Author Archives: Sandra Hess

About Sandra Hess

Direct to Consumer Wine Sales Consultants offering a Workshop Style approach to setting up a DTC Wine Sales Division or simply Improving E-Commerce and Wine Club processes. We use a combination of best practices and technology to increase site traffic, improve club member loyalty and increase DTC sales. Virtual Club and Store Management Services as well as Social and Email Campaign Management. Event Production. CRM set up and Training to establish goal management and Preference Based Marketing campaigns are also some of the services we offer.

Drive DTC Wine Sales and Keep ‘em Coming Back!

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In 2013, 3.4 million cases of wine shipped in the United States (ShipCompliant 2014 DTC Report). Online sales are growing at the fastest pace in history and staying connected to your customers is critical. Here are five customer touch points that will drive DTC wine sales and keep your biggest fans coming back:

 

1. Give them what they want
In some cases, your e-commerce website is the customers first touch point with your brand. Analyze your data to better understand the top varietals customers are purchasing and display those first. Make it easy for customers to shop by setting up your website to cater to the interests of your top-tier customers and providing easy drill down tools by category.

Know your customer demographics and ensure images and content on the homepage are relevant. For example, if females represent your highest demographic, add teasers and event announcements for fashion shows, cooking classes, Pinterest parties and so on. Keeping customers connected beyond the initial purchase will build brand loyalty.

2. Be sure to say thank you
This customer touch point is first and foremost. Customers want to hear from you and it isn’t always the first sale that’s the most important. You want to drive repeat sales, so focus on the second sale. When the second sale happens, you’re doing something right. You’ve converted a first time buyer to a repeat customer. Set up an email that is sent following every online or tasting room transaction that includes a personal note from the winery staff, order confirmation, maybe a few notes about the wines purchased, and an invitation to connect at an event or through the wine club. Communicate your brand story in all customer interactions.

3. Map out the tasting room experience
Many of us have had an unfortunate tasting room visit that has felt more like a cattle call on a busy weekend. By mapping out the tasting room experience, your team can better serve customers at the tasting bar, in private areas, or at seated tastings. Add advance reservation tools to your e-commerce website so that first-time visitors are given choices for the type of tasting experience they prefer. Do visitors want a sit down wine and food pairing, a descriptor tasting, or are they celebrating a birthday or anniversary with friends? By offering 3-4 tasting options by price tier, your winery can better qualify visitors and provide personal service upon their arrival. Cross reference reservation information in the e-commerce system to understand if visitors are club members or have previously purchased. Have a birthday gift or decorations set up if a club member or large group makes a reservation to celebrate their birthday with friends. This customer touch point gives your staff the tools needed to have meaningful conversations and establish long-term relationships.

4. Dazzle the customer with a mobile POS
In the tasting room, at a sit down tasting experience, or outside at a member pick up party, the use of a mobile POS has improved customer service. In many cases, it has even increased the average spend per customer. Not having to wait in a long line to check out in the tasting room makes an incredible impression. Carrying the purchase to the customer’s table is an excellent customer touch point. Mobile POS tools give winery staff the information needed when interacting with members and first-time visitors. By recording customer preferences, future communication can be tailored and better received.

5. Personalize club member experiences
Your club members are your biggest fans and continue to reinvest their time and money in your brand. Wineries have the greatest opportunity to grow DTC wine sales and expand reach through the club sales segment. Set up an annual member touch point plan to include a mix of phone calls, emails and hand written correspondence. Don’t make the club shipment the only time a member hears from your staff. Revisit each member touchpoint quarterly and improve messaging, recommendations and personalization whenever possible. Use social CRM tools to better understand your club members by interests, hobbies, job titles, affiliations with charitable organizations and community groups. Include custom messaging in the member portal and update bi-monthly to keep surprising with thoughtful touches. Set up alerts within your e-commerce and CRM systems to notify staff of customer birthdays, club anniversaries and important member milestones. Create VIP touch points for the top 30-40% of club members by lifetime value and treat them well. Showcase your members through social outlets and club newsletters. Let members shine and help share your brand story!

About the Author:

Sandra Hess, Founder of DTC Wine Workshops, supports wineries large and small in the areas of technology and process improvements to grow DTC sales and retain loyal customers. DTC Wine Workshops is a consulting company serving wineries throughout the United States.

From Abandon Cart to Conversion (White Paper)

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“Why Shoppers Abandon Carts and What Merchants Can Do About It” - this white paper produced by BRONTO is a must read for any winery selling online, direct to consumer.

All online retailers experience shopping cart abandonment. In fact, with rates averaging between 60-70%, marketers know that the majority of shoppers who start the checkout process will leave before completing it. Those departing shoppers represent a significant amount of revenue. To recapture as much of that revenue as possible, you need to be aware of reasons for abandonment and the top strategies for bringing those shoppers back. For this white paper, BRONTO examined the carting experience and follow-up email strategies of 100 retailers. In it, you’ll discover:

  • Top reasons shoppers abandon online purchases
  • Analysis of key variables from a study of 100 shopping carts
  • Post-abandonment email campaign strategies

Download the white paper here: BRONTO WHITE PAPER

If you would like to schedule a workshop session or gather more information about how to improve your wineries website shopping experience, contact: sales@dtcwineworkshops.com

Are you going to DIRECT 2014 in Napa?

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Are you going to DIRECT 2014 in Napa?

Ship Compliant is hosting their 9th Annual DIRECT conference at the Napa Marriott on May 8th and 9th. This year’s conference has an incredible line up of speakers and sessions around direct to consumer sales and shipping best practices. Sandra Hess, Founder of DTC Wine Workshops, will be speaking in a break out session on DTC Marketing best practices using demographic data. Check out the event and get in on EARLY BIRD registration at: http://www.shipcompliant.com/resources/direct-2014

DTC Wine Sales Webinar Series

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DTC Wine Workshops presents a six-month DTC Wine Sales webinar series taking place over six months on the second Tuesday of each month beginning March 11th at 10:00 a.m. PST.

3.47 million cases of wine shipped in 2013, a 9.3% increase over 2012. In 2013, wines priced $15 and less increased 21% in volume shipped. Total sales of winery-to-consumer shipments increased 7.5% to $1.57 billion in 2013*. Do you have the right blend of technology and process in place to increase direct to consumer wine sales? DTC Wine Workshops helps wineries grow direct wine sales, build brand awareness and retain loyal customers. Over the course of six months, you and your winery team will gain the skills necessary to:

1. Build and cater to a Loyal Wine Club and online fan base using the right combination of tools and process
2. Configure DTC e-commerce technology and tools to best SERVE your customers
3. Use Preference Based Marketing tools within CRM to create customer profiles and more intimate relationships
4. Grow and Expand direct to consumer wine channels through online and in person DTC sales strategies
5. Use your Customer Data to your advantage through Data Mining, drip email marketing and call campaigns

REGISTER at: Eventbrite

A bit about the presenter:

Sandra Hess, Founder of DTC Wine Workshops, supports wineries large and small in the areas of technology and process improvements to grow direct to consumer wine sales. James Morrow, E-Winery, has called her a “business leader with ready wit and customer rapport.” Sandra presented a session on DTC Best Practices to the marketing students at Fresno State Winery in September, 2013 and also co-moderated the Wine Club Manager Workshop at Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium, South San Francisco January, 2014, Recognized by Alf Nuciforo, Chairman of the Luxury Market Council San Francisco for her contribution in the DTC E-Commerce Technology Panel at DTC Done Right conference, Hall Wines, February, 2014, Sandra continues to share latest trends in DTC wine sales with the ideal combination of technology and processes. “Sandra, the scorecards are in and the verdict is unanimous. Your panel discussion was a huge hit. We’ve had rave reviews about the information you conveyed and the candor of your comments.”

DTC Wine Workshops shares best practices for building customer loyalty and translates a wine brand into effective DTC sales programs by making the customer the focal point. Sandra has been a guest speaker in the “Wine Biz Cast” series and has also produced direct to consumer Road Shows throughout the West Coast for The Winery CRM (Microsoft Dynamics CRM product), e-Winery Solutions, WineDirect, Vin65 and VinTank. Prior to joining the wine industry, Sandra sold compliancy management software to global corporations and law firms.

“DTC Done Right” event at Hall Wines

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The Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco, in partnership with Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Vintners and CANVAS hosted a one-day Boot Camp for sales, marketing and hospitality personnel yesterday at Hall Wines in St. Helena. A little over 300 … Continue reading →

Wineries socially share the LOVE this Valentine’s

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It’s a week before the big day and I was curious to see how wineries are leveraging social outlets to connect with fans and share the love. Does your winery have a social content calendar in place to capitalize on … Continue reading →

DTC Expert: Cater Outreach to Winery Customers

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Tammy Boatright, Founder of VingDirect did a great job in her presentation this past week, offering valuable statistics and information shared around various DTC wine sales channels and the importance of paying attention to each one. Customer service is key to creating memorable experiences and building long-term customer loyalty. From the moment a potential customer calls a winery to the day they visit for the first time, consistency is needed in delivering a WOW experience. Great stories are shared when customers are dazzled and delighted. Is your winery ready to deliver an exceptional customer service experience in 2014? Check out the article at:

DTC Expert: Cater Outreach to Winery Customer - Wines & Vines - Wine Industry News Headlines.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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Shoppers are in full swing as Holiday celebrations are upon us. Direct to Consumer wine sales are up so this is a great time for wineries to cater to the online buyer. In a recent report released by Truett-Hurst Inc. DTC Sales are up by 24% due to an increase in wine club sign ups and tasting room traffic from results of online promotions and marketing. Read more at: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20131106-920505.html?dsk=y

To ensure your customers Feel the Love and shop with Holiday Spirit, consider the following best practices:

1. Be sure to say Hello and Thank You. During the Holiday Hussle and Bustle, customer service need to be a top priority to build customer loyalty. STAFF UP starting this next week through New Year’s Day to ensure everyone who shops your brand is humming Fa La La La La, La La La La! Also, give a little extra Holiday Cheer to your long-term club members by adding a bottle champagne or box of chocolates to their order. This goes a long way as your members share this story with their friends and family, passing along the Cheer.

2. Help to Make the Season Bright. Create new experiences and add personal touches to gift boxes and packaging. Have you thought to add a Holiday Card signed by wine makers and staff to every six-pack or case sold during the Holiday’s? Maybe include a Holiday Gift in your card, inviting them back in January for a “New Year’s Toast” with the winemaker. You know your customer base, so take time to connect with them in a way that’s meaningful during the Holiday Season.

3. Offer a Shipping Incentive. Make it easy for your fans to ship wine gifts to their loved ones this season. ADD a Holiday Shipping Incentive to your website this week and be sure to set up an email campaign that includes your Holiday Event invitations and the shipping incentive. Studies continue to show that shipping incentives are chosen more than a discount on wine purchase. Offer a flat shipping rate for every order - $10 per case seems to be the magic number or if you really want to see an increase in online gift giving, offer $1 shipping on any order made between 11/15 and 12/15 for example. Be sure to test your e-commerce tools to ensure online buyers have a smooth and easy shopping experience from their desktop or mobile device.

4. Share Holiday Traditions and Favorite Memories through Social Channels. We all love to share our memories of Holiday’s Past, so take this opportunity to start the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social outlets. Get your fans talking and take the time to showcase some of your club members and their stories.

5. Take Time to Make Pairing Recommendations. So much time is spent researching recipes, creating a beautiful holiday table and sending invitations. During the planning stages, it is great to get wine pairing recommendations. Stay in front of your fan base with a four-week online Holiday Wine Pairing series. Include a staff member from four areas of your winery to share their pairing recommendation and favorite holiday food each week.

This truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - so much goodness and cheer! If you need any extra help managing your DTC sales vision, contact us at: sales@dtcwineworkshops.com.