With the closing of restaurants and hotels, consumer lockdown, a decrease in spending, plus a multitude of other problems, many wine producers are trying to find ways to keep their businesses alive. BWI has created a short guide based on the experience of some of the wineries that are not only surviving but have actually increased their sales in these turbulent times.

1. Keep your marketing alive – Even if it might seem like a good idea to reduce spending in areas that might not seem vital, remember that marketing is what brings in clients and fuels sales. Because other companies decided to reduce their budgets, you might notice lower competition and a more powerful impact of your messages. As most of the planet is staying at home, your online presence is more important than ever so make sure that all your online assets are functioning as they should. Online marketing – PPC works best during these times and emailing is also an excellent option.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – If the situation is really dramatic, remember that there is no shame in asking your clients for help. You can send an email in which you describe your efforts, the way the business was affected by the pandemic, and in which you ask them to place an order (maybe a larger order than usual) because that financial support will keep their favorite brand alive. Some wineries have already reported a lot of success with this strategy and were moved by the loyalty of their clients.
3. Discounts are an option – During a normal period, discounts might devalue your brand or hurt your business in the long term. However, in this crisis, offering discounts has proven an efficient short term strategy because the consumers are also struggling and many have seen their incomes severely affected. Some traded to lower quality wines but if they have the option to get their favorite brand at a reduced price, they will take it. This way you’re also avoiding losing them to the competition
4. Focus on your main brands – As your budget is limited, try to focus most of your production and marketing efforts on your top brands. Other smaller or recently developed brands can wait and will have time to recover once the economy will heal
5. Keep the quality high and do not make compromises – Do everything possible not to reduce the quality of your wine. Even if you might save some money in the production/packaging process, the negative effects will most likely be permanent once your consumers notice it and you will lose years of investments in building a positive image
6. Make sure that you have a good strategy to move your inventory as fast and as efficiently as possible, even if this might cost you in the short term. Producers who manage to get the wine out of your warehouse are the ones who will have the maximum chances to see good results in this crisis

BestWineImporters is also here to support wine producers worldwide, offering access to a platform with over 24.000 wine importers, distributors, and retail stores.