An interesting article about how wineries can get more visibility by using Public Relations techniques. The article gives some good points about what things make a good public relations campaign. However, while this article does give good information on public relations, it isn't focused specifically wineries, and may leave out anything specific that wineries need to do to enhance their visibility with public relational techniques.
Ah, the wine business...it sounds so romantic. Beautiful,
intelligent, highly-evolved men and women, living in paradise,
sipping Albariño and noshing on amuse bouche eagerly prepared by
three-star chefs. Truth is, the wine business is tougher than
road kill and more confusing than the third Matrix movie.
Gone are the days when Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine and Dr. Howard could
plant 10 acres of whatever-the-nursery-gave-them on the family
spread, make a few hundred cases of "winemakers reserve" and
have restaurants, retailers and rabid collectors lining up for
allocations. Nowadays, the competition for the consumer's short
attention span is as intense as an over-extracted, old vine,
Petite Sirah from a low yielding, mountain vineyard. Wineries
are screaming "Look at me! Look at me!" Customers are rolling
their eyes and stifling yawns. They're also patting their heads
and rubbing their stomachs, but that's another story.
So how's a winery supposed to succeed in today's globally warmed
business climate. Making great wines is a good start. A fistful
of 94's from the top wine publications puts a little giddy up in
everybody's hitch. But even high scores are no guarantee for
success if a winery doesn't have a solid public relations
strategy to spread the word among gatekeepers and consumers.
What are the keys to a successful public relations strategy you
ask? Good messaging and good communications. To thrive nowadays
wineries must develop persuasive messaging that rings true with
gatekeepers and consumers and effective communications programs
to deliver that messaging to the various target audiences. One
false step and you're back in Michigan picking up balls at the
driving range.
So how does a winery go about developing their messaging and
communications? Here are my Top 11 Requisites for a Successful
PR Campaign:
1. Set Clear Goals
2. Identify Key Messaging Points
3. Create Support Materials that reflect Key Messaging Points
4. Write Storylines and Pitch Letter
5. Develop Media Database
6. Establish Samples Program
7. Monitor Editorial Calendars
8. Schedule Media Presentations & Tours
9. Disseminate Articles and Mentions to Trade and Consumers
10. Continually Develop New Hooks and Storylines
11. Be Different
Over the next few months we will explore each of these bullet
points in a way that they have never been explored before. When
finished you will know everything there is to know about
designing and implementing a successful PR campaign for your
winery.
About the author:
Mike Lynch is a founding partner of Big Bang Communications, a
PR/marketing company devoted to the wine industry. His articles
and short stories have appeared in Wine & Spirits, Wine
Enthusiast, and Wine Spectator. Mike also co-authored the
LynchBob cartoons with famed illustrator/designer Bob Johnson.
He can be reached at mike@bigbangcommunications.com.
Tags: public relations - wineries - pr campaign - marketing
