Adrienne Stillman
COVID-19 changed the way businesses operated and those that hadn’t previously been using online communication channels found they needed to embrace virtual options, or risk being left behind. It’s something wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries should have already been doing, but for many owners and operators, communicating virtually can feel like a land of unknowns and confusion.
Those who haven’t yet jumped on board aren’t alone. Ask many alcoholic beverage manufacturers how they can use electronic tools to engage with their customers and it’s liable to cause wide-eyed terror. Running an alcohol production and sales operation is the norm, while marketing – especially online – is not. It can feel overwhelming just considering all the options.
Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, what the heck even is TikTok? Aren’t email marketing and blogging dead?
Adrienne Stillman, marketing director with WineDirect, a direct-to-consumer solutions company for the alcoholic beverage industry, spoke about email marketing at the November Fortify online conference. She explains that while email may not be the latest tool for virtual communication, it’s still the best direct response option to drive sales.
“There are many other platforms. Email still blows them all out of the water,” she says.
What to say, how to say it and who to say it to
Messaging and tone used on a company’s website and in marketing materials should be consistent with that used in email and other communications. It may seem like a great idea to send out a fun and playful email message, but if this isn’t the company’s standard tone of voice, there’s a risk of causing marketing whiplash for consumers.
“It’s very important to think of your email marketing in the context of all the ways where your customers interact with you,” she says. “You want to make sure there is a consistent experience.”
Hopefully, most operations have been capturing email addresses and permission to send emails through the sales process and in-person visits. These contacts are gold because they represent people who are already interested and may have already purchased.
Other sources for gathering new customers can include social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and others that are a fit for the customer profile and the brand. Here too, ensure that the personality and branding of the winery, cidery, brewery or distillery is the same as in your other communications.
Starting the relationship
Gathering email addresses is permission to start a conversation and Stillman says it’s important to show your appreciation of that opening.
“They’re telling you, ‘I’m interested in your brand’,” she says. “You want to tell them about you right away.”
This doesn’t mean overwhelming them with a two-page email that outlines everything about the business. Instead, an initial email should include a small amount of introductory information that builds on what the consumer may already know, links to the website to find out more and an offer to thank them for taking an interest.
“You don’t have to offer a discount code, you can offer free shipping or introduce them to an entry level product,” she explains.
Building the relationship
What happens after they click on that offer? It’s important to understand where and how the consumer will interact with the business. Stillman calls this the Customer Journey. Depending upon what happens after the initial email, there will be various options.
Perhaps a customer that opens the email, but doesn’t click on the link, is sent a second email with a better offer. Maybe customers who don’t open the email get a second email with a different subject line.
Those who purchase should get a different email from those who don’t purchase. It’s part of proving an understanding of the customer.
“It’s critical that we know who we are speaking to,” she says. “Tailor your content.”
Segmenting an overall email list into smaller groups with common interests and behaviours is worthwhile.
“Segmented, personalized emails have a 26 per cent higher open rate and 20 per cent higher sales,” she says.
Measure and track results
Goals need to be established and these will look different for every business. Some want sales, while others want to build club enrollments. It could also be building the mailing list or collecting more information to allow for better targeted emails in the future.
For those concerned that they are emailing customers too often, she says not to worry too much.
“Your subscribers will tell you with their actions that you’re emailing them too much,” Stillman says. “Very, very few wineries are sending too much email. The way to tell if you are, is to track your open and subscribe rates. If you see those numbers going down and up respectively, you should pay attention to frequency. Of course it’s not only frequency that matters. The most important thing is relevance, which goes back to the importance of segmentation.”
She suggests connecting at least once a month and more often during holidays and special seasons.
Email marketing is a manageable marketing activity that can produce sales almost immediately. Being consistent, respectful and appreciative will garner the best results.
Connect with Stillman at AdrienneStillman.com