How Wineries Can Connect With Their Audience

With the Covid-19 outbreak, and the complete lockdown across the country, there isn’t much wineries can do. What they can do, however, is go full throttle on online channels, and connect with their audience.

At this time, engaging with your audience is the most important thing to do. Why? Think about it this way, once people start to go out again and things settle down, you want them to pick your wine off the shelves - you want them to remember you and recognize you - and the best way to do that is by communicating with your audience.

The selling process is just like dating in one way, communication is key. You need to communicate with your customers - and thanks to social media, communication has become easier than it has ever been. The internet is where everyone connects with each other, and that’s where you as a winery have to step in.

You already know the power of social media, and how you can go online during social distancing - but how can you use social media to connect with your audience effectively? 

Let’s look at a few digital ways in which, as a winery, you can communicate with your customers and online audience. 

1. Create a podcast

A podcast is a great way to communicate with your audience right now. People listen to podcasts no matter where they are. Whether they are cooking, driving, or just lazing around - a lot of people listen to podcasts. 

Create a podcast based on your winery where you tell your audience your story. Tell them what is going on in your winery right now, tell them what you have in-store for the future. Talk to them about the current situation. Make them feel like they are a part of your winery. A personal connection is one that always remains, and consumers gravel towards it as well.

2. Go live on social media

Thanks to technology, you can now connect with your audience through the ‘live streaming’ option that most social networks offer. Through live streaming, you can communicate with your audience right there and then. This helps a lot as your audience will be seeing and hearing from you in real time.

• Use live streaming to your benefit to communicate with your audience. When going live:

• Ask your audience what they want to see from you next. 

• Update them with what’s going on at your winery. 

• Hold a q&a session where they can ask you questions and you can answer

3. Hold a virtual tasting 

Your tasting rooms are definitely closed as of now, but what you can do is hold an online tasting for your audience. This could be through a live stream, or you could pre record one and post it on your social networks. Try different wines, offer your audience advice on how to drink them, what to drink them with, and what is available as of now. Listen to what your audience wants and give them exactly that. When you give your audience what they want, then your communication becomes stronger, and your audience sees that as a brand, you care about them too - which is what they find important. 

4. Reply to dms, comments, tweets

A lot of times, when our audience leaves a comment on our posts, or dms us, or tweets to us - we usually tend to look over it. However, that’s a wrong strategy. When someone comments on your posts, or dms you - reply to them. Engage with them in a conversation so they know that they matter to you. When they see that you care about them, they will tend to gravitate towards your products.

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Here's how wineries can make the most of Social Distancing by going online

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5. Offer deals through social media

No one ever declines an offer. Your customers would be more than happy if you can offer them a discount or a good deal for your wines - and offering a deal is also a great way of communicating with your audience. 

Here are a few ways in which you can offer deals to your audience while communicating with them:

• Offer your customers a deal via dm. You can dm them a code where they can order your wines for a discounted price, or maybe when they order your wine they can receive a cheese platter with it.

• Offer deals through online contests. Online contests are a great way of reaching out to your customers and talking to them. Hold a small competition online, it could be anything you wish - and the first three winners could get a free trip to your tasting room once everything is back up again, or maybe free delivery? You decide the deal.

• Have them subscribe to your newsletter or follow your socials and offer a deal along with that. 

All in all, keep in mind that communication is key. You need to make your audience feel as if you’re with them through it all. Make them feel a part of your journey. Communicating and connecting with them through online media is what is going to help right now - so make sure you do that through the tips mentioned and elaborated. 

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