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How to Start a Winery Business: Start My Own Wine Brand
A crazy idea popped into your head and now you’re starting your own wine brand! You’ve been researching all the different rules, regulations, and grape varieties. You’ve even been holding wine tastings. Now the question is: What’s next?
In part one of our How to Start a Winery Business series, we discussed the Top 4 Mistakes New Wineries Make. In part two of our series, we’re diving into the branding side of the business and why it’s so important for driving revenue and repeat business.
STARTING YOUR OWN WINE BRAND
Picture this: you’re strolling down the aisle of your favorite wine store, browsing for a bottle (or three) to take home. So, how do you choose which bottles will make it into your shopping cart?
Maybe you received a recommendation from a friend. Or perhaps you read something online that piqued your interest in a particular brand. A bulk of the time, however, consumers are simply browsing for a bottle that catches their attention.
The reality is…branding and perceived value are two pivotal factors that directly impact purchasing decisions. We’re not saying that quality, grape varieties, or harvesting techniques aren’t important, but you can’t build a successful wine brand if you have no customers.
And in today’s world of short attention spans, you have seconds to grab your customers’ attention. During a 15-year study conducted by the Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute at Texas Tech University, researchers found an “Unmistakable trend: the better the recognition rating a wine brand received, the more likely it was to survive. No such link existed between quality evaluations and a brand’s success.”
But what does that mean for your brand? It means that no matter how perfect the wine inside the bottle is, if the packaging isn’t memorable, people aren’t going to remember it.
As the old adage says, “Nothing happens until somebody sells something.” And it’s true. The key to building a thriving new wine brand lies in having a well-crafted branding strategy. Too often, winery startups overlook this facet of the business until it’s too late!
So, let’s make sure you set yourself up for success. Here’s what you need to know about starting your own wine brand – the right way.
WHAT’S OUTSIDE THE BOTTLE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT’S INSIDE
To the average consumer, branding plays an integral role in what type of wine they choose to purchase. Whether someone is entertaining guests at home or ordering a bottle at a restaurant, everything from the wine’s name and appearance to how you portray your brand through storytelling can influence behaviors.
You could develop some of the finest palate-pleasing wine in the world, but if it’s not memorable or easy to recognize, you won’t capture consumer interest or drive repeat business.
Ask yourself: What do you want the perceived value of your wine brand to be? Do you want customers to perceive your brand as cheap or expensive? How are you creating multiple touchpoints to shape the consumer experience and connect with your audience on an emotional level?
From your messaging to your values to the design of your labels, defining your brand can mean the difference between failure and success. And a large part of how you market your winery relies on defining and understanding your target audience.
WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?
A major mistake new wine brands make? Attempting to target all wine drinkers. But ‘the more, the merrier’ philosophy doesn’t make for an effective marketing and branding strategy.
Why? Because within the drinking population, there are different segments of customers – from demographics to beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyle characteristics.
To build and retain a strong customer base, you must understand how your target audience thinks, acts, and feels. When developing your ideal customer profile (also referred to as buyer personas), think of the following characteristics:
- Their age, income, education level, and interests
- Where they go to shop for wine (i.e. online, major retailers, boutique liquor stores, etc.)
- Are they casual wine drinkers? Experienced wine drinkers? Newbies?
- Why do they drink wine, how often, and in what types of settings?
- Do they believe wine offers health benefits? Why?
- Do they link wine with a certain social status or higher quality of life? What does that mean to them?
Gaining a strong understanding of who your target customers are will allow you to tailor your messaging, packaging, and branding to resonate with that audience.
Developing your brand becomes easier when you know exactly who you’re trying to reach. You’ll know what social platforms they use, where to spend advertising dollars, and how to create marketing campaigns that’ll effectively target your ideal market.
COLORS, IMAGERY, AND PACKAGING FOR YOUR WINE BRAND
Think of your brand identity like a dress code. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, the way a person dresses can influence how we perceive them. Similarly, the visuals (fonts, logo, colors, etc.) you use can have a similar impact on how your audience responds to your brand.
For instance, a more traditional wine brand may incorporate minimalist colors and serif fonts, while a modern brand may opt to leverage bold colors and sans-serif fonts.
The goal: ensure your newly established wine brand is unforgettable. After all, you only have a few seconds to grab a customer’s attention. And the more consistent you are with the look, feel, and language you use, the more brand recognition you’ll foster over time.
PERCEPTION & BRANDING = NON-NEGOTIABLE
Successfully starting your own wine brand requires being crystal clear on who you are as a brand and the audience you’re targeting.
Not a year from now. From day one.
Every decision you make – from the bottles you choose to your winery’s website – will be a direct reflection of your brand persona. Your branding is the way your values, story, and product show up for the consumer — through every word, image, and experience you put out into the world.
With so many wine brands competing for market share, you need to craft a distinct and compelling brand in order to differentiate yourself.
That’s why we created The Bauerhaus Brand Map, which will provide your new wine brand with the tools and resources needed to stand out on the shelf. Because we want people to find and enjoy your delicious wine!
If you’re ready to bring on a strategic partner for your winery startup, contact our Creative Director, Rebecca Ritz for a free 30-minute discovery call. She’s currently accepting new clients focused on starting a winery and can help you get organized and on track today!
And don’t forget to check out the first post in our “How To Start A Winery Business” blog series: The Top 4 Mistakes New Wineries Make.
How to Start a Winery Business: Top 4 Mistakes New Wineries Make
We’ve seen it a dozen times… eager new wine brands pouring hundreds of hours into their grape selections and harvesting methods — and completely forgetting about how they’re going to get this wine out of their inventory and into glasses!
If you’re starting a new wine brand, it probably doesn’t feel like “work”. At least not in the traditional sense. You’re excited. You’re learning. You’re eager to share the blend you’ve been perfecting for the last 2 years.
But starting a new wine brand is more than a hobby, it’s a commitment to growing and sustaining a new business.
Bauerhaus Design helps wine and specialty food brands authentically connect with their audience. From established brands that need a refresh to winery startups, we’ve done it all.
And we want to pass some of our expert knowledge on to help winery startups in 2022.
Over the next five months, we’ll be releasing a mini-series on “How To Start A Winery Business” with top tips we’ve learned from working with new wine brands over the years.
First up, we want to help you avoid the common mistakes most new wine brands make. Keep reading to make sure your winery startup doesn’t fall into these common traps!
1. THINKING IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GRAPES
Don’t get us wrong, of course, your grape varietal, vine health, harvesting techniques, and overall quality are important…
BUT, many new wine brands forget the MOST important part of becoming a successful winery…
Your customers!
We know it’s exciting to learn how wine is made and how to grow grapes, but to stay in the wine business you’re going to need customers. And unfortunately, many winery startups overlook how they’re going to get customers until it’s too late.
Don’t make the mistake of focusing exclusively on your grapes and wine blends, coasting off the PR and news stories your first year, and then find yourself scrambling to reach customers and grow revenue the next.
This may seem like common sense reading it now, but we promise this piece of the puzzle gets overlooked all the time. In fact, when talking to potential clients, we’ve found that only 1 in 100 winery startups have actually thought about marketing!
Our best advice: Don’t let this be you.
2. GETTING TOO HUNG UP ON THE “ROMANCE” OF A VINEYARD
As a wine branding strategist, we’ve noticed that many winery startups tend to overestimate how important their vineyard is (and how much they need to spend on the “right” equipment or supplies, etc.), and underestimate the importance of their brand perception and visibility.
Many people start a wine business because they love wine and vineyards.
They love the art and science of making wine.
But they forget they’ll need to sell their wine. Otherwise, they’ll just have a very expensive hobby and a lot of wine.
True story: Once during a consultation, a potential client told us that he and his wife had decided to start a vineyard on their land after a trip to Napa. His wife loved the vineyard so much that she wanted her very own.
But now…
3 years into growing a vineyard, learning about wine production, and many expenses, they had no idea what to do next. They got so caught up in having a vineyard, they forgot to plan for (and budget!) how to get their wine to others!
BELOW ARE THE MOST COMMON DOWNFALLS THAT’LL WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY:
1. NOT BUDGETING FOR A GROWING BUSINESS
Many winery startups invest so much money into their vineyards (from their land to vines to equipment) and completely forget to budget for marketing, branding, and packaging. These are essential for growing a successful wine business!
2. FORGETTING ABOUT SALES OUTSIDE OF A VINEYARD OR VENUE
Although a vineyard and tasting room are wonderful offerings for any wine business, you shouldn’t prioritize them as the focal point for growing your revenue. Relying on people coming to your vineyard for the bulk of your sales is too unpredictable, with seasonal changes and unexpected events (hello, unprecedented times).
Think outside the venue. Getting into stores or local retailers may also be a challenge at first, but a great place to start is your website! Make it easy for customers to buy your wine online and ship it to their houses. Start a wine club. This keeps sales up year-round.
3. TRYING TO BE A MASTER OF ALL
Often, as a new wine brand, you’re trying to do everything yourself. Learn everything you can about grapes, about wine, about the wine industry, about running a business — about becoming a professional marketer.
But the truth is it’s too much for one person, or even a small team, to learn so much so quickly.
Clients often come to us after trying to create their brand strategy or plan their marketing on their own… and wasting massive amounts of time and money.
If you want to handle your marketing in-house, make sure you properly educate yourself (or your team) on marketing best practices and fundamentals. We recommend this marketing course for winery startups.
If you don’t have the time (or desire) to learn another new profession, consider hiring a partner that can help you create an effective wine branding strategy, like Bauerhaus Design! We specialize in branding, packaging, and marketing for the wine industry. This experience allows us to maximize your budget while making your new wine brand unforgettable.
Whether you get professional help or handle it yourself, don’t make the mistake of romanticizing having (and maintaining) a vineyard at the expense of running a profitable and successful wine business.
3. WANTING YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER TO BE EVERYONE
As a wine branding specialist, I’ve talked to winery owners and marketing directors at every level of the business, from new winery startups to well-established wine brands. The one thing most have in common: trying to sell to “everyone”.
There’s this dream we all have as business owners…
That our product or service is so good, it’ll appeal to everyone.
Everyone will want it. Everyone can benefit.
But this is almost never the case. Not even for huge brands with multi-millions to spend in their marketing budgets, like Walmart or Target, or Nike.
No matter what you’re business is selling, it’s not going to be for everyone.
At Bauerhaus, we stress this message to new wine brands because narrowing down your target market can truly be the difference between success and another wine brand collecting dust on the shelf.
It sounds harsh, but think about it…
When you go to a store that sells wine, there are often at least a dozen brands to choose from, per type of wine (whites, reds, blends, etc.).
Is your brand unforgettable?
Throughout our “How To Start A Winery” series, we’ll dig deeper into this topic and teach you how to:
- Strategically select your target audience
- Create a wine branding strategy that connects (and leaves you unforgettable)
But for resources right now, check out these 2 helpful blogs: The 6 Different Wine Consumers and Thinking About Starting A Winery? Consider This First.
4. NOT PRIORITIZING YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY FROM THE BEGINNING
As an artisan, we know it’s tempting to think:
- My wine’s so good it’ll sell itself
- People will love my wine and refer it to their friends and family
- It’s (so cheap, so expensive, so pretty, etc.), it’ll fly off the shelves
But in reality, this is NOT a plan that drives up your sales or brand visibility.
It’s not really a plan at all.
You need a wine branding strategy that pinpoints who your ideal customers are and how you’re going to get your wine to them.
You need to thoroughly understand the kind of wine consumer you’re after:
- What appeals to them?
- How do you get in front of them?
- How do you connect with them?
- How do you impress them? Or stand out to them?
And most importantly (at least to your bottom line), how do you sell to them?
We know it’s easy to overlook this part of your winery startup journey. But we can’t stress how important it is.
These questions should inform everything from your branding tone and voice, to venue, to availability of a subscription service, social media presence, internet presence, packaging, etc.
From the start of your winery business, you need to plan how you’re going to reach (and connect with) your customers.
Need help with your wine branding strategy?
At Bauerhaus Design, we have a signature process called The Bauerhaus Brand Map. This helps you make sure your new wine brand has everything you need to stand out on the shelf.
To be unforgettable. As effortlessly as possible.
We know you have delicious wine, but we’ll help you cultivate the other 2 crucial parts of a successful winery business: brand awareness and a loyal customer base.
If you’re ready to bring on a strategic partner for your winery startup, contact our Creative Director, Rebecca Ritz for a free 30-minute discovery call. She’s currently accepting new clients focused on starting a winery and can help you get organized and on track today!
Want to meet in person? Rebecca is speaking at the Iowa Wine Conference January 8 and the Colorado Wine Conference January 16-18.
Rebecca Ritz is the owner of Bauerhaus Design and has worked with wineries across the country for over 10 years to create unforgettable brands. My gift to wineries —> Take our free 7 week wine marketing class to learn how to sell more wine with a powerful brand, email marketing, social media, online ads and more: www.bauerhaus.com/sell-more-
A Powerful Reason You Need to Conduct Market Research to Actually Understand Your Buyers
As a business owner or marketing director, you’ve likely heard of the Customer Avatar or Customer Profile. The idea of hyper-specifically defining your exact ideal customer:
- What age is this person?
- How much money do they have?
- What kind of spending habits do they have?
- What motivates them to try (or buy) new products?
- What are their pain points?
- How do you solve their problems in a way no one else does?
This understanding of your ideal customer helps you:
- Maintain your voice throughout your multi-marketing channels. Think: print, social media, email, newsletters, a feature in a local magazine, etc.
- Attract the right audience with tailored language, use of humor, and even the types of specials you offer
But it doesn’t end there.
Customer avatars are great (and arguably necessary), but they’re often based on ideas we’ve created about who we serve, instead of data. This can quickly become an issue. You might lose out on opportunities based on what you think your customer wants versus what your customer actually wants.
That’s where market research comes in.
WHAT IS MARKET RESEARCH?
Essentially, market research is gathering information about your target audience to understand how to sell to them based on their demographics (age, income, location, etc/), psychographics (attitudes, beliefs, lifestyle habits, values, etc.).
It also entails understanding the competitors in your market. You may consider questions like:
- Do they have the exact same target audience as you?
- What’s their price point?
- What kind of sales or promotions do they have?
- Based on reviews, what are their customers satisfied (and dissatisfied) with?
Rather than relying solely on a customer avatar, which is usually a “dreamed up” person you wish is your customer, market research gives you data from real people that actually can and do buy from you. While having an avatar can guide you on decisions, market research gives you the ability to test if your message/packaging/offer actually resonates or not.
Which is good. You’d be surprised how often your guess gets it wrong.
We’ve highlighted an example – from our own experience – that shows you how powerful market research can be. It can (and should) change the direction of your business!
TO WINE CLUB OR NOT TO WINE CLUB
That really is the question.
One of our favorite examples of effective market research is from our very own client. We suggested they start their very own wine club.
For one, a wine club is a great way to gain consistent income year-round – a concern most small wineries have. Plus, many consumers have come to expect a level of ease and “done for you” type shopping. A wine club can provide flexibility to your customers to try new wines that you’ve selected based on their preferences, or what you’ve deemed appropriate for the season as an expert.
Understandably, our client was hesitant. They didn’t want to come across as “too pushy”. They thought their customers valued coming into the winery on special date nights or purchasing a bottle on a Friday night at the local fine wine and spirits store. They were doubtful customers willing to pay ongoing subscription-based fees to have their wine selected and shipped to them.
But they were wrong.
At our suggestion, they polled their customers using a survey we expertly crafted with Survey Monkey. Turns out, their customers wanted a wine club!
This client was able to start a wine club that increased customer retention and yearly revenue simply because they asked their customers what they wanted instead of assuming!
SURVEY MONKEY MAKES IT EASY
This isn’t the only example. We’ve used Survey Monkey for our clients and ourselves many times to understand what customers actually want.
Even if you’re a new brand, or trying to reach a new target audience, this approach makes it easy.
For example, another one of our clients was in the process of creating new packaging and labeling. We weren’t sure what wording would resonate and increase interest with new customers. We decided to create a survey to A/B test two options. The client bought respondents on Survey Monkey (which you’re able to segment based on demographics and psychographics) and had over 1000 answers by the end of the day. We had a clear winner.
We recently used this approach with our own audience for Bauerhaus Design. We polled our audience to see what kind of content you actually value and look forward to. This helps us make decisions for our content calendar for the year!
It’s a win-win.
You get information that’s actually helpful. We use our time productively creating content that’s wanted.
This method also helped us determine that the best way to gain responses is to offer a gift card to a popular store like Starbucks or Panera. This increased our entries dramatically and helped provide enough data to meaningfully guide decisions.
For more information on market research and the top 4 reasons you should do it before launching a product into a new market, read our article How Market Research Can Help Your Wine, Spirit or Food Brand Import To The US. Even if you’re a domestic brand, the tips here will help you make an actionable list of information you need to know about your target audience.
If you’re ready to start your market research journey, partner with Bauerhaus Design today. We offer full-service marketing packages that include branding, packaging, web development, market research, and digital marketing specific to the Food and Wine Industry. Book a free 30-minute call with us today.
5 Tips for Promoting a Wine Club During the Holiday Season
Marketing wine and wine clubs are uniquely challenging during any season — but especially during the holidays. Many traditional avenues aren’t available for wine-related ads. For example, Google’s alcohol marketing guidelines are extensive and can be complicated to navigate.
Direct sales account for a significant amount of holiday winery revenue, and wine clubs can be a lucrative source of income. People aren’t just buying your wine, though; they’re buying into an experience. By promoting a wine club during the holidays, you’re giving your customers a chance to show some warmth and support your brand, and welcome more of the experiences they crave.
TIP #1: MAKE A HOLIDAY BRAND CONNECTION
During the holiday season, emotions run particularly high. Use this to your advantage during the holidays and reinforce what makes your wine club’s brand unique. When promoting your club, create a clear picture of what your winery cares about and why, and feature the real people behind the business. Set the intention to pull on some heartstrings during the holiday season, when your customers’ hearts are more likely to be open. Show off your location and your people through photos, and use them on all of your marketing materials. Don’t rely on stock photos; show what makes you memorable.
TIP #2: SEO STILL MATTERS
Use effective SEO. Google shows us that people are researching phrases like: “which wine club is the best to join,” or “is it worth joining a wine club,” so you might want your brand to appear in the search results when they do. Start creating some relevant, informative long-form content that answers these questions (and more), so that potential new subscribers will find your wine club site first when they’re searching for wine club options during the holiday season.
TIP #3: LAUNCH HOLIDAY REFERRAL REWARDS
Since an average wine collector belongs to multiple wine clubs, holiday referral incentives can boost wine club enrollment. Encourage your biggest collectors to recruit their wine-loving friends, and you’ll easily and effectively increase the size of your wine club community.
- Try inviting your wine club members to tag a friend on social media for a chance at winning a wine shipment for themselves as well as the person tagged.
- Offer a free month for both new and referring members during a specific holiday week or month. Make it a limited time offer.
- Invite current wine club members to bring a friend to an in-person holiday tasting or wine pairing event, and offer a prize for the new and referred members when someone signs up.
TIP #4: HOST HOLIDAY EVENTS
Because wine tends to create an experience that people remember, in-person events are key. Once they’ve tasted your wine and respond favorably, they’re likely to be receptive to a wine club subscription. After all, what better way to extend such a delightful experience?
Pop-up wine tasting events are one popular holiday option, although offering a range of creative holiday events can attract a broader audience and increase your numbers more quickly. A holiday sparkling wine brunch, for example, could reach potential subscribers who may not be evening partiers. No matter what type of event you host, have your wine experts on hand to answer any questions and leave a positive impression.
TIP #5: CURATE HOLIDAY-THEMED WINE CLUB SHIPMENTS
The holidays are a perfect time to show your customers you’re really thinking about them. Consider what types of holiday events or sentiments they might like to celebrate, then curate custom wine shipments to entice wine drinkers who are full of holiday spirit.
Wine drinkers may also be looking for holiday-themed gifts, or to stock up to host holiday celebrations. As well as being thoughtful with the wine collections you offer, you can get crafty with your holiday wine club packaging and make sure you’re remembered.
CUSTOM WINE MARKETING PLANS
Product and brand loyalties are less and less common as the number of available choices continues to grow, so reinforcing why customers should choose your wine brand is crucial — especially during the holidays. If they’re not backed by a strong brand, wine club subscriptions become price competitions, so you may want to hire an agency like Bauerhaus to clarify and communicate your message through effective marketing campaigns. Schedule your free marketing discovery call!
Top Elements of a Strong Wine Label Design
How can your wine label stand out from other wine brands both in the tasting and store shelves? Packaging design is made up of many elements. How do you decide which to include on your wine label design?
In our first blog in this series, “Why is wine label design so important?” we talked about how our brains make decisions in milliseconds. This is why wine label design is so essential in promoting your wine.
While some shoppers are choosing wine by price or grape varieties, many are also choosing wines and wineries they want to visit by if a wine package is aesthetically pleasing.
Let’s first consider a journey to a wine store or big brand store. How does the typical consumers shop at a retail store? Your label should work like this when placed next to your competitors:
- From a distance – when you see the label across the aisle or at your tasting room, you are drawn to the label.
- At arm’s length – The wine label should be clear, simple and have a hierarchy of key information.
- At home – while drinking the wine, you might notice another label dimension you didn’t see at first or even explore the back label in more detail.
WHAT ELEMENTS MAKE A LABEL UNFORGETTABLE?
In a Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute and Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University study from 1991-2006 there was an “Unmistakable trend: the better the recognition rating a wine brand received, the more likely it was to survive. No such link existed between quality evaluations and a brand’s success.”
This means that even if your wine is perfect and everyone says amazing things about it, if the packaging is forgettable people are not going to remember it.
While the design greatly depends on who you are targeting and your brand story, higher priced wine label designs do often show similar patterns.
HAVE A CLEAR HIERARCHY
Many wine drinkers shop by wine varietal. They know they like Chambourcin or Zinfandel, but are looking for a new brand to try. Your brand logo and name should be the most memorable. Second in line should be the varietal in a font that is easy to read and if important to your brand – the wine region or AVA.
LOGO DESIGN
Having an unforgettable logo makes your brand identifiable anywhere you are: retail shelves, tasting rooms, festivals, etc. It’s important that whatever style your logo is, that it is both readable and easy to remember.
In marketing, there is often a rule of thumb that one has to see a product at least 7 times before they purchase. If you make your logo a unique icon it do the marketing work for you. Read more about the Bingham Family Vineyards case study here.
PAPER:
One over looked piece in wine label design for small wineries is often the paper choice. I’ve seen many wineries cut corners here and it shows. Especially when they submerge their white wines in a bucket of ice and the paper peels.
This can be easily solved by talking to your printer about using a higher quality paper. One of our clients, KC Wineworks, took each type of possible wine label paper and did an ice bucket test. Every hour they pulled the wine bottle out and took photos of the different labels. Great idea!
Thicker textured paper signals to the eye of the beholder that this wine is high quality. When choosing what paper to use for labels we often work with our client’s printers. Printers have a wealth of knowledge and a phone call with the final designs can elevate the brand.
Plus, paper is also important on how it feels. When a consumer is drawn to a label design, they often pick up the bottle and run their finger over the paper. Does it feel like expensive stationary? Or does it feel like copy paper that someone did a DIY project with?
COLOR
Who you are targeting can make a huge difference on what colors you use in your wine packaging. What appeals to a young Millennial will not appeal to a 65+ wine drinker. In general, higher priced wines often have just a pop of jewel toned color and lower priced wines are often more colorful.
The more white space (also called negative space) you have, the more your older consumer will assume this is a higher quality wine. This is why it is so important to research what different colors mean to your audience and then to use colors that will appeal to them.
For example, the above KC Wineworks cans we designed are a completely different audience and price point than the $200 Sake brand Seven we designed.
FINISHES
Our brains pick up subtle details like the beautiful embossing that tell us that certain wines are more expensive. Other visual details that increase perceived value are foil stamping, debossing, glossy finish, matte finish, die-cutting, and varnish.
How do you know what finish to pick? Make sure you pick a designer that partners with you and can help guide you based on your target market and wine price.
CLOSURE
We also work with clients on what type of closure they plan on choosing. Cork or screw top? Foil or no foil? All of these micro decisions let the wine consumer know what price level your wine is at and what type of wine drinker you are targeting.
BACK LABEL DESIGN
The final part of your packaging design to consider is what should you put on your back label? Many wineries think only of the front of the wine label. This makes sense, since it is the star of the show. I just had a conservation with a client the other day talking about different ideas for their back label. Some wine regions have different trends including – a small mini brand story on the back, no story, Qr codes directing to websites, promotions, or videos.
Plus, the most recent hot topic: Nutritional labels and ingredients on the back label. Europe is requiring this starting in December 2023, but it can be done with QR codes or pointed to a website. While some may find the idea of ingredients or calories as ridiculous, Millennials find this data very important and helps show your brand’s transparency.
You have seconds to grab the attention of a customer on store shelves. Is your wine brand unforgettable?
NEW: WINE LABEL DESIGN REVIEWS
We know your label is important to you and we want to help elevate more family-owned wineries.
We work with both start-ups and existing brands that need a re-design. For existing brands we are offering a limited time Wine Label Design Reviews for $300.
Do you have an existing label that you know needs help? Or have you heard negative comments about your labels from customers or industry professionals? We can help!
This includes a one-on-one with owner Rebecca Ritz, a questionnaire about your brand, and a one page document with suggestions to increase your perceived value. You can take this to your existing designer or we can also provide an estimate for wine label design.
Interested in elevating your own label designs to create more trust in your product? Schedule a discovery call with Owner Rebecca Ritz!
Uncorking a New Trend: The Importance of Marketing to Generation Z
Yep, Gen Z’ers are drinking wine.
It’s time to ring the alarms – and break out our prescription-strength retinoids.
For years we’ve been chatting about how to effectively capture Millenial’s attention and gain a new group of avid wine enthusiasts. Emojis and low price-points were all the rage for a generation that entered into adulthood during an economic crisis and social media boom.
But now? The tide is shifting.
Millennials have largely been secured in the wine market, and it’s time to shift our attention. While some Gen Z’ers are only “grape juice” age the oldest segment of the group is 21 to 25! Seriously.
As a wine brand, you can’t afford to not reach out to this growing part of the drinking-age population. Despite the social media rhetoric, they’re grown-ups and ready for the “big” stuff.
WHERE ARE THE GEN Z’ERS?
This isn’t a surprise at this point, but still worth mentioning. This age group is at home in front of their phones and hanging out on highly interactive, short, and quippy content social media platforms, like Tik Tok.
If your brand hasn’t started marketing on TikTok, through engaging and fun reels, you’re missing out on an audience eager to find the next trendy thing.
Not only should your marketing content reflect these trends through the use of entertaining video, but you should keep it in mind with your copy, sales process, and overall online availability too. The large U.S. Market Research study by Snap, Inc. (the owners of Snapchat), found that 1 in 3 US consumers prefer using mobile devices when shopping for products.
60% of millennials report they never shop without their cell phones– even in person, at a store! They use their phones to look up reviews, compare prices, and check out the competition.
This is even more true for the ever-connected Gen Z’er. Forbes reported 80% of Gen Z’ers research products online before they buy— including looking at the brand’s website, social media, and reviews.
Your online presence is more important than ever.
Why? According to the 2022 State of the Wine Industry Report, it’s imperative that the wine industry starts attracting younger audiences like Generation Z and Millennials in order to drive sustainable growth.
It’s critical your wine brand is effectively showing up on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube through paid ads, partnerships with trusted influencers, and original creative content.
Equally important is your website.
The days of a poor (or cookie cutter) design, difficult user experience, and product-only (or impersonal) sites being effective are over. Having a mobile-friendly website is also a trend we’re seeing reflected in our client’s Google Analytics accounts.
DO GEN Z’ERS CARE ABOUT WINE?
The good news is Gen Z seems to have a pretty positive outlook on wine for a younger audience and consumes it at around the same rate as millennials. A study conducted by the Institue at Sonoma State University found that instead of “snooty” or “confusing”, Gen Z labeled wine as
- Pleasurable (90%)
- Delicious (83%)
- Fun (81%)
The short answer:
It’s worth it to create targeted marketed campaigns where Gen Z is already spending their time!!
WHAT MATTERS TO THE GEN Z CONSUMER WHEN BUYING WINE?
Gen Z has huge purchasing power and has used it to demand that companies do more than catchy slogans or obtuse marketing campaigns to gain customers.
More than those before them, Gen Z’ers put their money where their mouth is and buy from brands that reflect their values. Gen Z values the story behind a company, the “why”.
They value individuality and creativity.
To connect with this group of new alcohol consumers, you need more than brand recognition, you need to appeal to their desire for genuine connection and environmental responsibility.
Gen Z shares their “finds” on social media and judge each other for what they share… this high level of visibility and open commentary on their product choices pushes this generation to be more cautious about what they choose to buy and promote.
THE 3 THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY MATTER:
- Type of wine – Currently slight preference for sweet whites and rosė
- Pricing – trends indicate that premium wine is more popular with this group. They splurge on higher quality and consume less compared to millennials (and older groups) at the same age
- Environment/Aesthetics – sustainability, impact on the community, and looking “cool” are all equally important
IT’S TIME TO THRIVE WITH GEN Z
There’s a lot to do. If your wine business needs some refreshing, we wouldn’t be surprised! Bauerhaus Design specializes in helping wine businesses– just like yours– to authentically connect with your audience and grow sales. Reach out to our Creative Director, Rebecca, to set up a free 30-minute discovery call (and crush it with Gen Z) today.
P.S. Check out part two of our Gen-Z series: Top 4 Tricks For Your Wine Brand To Win Over The TikTok Generation
Does Your Wine Association Have a Month Dedicated to Wine?
Every wine region should be promoting a month dedicated to their wine! This helps the state or region as a whole build awareness as a unified brand. It helps educate wine consumers on the grape varietals you focus on, type of wine, what your region looks like, and how you are different.
This is the second year that Bauerhaus Design has created campaign materials for Illinois Wine Month. We developed a strategic headline, poster design, social media posts, a contest, email content, a blog and a toolkit for Illinois wineries to use. We also created a recorded Zoom call with the Illinois Wine Director on how to use the toolkit.
There is a marketing rule of 7’s that states a potential customer must see a message at least 7 times before they take an action. Making your brand unforgettable with a memorable logo, brand elements, and consistent content makes your wine association easier to remember.
Here at Bauerhaus we get this and can help! Read more about the top wine association branding tips to consider.
Does your association promote a state wide wine month? If not, I would love to talk to you about how we can work together. Contact me now to set up a free 30 minute Discovery Call.
Top 4 Tricks for Your Wine Brand to Win Over the TikTok Generation
SO, WHAT DOES YOUR WINE BRAND NEED TO DO TO CAPTURE THE GEN Z CONSUMER?
You’ll entice the Gen Z crowd by digging deep into your messaging, branding, and consumer experience. Not sure about Generation Z? Read our first post: Uncorking A New Trend: The Importance of Marketing to Generation Z.
THE 4 AREAS YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE:
1. KILLING IT AT SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media attracts and maintains customers in multiple ways. You build relationships with your customers through direct interaction, show the “human” behind your brand, and get in front of a large audience (perhaps for free!).
Make sure your brand has social media pages on the big platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, and actually engages with your audience!
Don’t fall for old-school thoughts like maintaining too much professionalism or “stuffy” industry lingo. Your younger customers want to see your sense of humor, dreams, and why you do what you do.
We personally love Union Wine Company’s Instagram. They’ve gained over 29K followers by being relatable and interacting with their customers. Check out this hilarious reel.
2. ACING YOUR WEBSITE BRANDING
Your website is critical to the success of your business when it comes to the Millennial and Gen Z audience.
Take the time to make sure it’s nice to look at, guides your customer through a cohesive journey (don’t make them search around, make it clear what they need to know, and where they need to go), and make it easy for them to become your customer (immediately).
One of our favorite examples is One Hope Wine. Their message about giving back to the community is front and center. They have a subscription wine service to make it easy to try new wines without lifting a finger. The customer can pay right away, have wine selected for them, and it’s delivered to their house.
But the truth is, most people won’t buy the first time they come to your website — no matter how easy you make it. One Hope has done an excellent job capturing their interested audience and following up with an automatic pop-up that offers a discount in exchange for your email. They then follow up with a nurture sequence to learn more about them and how they help their customers. This is great!
3. EMAIL MARKETING
Against what anyone says, email marketing is not dead. And it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
68% of consumers of all ages prefer email for brand communications. 53% primarily check email on their phones. But get this, that number sky-rockets to 67% for Gen Z’ers.
It’s crucial you send out regular emails to stay in touch with your customers, offer promotions, and let them know what you’re up to. Keep it interesting to look at and easy to read on a mobile device.
And remember, we’re all getting more emails than ever. Make sure your subject lines are either to the point, invoke curiosity, or give something your customer wants upfront.
4. PROVIDING AN AMAZING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (BUT A DIFFERENT KIND THAN BEFORE)
Curating spaces and designs to be “insta-worthy” but not always practical was a key part of connecting with Millenials. Think: the brunch Bloody Mary craze with glasses piled so high you couldn’t see the drink for 20 minutes.
Gen Z has moved from this to a more practical, livable, worn-in “vibe”. They don’t necessarily want over-the-top for the sake of it. What they value more is personality, creativity, and impact.
Your brand should focus on making your product easy, accessible, and personal. A great example of this is Winc. They have a subscription model where their customers pay a similar fee each month and different wines show up at their door. To start off the customer experience, they have a quiz that’s interactive and personalizes their selection.
CRUSHING IT WITH GEN Z…
Prioritize being a “human”.
Being vulnerable, helping the community, and building relationships is the way of the future.
There’s a lot to do. If your wine business needs some refreshing, we wouldn’t be surprised! Bauerhaus Design specializes in helping wine businesses– just like yours– to authentically connect with your audience and grow sales. Reach out to our Creative Director, Rebecca, to set up a free 30-minute discovery call (and crush it with Gen Z) today.
https://www.bauerhaus.com/top-4-tricks-for-your-wine-brand-to-win-over-the-tiktok-generation-z/
Sell More Wine: Free 7 Week Wine Marketing Course for Small Wine Brands
GET MORE WINERY CUSTOMERS AND TURN THEM INTO LOYAL FANS.
You have the product – the unique blend, the perfect vintage, or the incredible view.
You have the wine – and you want to sell more of it!
Marketing can quickly get overwhelming. But it’s essential to growing your business and getting more customers into your tasting room, joining your wine club and choosing your wine off the shelf when they have countless options.
Jump start your wine marketing with our free seven week email series, and learn how to take your business to the next level.
Each week, you’ll get one email focused on an aspect of marketing that can help you sell more wine. Branding, social media, marketing, SEO, pay per click ads, and much more – crucial insights curtailed to the unique needs of a small winery.
We created this free course specifically for small winery owners that sell less than 50,000 cases per year. At Bauerhaus Design, most of our clients are in the 0 – 10,000 case range, so we understand the challenges and struggles a small wine brand faces.
We know you create fabulous wine. You want to spread the word, but it’s hard to find the time to do it!
In our Sell More Wine marketing course, we take complex wine marketing concepts and break them down into 7 parts, each email containing steps you can take right away to grow your winery.
Top 7 Winery Website Must-haves
Modales Winery Website by Bauerhaus Design
Did you know your company’s website has the power to influence buying decisions for 97% of consumers?
Having a successful website for your winery requires more than
- Captivating design
- Compelling copy
- Beautiful photos
- User-friendly layouts
These are critical parts of an effective website but not the complete picture.
From our experience helping winery and spirits businesses thrive, we’ve put together a list of the top 7 winery website must-haves you might’ve forgotten.
1. STRATEGIC HEADLINE: YOUR BRAND IN ONE SENTENCE
We’ve touched on this before but bring it up again because it’s so important yet often forgotten.
Many times when you go to a winery’s website you see photos of vineyards, hosted events, glasses of wine glistening in the sunset, and a box for location and hours.
Your homepage is a place for you to stand out. To catch attention. To create curiosity and desire for your (potential) customers to want to know more.
This is where a strategic headline comes in. A one-sentence summary of your brand.
Think about your target audience, what’re they looking for? How do you solve their problem?
Your strategic headline is the ideal place to answer this question and hook your audience. Create the feeling of wanting to know more.
If you need help figuring out exactly what to say, Bauerhaus Design works with our clients to create the perfect strategic headline.
2. SHOW HOW YOU’RE UNIQUE
Once you have a potential customer viewing your website and starting to scroll, you have to keep their attention.
Your potential customer is looking for wine to buy or a venue to host an event. They most likely don’t care who they buy from. They’re looking for a business that meets their needs: the right taste, amenities, ambiance, perceived value, price point, etc.
These needs vary based on the person, which is why you must narrow down your ideal customer. This will allow you to appropriately address their needs and wants.
Make sure your website highlights your unique features and appeals to your target audience. Don’t make them go digging to see if you have what they’re looking for, showcase what makes you special (and deliver what they’re looking for) upfront.
For example:
- Location – is it an easy drive from the city or do you offer a complimentary transportation service
- Varietal – no other local wineries have the same offerings
- Special Events – do you host live music every Friday and trivia on Mondays?
3. HOURS. HOURS. HOURS.
You probably have these listed under a ‘location’ tab. You figure interested new customers will click on the location to see how to get to your winery and find out the hours.
But from our experience, we assure you that making your hours easy to spot will make your (and your employee’s) life much easier.
List your hours in multiple locations throughout your website. Your homepage, about us, location, events, etc.
You’ll get fewer phone calls and fewer frustrated individuals.
4. CALL TO ACTION: WHERE DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO GO?
A call to action (CTA) tells your viewer what to do next.
Sounds easy enough, but a shocking 70% of businesses still don’t have a CTA on their businesses’ homepage. Let alone effectively placed CTAs throughout their website.
You work hard to bring prospective customers to your website. You don’t want to let that website traffic go to waste.
Even if the person viewing your website is interested in what you’re selling, or the experience you’re creating, there’s a big chance they have multiple tabs open in their browser looking for the perfect winery for them.
This is where a CTA can make all the difference in securing this person’s business over your competition. You need to get them to act now. People are also more likely to follow through with something (like booking a visit to your winery) if you directly tell or ask them.
Think of what you can offer (and what someone in your target audience actually wants). For example, if you’re trying to draw in the younger millennial crowd and have narrowed down they tend to get overwhelmed, your CTA might be to sign up for a virtual mini class to learn about different wines.
For more information on nailing down your target audience, click here.
5. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR EMAIL LIST
Speaking of CTAs, a must-have is directing your potential customers to sign up for your email list.
On average, it takes 7 touchpoints to get someone to buy from you or visit your winery.
We naturally feel more comfortable and certain about products that we’re familiar with. You need to build familiarity by following up with people that came to your website.
One way to do this is through digital remarketing (a strategy that displays your ads to anyone that comes to your website on other sites they visit, such as Facebook). Another is to follow up through email. This strategy can be highly effective because with the right funnels in place, you can target the information you send based on their interests/point of entry.
If you need help with either of these marketing strategies, Bauerhaus Design specializes in helping wineries effectively follow up with their interested prospective customers.
6. DISPLAY YOUR WINE BOTTLES
Perhaps obvious but surprisingly forgotten, is to proudly display photos of your wine bottles, packaged and labeled on your website.
The viewer may recognize the bottle as one they’ve seen in the store or at a friend’s wine and cheese night. This plays into the “7 touchpoints” and reinforces you’re a familiar and trustworthy brand.
Even if they aren’t familiar, a well-designed label can spark interest and perceived value. The colors, typography, and images you use convey a message. When done right, that message converts prospects into customers and elevates the price of your bottle.
Did you know Bauerhaus Design also designs wine labels? If you want trusted experts to create (or redesign) your label design, you can easily contact us here.
7. TELL YOUR STORY
People buy from people.
Sure, this concept may not apply to average day-to-day products such as dish sponges or monopolized products like Kleenex tissue papers (which is another story altogether), but for a winery and spirits business like yours, you can’t underestimate the power of telling your story.
Most people would much rather buy from a brand that they connect with.
As a winery, you’re not just selling wine or a venue, you’re selling an experience. A feeling. A place and product that makes special moments feel even warmer and anticipated. You want to think about how hosting an engagement party, 15-year class reunion, or retirement send-off is a milestone. How bringing your bottle of wine to Friendsgiving makes the moment better.
But beyond telling your customers the story of how your product and venue make their experience better, you need to show them your own story and how that makes you able to anticipate their needs.
Tell your story by showing pictures of your location. What inspired your design? What kinds of moments do you hope to bring to life?
Show off your key employees. Explain how their work makes your customers’ experience come together. You can also elaborate on what makes you unique and what you envision your brand to bring into your customers’ lives.
If you’d like professional help crafting your story, Bauerhaus Design works with clients to pull out the important details that connect with your audience. Book your free 30-minute discovery call here.
And remember, at the end of the day, your website is about your customer, not you. Make sure your design, copy, and what you feature displays that.
About
- brand strategy
- wine brands
- brand identity
- wine labels & packaging
- websites &eCommerce
- print collateral &point-of-sale materials
- advertisements &promotions
- email & social media marketing
- mobile marketing
- event marketing
- strategic marketing plans
Sell More Wine!
Tired of placing an ad and not seeing results? Take our seven week email course and learn how to take your wine business to the next level! Jump start your marketing with our FREE seven week email course, Sell More Wine!
Contact
Contact List
| Title | Name | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founder and Designer | Rebecca Ritz | becca@bauerhaus.com | 3143985790 |
Location List
| Locations | Address | State | Country | Zip Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauerhaus Design | 34 Renollett Dr., Fairview Heights | IL | United States of America | 62208 |
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