you to do that. Work with consumers in states that do this
to have them lobby to allow them their rights – their right to purchase
wine."

After this initial point Paul really goes on a roll, making one of the best arguments I’ve seen for wineries doing the best job they can focusing on consumers in wine-friendly states, rather than spending time focusing efforts on states where  they just aren’t welcome.

Over the next couple years the American wine industry is either going to take advantage of a new and growing interest in wine or they will be leaving a lot of money and good will on the table. The question is how to best take advantage of this seminal time in the American wine industry.

To understand exactly how to start to take advantage, wineries would be smart to take a look at the good and free advice being offered at the REthink Wine Blog.