Bottled Sunshine: Conventions Worth Mention

Partial map of wine country, California

On a recent visit, I came to realize that wine country follows many of the same design intentions fostered in the trade show industry. (Believe me when I say that I wasn’t thinking about work the entire vacation, but I allowed enough indiscretion to produce some thoughts for my blog.) Instead of aisles, you have roads (which can feel just as busy and crowded as a major show at peak times). In lieu of booths, imagine vineyards that are branded in many styles. Just like a trade show, there’s much to see, many places and appointments to keep, and never enough time to cover as much territory as you’d like.

How do the wineries cater to visitors? In many ways, they seem to simultaneously play well with one another and compete for your interest in much the same way as to create a sense of community – an established destination with a focused purpose. To maintain identities, the winery owners follow some well-exercised habits:

Do your utmost to create a strong brand and attract visitors. As you drive through the valley, you can’t help but take note of each property. Some are large, some are quite small. The primacy of real estate in an area such as Rutherford commands as much obligation as it would the central aisle of a major trade show. Style, material, and scale communicate a sense of identity from the roadside.

Use signage to direct the attention of your guests and deliver key messaging. While the bucolic, groomed environment plays outside, the showmanship within each facility is where much of the magic is set for a combination of public and private review. Product, history, production are all on display in various iterations.

Promote yourself before key events. Prior to a vacation, most people use the power of their web browser to decide where to spend their time. Make sure your web site is friendly and accommodating, and have good channels of contact to answer questions and set schedule meeting times.

Train your staff to be informative and engaging. A tour guide can make or break the experience, regardless of how good your product is. The personality of your brand is most directly represented in the competency of your people. They are among your greatest assets on the scene.

Leave an impression. People want to remember the experience. If they don’t, they won’t likely return. What do you want them to remember you by? The visit might not have resulted in a lavish sale today, but when they’re ready to buy a case you want them to secure that purchase with the relationship you established.