Personalize the customer experience to action, sales; and loyalty

Winery visits will always be at the heart of building your customer base. And though the past few years have been difficult, with a drop in visitation numbers, there are compelling reasons to believe wineries can anticipate a robust summer season, according to our recent trends report. You can take greater advantage of this potential upswing by leaning into the power of data. Attract new visitors, create better experiences and build future relationships—so buyers stay loyal and keep buying.

Reach the Right Audiences, in the Right Places, with the Right Message

Wine drinkers aren’t a singular audience. Instead of being all things to all people, consider what makes your winery unique, and focus on those key differentiators. Are you family-friendly? Do you offer exceptional culinary experiences? Digging into the data on existing customers can reveal who you’re attracting and why—from their age and location to their outside interests. 

Once you know who you should be talking to, figure out exactly how to reach them. Build your website and brand to grab attention and show your personality. Promote yourself in the right places using strong SEO, search ads and social media. Make sure you appear early and often, clearly explaining why your winery is a can’t-miss experience.

Personalize Tastings to Visitors’ Tastes

A little data-gathering before visitors even arrive can make their experience all the more special. Keep it simple: Use your sign-up form, or make a quick call beforehand, to find out what wines customers prefer and what they’d like to see and do. Bold reds or sweet rosés? An in-depth tour, or a short pop-in? Putting this information in your staff’s hands can really make guests feel like VIPs—starting with greeting them by name upon arrival—for a strong first impression and future word-of-mouth recommendations. 

Then, remember to gather info throughout their visit: Train—and incentivize—your team to chat with customers and add data to your system. It doesn’t always have to be hard numbers — the little details count for a lot.

Follow Up and Create Close Connections

By the time a guest leaves your winery, you should have plenty of data on them. Use it early, often and with everyone who steps foot through your door. Send guests an email that same day to thank them for their visit, and encourage them to tag photos on social or post a review. Even if they only came for a quick tasting today, they might become a future member or buyer down the line.

From there, start sending regular, custom winery updates, reminding readers to buy, spread the word and come back again. Because you’ve learned their interests and preferences, you can go beyond simple discounts to personally grab their attention. 

If they like Cabs, add them to the list for an exclusive, limited-edition release—or offer similar wines they might like just as much. Partner with other businesses for special events, like dinners or musical performances. Celebrate the anniversary of a guest’s first visit with a unique tour or giveaway. If you can remind visitors what they liked about your winery in the first place, you’ll be far more likely to hear from them again.

Gather Data on Your Data

A lot of trial and error goes into driving visitation and sales. Data helps smooth the process, and find the right answers faster. Track your marketing communications and promotions to see what’s working, what isn’t and what to improve. Set goals, forecast what’s possible and follow the potential most likely to pay off. 

Data can make a major difference in winery visits and beyond. But how do you get started? At WineDirect, we’ve created a single source of truth that lets you gather and use trusted data across every stage of the wine-buying process—from initial interest to end delivery—based on trends in your business and the industry at large. Customize, optimize and, ultimately, sell more wine—by making the first of what could be many great data-driven decisions.