Is your brand exportable?
As grape-growers are preparing for another harvest, the tough economic climate around the world is making exporting even more challegning.
Barbara Raffellini, director of PR agency miraworld, suggests some ways wines can be promoted internationally during these difficult times.
Selling your wine overseas
By Barbara Raffellini
In the current economic climate, and with growing competition from locally produced wines and alternative beverages, convincing foreign buyers to take a gamble on little known brands is challenging, to say the least.
To effectively target wine importers and distributors you need to understand what drives them. Generally, they are influenced by factors such as the wine’s quality, price, availability, and, most importantly, its return on investment.
They are also swayed by consumer demand. Without stating the blatantly obvious, the more popular the wine is with the general public the more appealing your wine becomes to importers and distributors.
Sales and marketing strategies like wine tastings, trade shows and cold calling all have their place. But what is often overlooked by wineries are effective media strategies to build awareness, educate and excite consumers.
To effectively target wine importers and distributors you need to understand what drives them. Generally, they are influenced by factors such as the wine’s quality, price, availability, and, most importantly, its return on investment.
They are also swayed by consumer demand. Without stating the blatantly obvious, the more popular the wine is with the general public the more appealing your wine becomes to importers and distributors.
Sales and marketing strategies like wine tastings, trade shows and cold calling all have their place. But what is often overlooked by wineries are effective media strategies to build awareness, educate and excite consumers.
A well-planned public relations campaign doesn’t necessarily have to cost the earth, but if done well it can lift your wine’s profile and popularity and ultimately increase your sales.
Think about:
- reviewing your media material ensuring both your hard copy media kits and online newsrooms are ‘journo friendly’, accessible, interesting and easy-to-read. (Don’t forget to make the material available in the language of your target market);
- proactively pitching story ideas and pursuing editorial opportunities with the ‘right’ media;
- establishing a Visiting Journalist Program. Host the most appropriate media, inviting them to visit your wineries and sample the product. Carefully planned and followed-up, the program ought to ensure positive media coverage.
Before you do anything, talk to existing customers and while you are at it, talk to your potential customers, too. Ask about their needs. Determine their knowledge, awareness and perception of your labels.
Then, use this information to develop a successful PR campaign.
© Barbara Raffellini
Ex Chef and Restaurateur Barbara Raffellini is now director of miraworld - an international public relations and marketing consultancy specialising in Food & Beverage, Travel & Tourism, Hospitality and Lifestyle.
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