I just read a great article in the September issue of Wine Business Monthly. I don’t know about you, but sometimes, there are too many other projects that need my attention and I don’t always make it through the magazine in a timely manner.
So I was very pleased to find an article, by Cathy Fisher, which gives a great description of how wineries can use Web 2.0 tools to enhance their traditional marketing activities.
Cathy gives a pretty complete explanation of each tool and how they can be used by wineries such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Skype, TasteLive and WebEx. She includes quotes from Bonny Doon Vineyard and Clos LaChance who are both effectively using some of these new technologies. Wine retailers are also effectively using these tools to increase their reach into new markets.
Virtual Wine Tasting can be strictly text based using twitter or can include video and voip where the participants can see and speak to each other using their computers. Both methods have their place and can be used interchangeably depending on the needs of the participants.
I agree with Cathy that Virtual tools are an ideal solution to wineries current lack of resources. Because of the current economy, wineries have to think twice in before traveling anymore. Virtual tastings with distributors will help to support markets that are cost prohibitive to visit these days.
Cathy also gives a great list of Web 2.0 terminology such as Twasting, Tweeting, TweetUp, and Skyping that really helps diffuse some of the confusion for people new to Web 2.0.
Wineries are slowly accepting social media, but face a huge learning curve. Not everyone can afford to hire a social media or IT manager but I know that it will take you too long to work all this stuff out for yourself. I recommend that you find a consultant that can help you get kick started, train you and set up processes to make it easy for you to manage it going forward.
So if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you go dig out your September issue of Wine Business Monthly and look for the Wine Tasting 2.0 article on page 62.
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