A friend of mine recently approached me, seeking advice on how to increase wine sales. The friend in question had just gotten a job in the marketing department of a wine manufacturing company. And now he was trying to see if I could possibly give him some tips on how to increase wine sales. I previously had a successful stint as a marketer for a wine manufacturer – and it is on the basis of this experience that many people view me as a competent person to give advise on matters to do with wine marketing.
I advised my friend that the key to success in wine marketing lies in proper promotion. I told him to firstly consider running an advertising campaign, in order to create awareness about the wine brands he is trying to sell. I also told him to try to improve the distribution of the wines. The goal there would be to get more and more pubs (as well as wines and sprits outlets) to stock the brands he is trying to push. I told him that there is actually potential for him to benefit personally, in the area of distribution. I told him that, for a start, he could quite easily go to a website like www.sunbiz.org, and register a company there. The ,main business for the company registered at Sunbiz.org would be that of wine distribution. Setting up such a company on the Sunbiz website should be easy enough. Then, through the company in question, he could be undertaking wine distribution on behalf of his distributor. All this is, of course, assuming that his employer (the wine manufacturer) doesn’t view the whole thing as a ‘conflict of interest’.
I also advised my friend to ensure that the wines are reasonably priced – especially if he wants his wine brands to appeal to the mass market. I gave him this particular piece of advice based on my appreciation for the fact that his employer is trying to cut a niche in the market as a manufacturer of cheap wines. I concluded by pointing out the fact that as long as the wines are reasonably priced, and they are of a reasonably good quality, he shouldn’t have difficulties getting buyers. That is, of course, assuming that he is also takes the trouble to promote the wine brands in the right manner.