The 2023 Wine Industry Sales Symposium, presented by Wine Industry Network (WIN), proved to be an unparalleled platform for learning, networking, and charting the course towards success in the dynamic world of wine sales to its attendees. The one-day educational conference featured wine industry experts speaking on all aspects of sales and marketing, including 3-Tier and direct channel strategies, pricing, public relations programs and engaging presentations and interactive discussions delved into the latest trends and tactics shaping the sales landscape.
Among the key takeaways was the notion that the competitive set has grown — wine now competes with beer, spirits, RTDs and even cannabis — so finding a way to reach new consumers is vital. These consumers can be found in myriad ways, including experiential marketing, tech savvy outreach, expanding your offerings and, sometimes, boots on the ground in unexpected locales.
Adapting Your PR Strategy for an Evolving Media Landscape
Change is inevitable and how we manage our media relations in wine is no exception. To succeed in your public relations efforts requires paying close attention to how wine consumers, specifically the demographic you’re targeting, are being influenced and by whom. While the “traditional” wine writer still plays an important role, there are new influencers and content creators on the scene that are having just as much of an impact on brand awareness, and ultimately, sales.
Attendees heard from agency president Michael Wangbickler and a panel of public relation professionals, who shared their experience and advice, on how best to navigate the ever changing world of wine media, from the traditional, to pay to play, to lifestyle influencers and more.
