True Sales Tip: Celebrities and Wine - March 24, 3009

Okay, we have to admit our "article" of the week was inspired by the news that Antonio Banderas is getting into the wine business. It seems that every month a new celebrity is starting their own winery or wine label. Click here to see what Alan Richman has to say about celebrities in the wine business.


Speaking of celebrities and wine, we thought it might be fun to dedicate a small section of your store to Hollywood or celebrity wines -- something fun that catches the customer's eye.
Or create a rotating section dedicated to your local heroes' favorite wines. If your customers love hometown sports stars, try featuring a Chicago Bear's or Kentucky Wildcat's favorite wine. If you can pull them into your store to have them sign some the bottle or a book or whatever else it might be, even better!

True Sales Tip: Wine Stores and Social Media - March 9, 2009

It seems like everyone's using social media these days -- even us (we recently joined the blogosphere and Twitter).

Check out this article on how Gary Vaynerchuk used the internet and social media to grow his family wine business.

"Gary Vaynerchuk may sound like an all-American boy, but at 33 he is a successful, grown-up businessman who has put his enthusiasms - and his penchant for publicity - to work in achieving 15-fold sales growth in his family's wine business in the last decade, to $60 million ..." Read The Full Story Here

Communicating with your most loyal customers is a great way to generate repeat business and spread the word about your wine store. The internet offers a wide array of tools to help you stay in touch with those important customers.

What should you tell them about?

Many of our customers run specials (like a free corkscrew with any purchase), or day long promotions (like bring in a friend and get 25% off a second bottle). Tools like emails, blogs and Twitter are perfect ways to spread the word about these types of events.

If you're just starting, check out www.blogspot.com to start a free blog or www.twitter.com to start your own twitter page. Getting started is a cinch.

Good luck!

True Fabrications Happenings: Make a Wish Foundation Gala

Henri and Nik had the pleasure of attending the Make-A-Wish Foundation Gala on Saturday as the representatives for True Fabrications. True Fabrications donated wine boxes and wine bags for their wine prize raffles and silent auction. The coordinators of the the Gala did a fantastic job. It was an amazing event both in its success as a fund raiser and also as a beautifully orchestrated event. The ballroom was gorgeous, the auction prizes were great, the volunteers were fun, and the children were inspirational!

One extremely successful silent auction event was their wall of wine. They deocrated a wall of wine with 150 bottles hidden inside some True Fabrications wine boxes. People that were interested would pay a fixed amount of money and pick out a box at random (without knowing what was inside). The wine was a surprise but it was a complete success. Both Henri and Nik got involved at the wall. Henri winning a very exciting 2005 Cakebread Cab, Nik did the same and won a less exciting bottle!

We just wanted to thank the Make-A-Wish Foundation for doing such great work in the community.

True Sales Tip: Larger Bottles and Extra Tools - March 9, 2009

Packaging is changing everywhere in the wine industry. Everything from how to cork a bottle to how to store the wine. And now, how to sell it in a store. As you may or may not know, 3L bottles are increasing in sales during these times. But Red Truck is now taking it to another level.

"Consumers searching for high quality wine in a creative, striking large format need look no further than Red Truck Wines' new Mini-Barrel, set to launch early March, 2009 ..." Read The Full Story Here

As the article above notes, people still love drinking but are finding new ways to do it, like buying wine in bulk, and enjoying it at home over a longer period of time. As you sell more larger bottles, keep in mind that more and more customers will need ways to perserve it for longer. It's a great opportunity to introduce your customers to the functions of bottle stoppers and vacuum savers so they can preserve their wine longer.

True Sales Tip: Enthusiastically Teach your Customers - March 3, 2009

Ever wonder why someone comes into your store to purchase a specific bottle of wine? Where did they get the recommendation? Who did they hear it from? Well you need to read this story as to one motivation below.

"Watching fictional characters drink alcohol may trigger an immediate desire to do the same (or drink the brand), Dutch researchers said after observing college men..." Read The Full Story Here



As the article above suggests, consumers are overwhelmed by the choices and sometimes just need a little help figuring out what works for them and what to buy. Don't let them get that help from the media, movies, or through advertising. Help your customers by choosing a wine once a week and telling them its story - where it comes from, who makes it, why it's special, why you love it, why its good, and what to drink it with? That way, you'll be teaching them and inspiring them to share the story with others who hopefully come to find it from you!