Even though this is a busy time of the year for many wineries, have you thought about your projections and plans for what you want to do during the holiday months – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and the New Year? Not to mention any holidays and special occasions that I may have forgotten.
Now is the time to start thinking of what small special things you can offer your guests or plan for the weekends in November and December. A holiday shopping weekend for example.
Of course, the great majority of your customers will enjoy discounts on the wine. But on the weekends leading up to the holidays (Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas) you may wish to put
out some light snacks or older vintages of wine as a special treat.
You may also present them with a discount coupon for wines purchased on their next visit or by phone in January and February of the coming year.
Start thinking about how you can encourage your guests to come back to your winery or what you can do to encourage them to bring their friends (free use of the picnic area when reserved in advance or a tour of the cellar, etc.)
A tour of the barrel room or cellar is interesting to first-time guests or people who are new to wine tasting. Offer that in your advertisement on certain days. If you are offering it during the week it may help to increase your midweek business.
If you are not asking for referrals from people who have enjoyed their visit, you may be
missing out on new customers. If you have postcards of the winery, you might give them a couple of postcards to send to their friends and family to encourage them to visit.
There are lots of things you can do. I would love to hear your ideas.
E (e@inshortmarketing.com)
