Shoe Leather, Really Good Wine and a Smile

With all of the technology, social networking and events out there, sales and marketing can be overwhelming for any winery. While all of these and more -- business plan with strategies and tactics, the right people, great location, beautiful and functional website, consistent and compelling communication are necessary, it does make sense to make sure you're doing the most basic of things.

When it boils down to it, there are 3 basic "musts" for anyone marketing wine:

1. Shoe leather - buyers do not appear just because you've announced a launch, built a website or even gotten some good reviews. Selling wine still takes a hearty does of "shoe leather," or "pounding the pavement". Those most successful work the market.

2. Really good wine - good quality is obvious, but the wine must be really good, not just in terms of its quality, but when considering the interrelationship between quality, packaging and price. A $20 wine must taste and look like at least a $30 bottle, not the opposite -- a $30 bottle that tastes and looks $20, or worse. If you don't have really good wine, it's going to be more difficult. Period.

3. A smile - manners are still important! Never forget to be polite, say please and thank you, act the way your wine would want you to and smile.