In today’s consumer-driven marketplace, how you build and position your brand is instrumental in attracting loyal customers and creating a thriving business. 

Keep in mind: your brand is more than a beautifully-designed logo; it’s the entire ecosystem of your business. Your actions, reputation, customers, press, and any outward-facing communication can directly influence how people perceive your brand. 

The images and color palette you use, the type of values you possess, the personality and voice you use to communicate with your audience, and even the way your employees represent your business are all pivotal pieces of creating a cohesive, thriving brand. 

By communicating your story and creating experiences that humanize your brand, you can forge genuine connections with your audience. 

To navigate the market’s competitive landscape, it’s imperative to stay true to what your winery stands for and exercise authenticity across platforms. When you engage your audience in a personalized way, it builds genuine, lasting relationships, which are integral for customer retention and referrals. 

Here are five tips for creating a powerful wine brand. 

1 | Identify & Define Your Target Audience

The biggest mistake brands make is attempting to target the entire universe. Instead of focusing on “all wine drinkers,” you want to speak to a specific audience. 

By doing so, you can create marketing campaigns that precisely target your niche. This way, you can speak to their needs, use language that resonates with them, and provide greater value by crafting content that is distinct and relevant.

Scratching your head wondering where to begin? 

Analyze your current customer base and delve into the interests and characteristics that your current audience shares. For example, if your top wine buyers are “Image Seekers,” they typically look at a restaurant’s wine list, which allows them to research wine scores online before dining out. 

In order to appeal to this audience, it’s important to reference outside reviews and wine scores on your website. Plus, know that Image Seekers are greatly influenced by packaging and design. 

2 | Establish Your Brand Strategy

Price, innovation, and differentiation are the three ways businesses can stand out from the crowd. Only large corporations like Walmart or Target can compete in terms of competitive pricing. And when it comes to innovation, unless you have a cutting-edge product on your hands (think iPhone-level greatness), it’s virtually impossible to compete on the “innovative” front. 

For a majority of businesses, gaining visibility and traction for your brand requires a focus on differentiation. As Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap says, “Our brains are hardwired to notice what is different, not what is the same.” Take, for example, the highly addictive (and loved) iSpy images. 

As you play, your eyes quickly dart back and forth between two photos in a quest to hunt down where the key differentiators lie. 

Make it easy on your potential customer and define how you are different. 

What benefits can you offer clients? Millennials are going to appreciate a good pop culture reference and slang, whereas Baby Boomers look for brands that are direct, professional, and play on their nostalgia. 

Take a stand and highlight your unique value. 

At Bauerhaus, brand design and development is rooted in strategy, research, and artistic vision. Each project is based on a six phase process that begins with a dive into your business goals, your competition, and your target market.

The Baurhaus Brand Map, our signature customer journey development process, helps companies identify and understand their customer so they can implement effective branding and marketing strategies.

Interested in getting clear on your customer? Schedule a discovery call with us! 

Always strive to think outside the box. 

For example, instead of saying we are the “best” or “cheapest” or have the “best customer service,” take a new approach. For instance, there are millions of Pizza places to choose from, but Domino’s skyrocketed in popularity because they promised consumers, “30 minutes or it’s free.” 

Tom’s is another good example. The shoe company’s success is rooted in its efforts to make a difference in the world – i.e. for every pair of shoes purchased, the company donates a pair to a child in need.

3 | Use Storytelling to Talk About Your Brand

You’ve identified your target audience and key differentiators, now what? The answer lies in the power of storytelling. 

Your website and social media channels provide an opportunity to tell your story and humanize your brand. 

The modern consumer wants authenticity and transparency – they want to do business with brands they’ve forged a connection with. Not only will having a recognizable brand story help you stay at the forefront of your customer’s mind, but putting in the effort to nurture relationships with your audience is an essential part of growing a loyal community. 

4 | Packaging is EVERYTHING

Think about this fact: 

Our senses take in about 11 million bits of information every second, but we are only consciously aware of about 40 bits of that information. 

As a result, our brains often take shortcuts when it comes to packaging design. For example, how many times do you really notice all the details on a wine label when you are walking down the aisle of a wine store? Do you really notice each font on the label, the paper type, Pantone colors, foil, and embossing that were used? 

Be honest. We all glance at a wine label and unconsciously think one of two things:

“Yuck. That’s an awful label design.” In our minds, this immediately translates to poor-quality wine and we continue our search without a second thought. 

OR

“Wow. That’s a really (insert adjective here: cool, professional, badass, stylish, ‘on fleek’) wine label design.” Translation: this looks like a high-quality wine. Can’t wait to try it. 

5 | Ensure You’re Making an Impact Online

More often than not, a person’s first impression of your company is made online. 

Do your photos on your website and social media networks tell your brand story consistently? Or does your website have a photo of vineyards and match the competitor down the street? Do you only post winery events or sales on social media? 

Sharing how your brand is different consistently helps your brand grow faster, so consumers can put you into your own category.

Discover what makes your brand different.

Want more insight into how your winery can make a greater impact through branding? Contact me today for a free discovery call.