Tired of one-time sales and looking for a way to build lasting customer relationships? A thriving wine club can be the key to unlocking sustainable growth for your winery. It’s not just about selling more wine; it’s about creating a community of loyal brand advocates.
This blog post, based on a presentation I gave to Iowa Wine & Nebraska Wine members, “Unleash the Power of Wine Clubs: Attract, Engage, and Grow Your Winery” offers the below plus, additional actionable strategies for wineries of all sizes to launch and grow successful wine clubs.
Are you sure my wine brand needs a Wine Club?
I talk to small wineries all the time that are afraid of wine clubs. I hear “They are too much work!” Or “None of my customers want to join a wine club!” Or “I’ll need to hire extra staff to fill the boxes.”
I usually ask: Do you not want boosted sales and recurring revenue? Yes! Wine clubs provide a predictable income stream, smoothing out seasonal fluctuations and increasing overall sales.
Silicon Valley Bank’s reported that Wine clubs made up 25% of total revenue on average! What could your business do with 25% additional revenue?
Another report I cite in the presentation “Unleash the Power of Wine Clubs” is the Average Wine Club size by Region from the 2019 SVB Tasting Room Survey Report.
While this chart is 6 years old, often Midwest wineries are often not included in reports of the wine industry. This one shows an average club size of 815 for Midwest wineries. Let’s say the average shipment per person is just $75. Multiply 75 x 815 = $61,125. Now if you send out wine club shipments three times a year that equals = $183,375. Wow! This additional revenue could greatly help your wineries bottom line.
Plus, I have heard from several wineries that have wine clubs that once they start tracking wine club member purchases that over HALF OF ALL SALES are from wine club members.
Customer Engagement
Wine Clubs contribute significantly to a winery’s bottom line and also lead to enhanced customer engagement. And more engagement often translates to your wine club customers introducing their friends and family to your brand, which translates to additional sales.
A wine club fosters a deeper connection with your customers. It provides a platform for ongoing communication, exclusive experiences, and personalized interactions, strengthening brand recall and affinity.
Think of your brand as a series of touchpoints. A wine club allows you to connect those points and build a loyal following. At Bauerhaus, we take our clients through the Bauerhaus Brand & Marketing Map and part of that is creating a journey of how your customers goes through awareness, consideration, decision, and loyalty. The Wine Club is the PERFECT tool to build loyalty.
Brand Ambassadors
The true power of wine clubs lies in their ability to cultivate profound brand loyalty. Loyal members are more than just customers; they become invested in your winery’s story and transform into your most effective brand ambassadors. Think of your loyal wine club members as the heart of a powerful marketing circle (see below): they enthusiastically comment on social posts, forward your email marketing, and personally invite friends and family to your winery. This organic, word-of-mouth promotion is invaluable, essentially turning your super fans into your best advertisers and significantly boosting your overall brand awareness.
So, Do Your Customers Want a Wine Club? (Spoiler: Yes!)
When wineries tell me their customers won’t join a wine club, I always say the best way to know for sure is to simply ask!
You can easily gauge interest by:
- Conducting surveys: This is a direct way to get feedback.
- Engaging in conversations: Talk to your customers in your tasting room.
- Gauging interest on social media: Run polls or ask questions online.
I once worked with a New York winery that was convinced their customers were “burned out” on wine clubs. But after we crafted and sent out a simple survey, over half of the replies were an enthusiastic “Yes, please sign me up!”
Your most loyal fans are likely already looking for deeper ways to connect with your brand, and a wine club is an excellent way to foster that connection.
Ready to Explore a Wine Club for Your Business?
Whether you need help setting up your own wine club or you’re a wine association interested in a presentation on this topic, I’d love to chat. Set up a FREE Discovery Call with me, Rebecca Ritz, Owner and Creative Director.