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Newsletter November 2009

INNOVATIVE MARKETING SOLUTIONS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY

Building better newsletters

With the wine industry so competitive, it is important that you build a loyal relationship with your direct customers.

Wineries that only sell via a distributor will struggle as their margins are eroded with every sale. Sure distribution is very important and if you can develop an ongoing relationship with a good distributor, then go for it. However, a wine business needs a healthy percentage of direct sales in order to increase profits.

Social media, including regular newsletters play an important role in developing this side of your business.

Here are 5 tips to ensure that it is effective.

1. Ensure the newsletter looks professional - Use a competent designer to design your newsletters. If it looks a bit dodgy, chances are your customers won't even read it. Use the design of your website as a template (assuming that it looks good), to ensure continuity of your brand proposition.
   
    
2. Offer good content - Don't assume that the hard sell will attract purchases. These newsletters are a long term relationship with the customer, so include content that is relevant and interesting. This may include wine reviews that take the mystery out of the purchase, given that an 'expert' has heaped praise on your wine.
    
    
3. Make it easy to read - Keep sentences and paragraphs short, and offer a range of articles and images.
   
    
4. Make sure the links in the newsletter work - If you're offering a fabulous deal to your loyal customers then you need them to click through to the "pay here" part. You don't want them to lose interest now due to a broken link. Check them all prior to sending.
   
    
5. It takes time to build the relationship - Direct mail takes time. Make the newsletters bi-monthly or quarterly, but keep them coming regularly. One-off newsletters will most probably be binned as the customer may forget who you are - especially if it has been 12 months since they met you at the cellar door.

If you are looking to develop a newsletter for your brand, give us a call to discuss how you can do it cost effectively and professionally.

Remember, you need to be sending out your Christmas offers to your customers now.

Cheers, David

Vinous beastiary...

"Animals of one kind or another seem to be growing in popularity among winemakers. Beasts I have discovered and regretfully excluded from these pages have included a spaniel, a turkey and a frog. I have little doubt that further searches would lead to ferrets, slugs and maybe cockroaches."

Robert Joseph, The Art of the Wine Label, 1988

Marketing in international markets

If you are travelling to international markets there is help at hand. The Australian Wine and Brand Corporation has a range of items (and information) that may help. Check out what they have on their website here. These may be particularly helpful in Asian markets.