How come wine company’s never offer a contest where you could win something on the bottom of a cork? Ok, you’re right, people who buy $50-$100 bottles of wine do not care about whatever it is under the cork, as long as it smells like fine wine. I’m talking about the cheap inexpensive wine, you know the bottles that no one is aging in the cellar, the ones that you buy for the weekend and if they last till Monday you’re having wine with supper.
I see an opportunity here. You could develop a classy contest, partner with the New Yorker or Napa Valley and offer a prize people will talk about around the water cooler.
Creating an incentive for customers to look for your wine at the store can be a powerful tactic. With whatever excuse you come up with as to the reason why wine company’s don’t do this, ask yourself, why? And why couldn’t they? I am open for a discussion.
Photo Credit: Gary Tamin
Many company’s have an e-newsletter and I believe the majority of those company’s should not or need to take a lesson from the masters. Here’s why.
How many e-mail newsletters do you subscribe to? Out of those, how many, when you see it hit your inbox are “drop everything you’re doing to read the newsletter”? Very few I bet. On the flip side, how many were you subscribed to that when you received it, there was nothing of value to you whatsoever? Probably a lot more.
The best example of how to do an e-mail newsletter is from Chip and Dan Heath. They do not have a schedule they publish on, they only send it when they have enough content that they are satisfied that the newsletter provides exceptional value to the reader. It delivers value.
Granted, they are authors of two best selling books, and write a column in Fast Company magazine but they offer a lot of free content on their site and the newsletter is no different. The best part about it is that you don’t feel like they are bragging about their work in the newsletter, nor are they trying to sell you something, they genuinely want to fill your appetite of useful knowledge. Because I get this feeling from them I remain as a subscriber.
If you don’t have enough content that provides value the solution that I would recommend is quite simple; DON’T SEND THE NEWSLETTER!
Now it’s your turn, do you have an example of a great newsletter? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
“Management plan or method for completing objectives; plan of procedures to be implemented, to do something.” – Answers.com
“Strategy refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal.” – Wikipedia
“A mental tapestry of changing intentions for harmonizing and focusing our efforts as a basis for realizing some aim or purpose in an unfolding and often unforeseen world of many bewildering events and many contending interests.” – John Boyd’s
“Strategy is about knowing where your company is today, where you want to take it, and how you are going to get there.” -Peter Drucker
However you define it, all strategy really means is focusing on a certain objective and determining how to achieve it. Have you ever brainstormed ways of revamping your company or product to ensure a more competitive stance in your market? Have you ever wondered what may happen if there is a large shift in your industry?
Too many industries are facing large changes in how business is conducted with the majority of organizations ignoring it. What used to be safe is now risky. If you’re not exploring where you industry is headed, where your competitors are expanding to and what your customers are talking to each other about, you may be missing the most valuable information about your industry.
The best part about this ever changing business landscape of the future is that the internet, if used effectively, can become your most powerful tool to explore your options. It is never to late to start learning, you’re already on the right track by reading my blog 
.
The choice is yours, either start learning and exploring or take the “safe” alternative and do business as usual believing you’re industry is immune to change.
When I was 18 my brother bought me my first beer kit at Harvest Brewing, we transformed a part of the basement into a brewery, beginning a life long hobby. A couple years later I switched to wine and never looked back. Over the course of roughly 5 years I have made well over 100 kits (3000 bottles) of wine.
I have always patronized Harvest Brewing, one of the managers there would always go out of his way to ensure I was taken care of. For the store his attitude paid off, I was loyal, never buying from anywhere else and telling everyone interested that Harvest Brewing was the place to go. It wasn’t just the staff, I think Harvest Brewing’s wine kits are better, a couple months back I made a kit from a different store (it was for a lovely gal I make wine for, not myself) and the instructions alone were enough to make me quit drinking altogether.
So they have a great product, the employees go out of their way to help customers, what could possible be wrong at Harvest Brewing?
I went there last week to pick up a kit and chat about attracting new clientele and possibly helping begin a “You Brew” program in the store or in homes. The response I received was don’t even try, it isn’t worth your time. The owner is unreachable.
The store that has kept me there so long told me that the owner doesn’t care, he doesn’t have the time of day to listen. If you don’t care about your company at least fake it to your employees so they don’t pass that on to your customers.
Immediately I felt shameful for being a long time customer of a store who’s owner doesn’t care about his employees or store and is just trying to make a quick buck. Yes I’m over reacting and I know there MUST be more to the story but I’m not sure what I should do.
Would you pursue the owner and let him know the message his employees are conveying? Change stores immediately? Not do anything and keep helping a store who’s owner doesn’t care? Please help.
