Sales Success comes from Increasing Opportunity

By Janel Lubanski, media relations and client services

I recently attended a production sales training seminar at a client site and was captivated by what I learned in a matter of minutes. The seminar focused specifically on wine sales, but many of these methods can be applied to other industries as well.

Our instructor was a 20-year sales veteran with experience working within many industries.  Her enthusiasm for the training and skill of selling was contagious.

The Complete Experience

She opened the seminar by having us define what customers in a restaurant want.  Our initial answers were as obvious as good meal, good service, friendly staff, etc. Going further, we discussed that customers ultimately want a positive, memorable experience and a reason to return.  Providing these in any establishment will result in increased repeat purchases and a growing loyal customer base.

Opportunity Equation

Opportunities are all around us, and include every person with whom we come into contact. Determine your total opportunities for selling in your own business. First, take the number of contacts with whom you interact on a daily basis.  These can be customers, business associates, service providers, etc.  All of these connections are sales opportunities.  You may not recognize them as such at first, but with interaction you may uncover opportunities to sell to them or to someone they know.

(# of interactions) x (work days per week) x (weeks in a year) = numerous sales opportunities

Question then Sell – not the other way around

There are so many times when I have been on the “customer” side of a transaction and the sales person attempts to sell me on the product before asking questions about my interests.  To avoid this push tactic and engage your customer, begin with an effective questioning process.  By asking open-ended questions, you can gauge what products are of interest to your customers and offer suggestions based on their particular needs or wants. 

It is so important in the hospitality industry to LISTEN:

L = Look interested, get interested

I  = Involve yourself by responding

S = Stay on Target

T = Test your understanding 

E = Evaluate the message

N = Nurture their needs

People purchase things from people they know, like and trust, so by listening you can distinguish primary interests, buying criteria and motives, etc. and in turn, provide information on the products you have that match what the customer is seeking.  The key is using the information gained from the guest to close the sale in a comfortable way that shows you were interested in the guest and actually listened and learned from them.  This is consultative selling.

Working through Objections

Objection, in this sense, is defined as a customer giving you reasons to not buy your product.  We have discussed the importance of listening, which is an important determent to objections.  Acknowledging, understanding and responding are ways to work through objections.

Let’s say a customer thinks your prices are out of their budget for Chardonnay, start with a cushioning response to the objection such as, “I can appreciate your feelings on this.”  Clarify the objection using a question such as: “what are you comparing our prices to?” or “Were there other wines you tasted today that you enjoyed?” Resolve the objection by informing the customer on similar wines that are at a lower price point.

For success is sales are you swimming or sinking?  Take a look at what works & what doesn't 

Optimism vs. Pessimism, what side is your business attitude on?

By Janel Lubanski, Media Relations & Client Services
What is the correct way to handle business hardships? When you lose a client, do you consider it a failure or an opportunity? How does your team bounce back from disappointments?  When it comes to the aspects of your job, are you an optimist or a pessimist?

In January, Harvey Mackay, New York Times Bestselling author of “Swim with the Sharks,” and regular columnist for Inc. Magazine wrote about business attitude and how optimism outperforms pessimism.

Merriam-Webster defines optimism as “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events”.  Pessimism is contagious and ultimately, your attitude is the foundation for your employees’ sense of reality.  Business owners and employees who are optimists choose to find the silver lining of all business struggles and focus on how to learn from setbacks and create a productive path forward. 

Let’s say for example, that you are a business owner who is coming to the end of a contract with your biggest client.  A pessimist would only see the loss of the client and income.  On the flip side, an optimist would see the door opening to new clients, the opportunity for bigger accounts and think about the value offered by the experience, connections and knowledge gained from working with that former client.

No business owner or manager can inspire a team with a consistent negative attitude on the inevitable struggles that arise at work.  Great team leaders find ways to rise above the negativity and identify what can be improved and seek opportunities elsewhere. According to Mackay, it’s all about having a positive attitude even when faced with hardships or setbacks.

Dana Lightman, author of “Power Optimism: Enjoy the Life You Have…Create the Success You Want” provides a great example of optimism in the work place: “The optimists who are needed in today’s workplace embody qualities that include self-awareness, flexibility, self-confidence, initiative, resiliency and adaptability.” 

Whether CEO, manager or line staff, these optimists employ a system of thinking, feeling and behaving that creates conditions for success. Their optimistic attitude allows them to recognize and redirect unproductive reactions, to think before acting, and to choose beneficial responses.  Optimism equips practitioners with a perspective that fosters personal accountability, innovative thinking and appropriate risk-taking.” 

After reading Mackay’s article, I thought back to when I first relocated to Oregon from Hawaii trying desperately to land a job as quickly as possible.   My first job offer, like a good portion of recent-college graduates, was working in a field that had nothing to do with what I majored in.  Learning the ins-and-outs of a new industry was a lot more difficult than I anticipated and looking back it could have been so easy to say this job really wasn’t for me – but that was just the fear talking.  Instead of listening to my fear, I stuck with my job, taking on unfamiliar, tasks, reminding myself that one day, I would understand all of this.  

I like to think my optimism was a result of a former co-worker and friend telling me that by taking this job, I would learn the business from the ground up – that I would learn so much more than if I took a writing post at a local publication.  Looking back, that was exactly what I wanted: having a job where I could learn all aspects of the business, not just become a one-dimensional employee.

Maintaining a strong optimistic perspective and checking the pessimism at the door is what pushes me to do the best work I can, even when that work doesn’t reach my desired outcome; I keep the hustle.  After all, trials keep you strong and failures keep you humble.  Perseverance goes hand-in-hand with this mantra.  It may not get you to your desired outcome 100 percent of the time, but it will take you a lot further than not trying at all.

Mackay stated, “You need to be able to look on the bright side of tough situations in order to take risks, and survive both successes and failures.” -- And I agree.

Top 10 Customer Service Count Down

This fall, I had the pleasure of presenting with Allan Wright, owner of Zephyr Adventures, at the first annual Wine Tourism Conference held in Napa, California.  Allan is well known in the industry for his wine and beer bloggers conferences; in fact, the wine bloggers will be coming to Portland in August!

We were asked by conference organizer, Elizabeth Martin-Calder -- a marketing veteran serving the wine, food, travel and art industries, to speak about the important connection between marketing and providing great customer service experiences.  Below is the top 10 list we created to underscore how a compelling customer service should permeate your entire organization:

#10 - Create a Philosophy of Customer Service that Stems from your Mission Statement
Define the "why" behind your company.  Decide what it is you are offering and how you're going to be the best at it.  Think about your target customer and the experiences they desire.  This is precisely where the marketing and hospitality teams should begin to engage -- well before the taster arrives at the winery.  Companies like Four Seasons, Apple, BMW and Target have a well defined customer experience, and it's not by chance!

#9 - Transform Ethos into Action
Translate your service philosophy into specific, measurable actions.  Think about how the hospitality team will tell the story, decide on specific and consistent talking points that all staff members can share, and don't forget to outline the greeting, during visit and closing actions.  For example, the Four Seasons personally greets each guest by name, provides a wait-free, quiet check in with a water bottle, and the staff is encouraged to ask about particular preferences early on and get feedback throughout the stay.

When was the last time you took your winery's tour?  What are the specific actions you take to follow up with visitors and re-engage them? 

#8 - Seek Feedback
In founder, Isadore Sharp's book, Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy, he details how he built the company from a regional Canadian construction firm to the world's preeminent luxury hotel brand.  What most struck me is the company's "Glitch Report", which is a discussion held at every hotel every morning.  During the meeting, the team outlines anything that went wrong the prior day, and discusses the specific steps taken to correct the mistake.  This encourages people to be open about mistakes, learn from them, and helps create a culture of continuous improvement.  It also prevents further mistakes and identifies customers who may need special touches to improve their stay.

Feedback should be a two-way street.  Internal feedback of team members can come through staff and individual meetings, discussions, surveys and 360 reviews.  External feedback can be gained from Yelp, customer and supplier surveys, card drops and verbal asks during visits.

#7 - Address & Learn From Mistakes
When a customers alerts you to a problem, own it.  Apologize, state what you will do to correct the issue in the future, and offer some sort of unexpected "thank you" to the customer for bringing it to your attention.  It is important to remember that addressing in-person complaints is not enough -- I encourage you to monitor social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, too.  In all of these mediums, you have the opportunity to respond and correct.  Performing excellent service recovery can create even more loyal customers!

#6 - Keep a Database
Do you have an email list?  Is it possible to sign up in your tasting room, on Facebook and on your website? Do you actually input those sign ups into the database?  Are you tracking your customers, their preferences and operating with a schedule of follow up communications?

#5 - Recognize Repeat Customers
Having a database will help you track them, but it won't do the follow up work with customers for you.  Send thank you notes, personal invites to events, offer special pricing and referral rewards, etc.  And don't just communicate via email -- a personal phone call is a powerful tool, and it's much more rare with all of the email marketing solutions.

#4 - Seek Outside Best Practices
There are some terrific examples of service within our industry.  While it's natural to stay in our own backyard, looking outside of wine and spirits can reveal additional best practices.  Train your staff to be "service spies" and create a game out of reporting on best or poor experiences from which everyone can learn.

Some favorite non-industry best practices that come to mind immediately are the way Starbucks encourages barristas to call customers by name and how Southwest mails you drink coupons on your birthday.

#3 -Answer the Phone
Return phone calls and emails promptly.  Fully engage the customer (i.e., don't be checking email) and smile while you are speaking.  Set up a Google alerts and Twilerts for your brand name and key wines to track press and social media conversations.  Pay attention to Yelp and Trip Advisor on a regular basis.

#2 - Engage Everyone
Each person involved in hospitality should have a sense of the "front of the house" jobs -- ideally, all team members would.  Remember how annoying it is when you enter a restaurant, are passed by several servers, and one finally says "a hostess will be with you soon"?  Customer service is not someone else's job -- we are all first in the hospitality business.

At every step of the hospitality experience, your customers are watching, and often reporting via social media.  The days of Don Draper's Mad Men telling people what to think are long gone (although I'm happy that the show is soon coming back!).  So embrace this customer involvement as an opportunity for authentic promotion.  After all, when your customers tell your friends to visit, they are much more likely to listen.

And finally, #1 - Audience Ideas...
We asked for audience participation to help us come up with the final customer service "do".  We received many great ideas, and the one I most remember was submitted by a woman who suggested that wineries take an extra step to promote their vendors before events, then ask for their post event feedback.  Associated parties like caterers, entertainers, etc. are also "watching" during your special events, and may see things that your customers don't report or you do not notice.  They will also appreciate the extra recognition.

Guest Blogger Janel Lubanski Shares First Winery Visit

When taking on new clients, it is imperative to get to know the people and the places behind the brand.   The first meeting allows the client to express the vision for his or her business and provides Trellis Wine Consulting the information we need to serve the client in the best way possible.

On September 14, I toured my first winery (and at that point our newest client) Abacela and learned the importance of a first visit.  From the introductions to soaking in new landscapes, and the actual "work", to ending the day with a ride through the vineyards in owner, Earl Jones’ Jeep Cherokee, it was an amazing experience.

We began with a tour of the grounds, first internally and then the vineyards.  The tasting room  features a large round tasting bar with an incredible open view of the vineyard and a private tasting room highlighting modern yellow chairs -- Abacela's signature color.  (They use yellow foil or screw caps  on all wine bottles, so these chairs are a very nice touch.

For our next stop, we were given a very descriptive tour of the winemaking process performed at Abacela.  Their method of transporting grapes by gravity flow is both time consuming and labor intensive but this method has proven to be more gentler on the grapes and wine. 

Earl recalled his garage reconstruction project that would allow space for a gravity flow system – a project that left many skeptical but he managed to pull it off.

After getting down to talking business, we ventured to the vines.  The stones leading from the winery to the vineyard map out the varied geologies that make up Abacela’s vineyard.  This 76-acre property on the southern tip of the Umpqua Valley,houses many different geological varieties:

• Dothan formation;
• Turbidite sandstone;
• Mudstone Matrix Melange;
• Fluvial deposits;
• Bushnell Rock;
• Siletz River Volcanics; and
• Submarine basalt

Three mountain ranges, the Klamath Mountains; the Coastal Range; and the Cascades, meet beneath Abacela’s vineyard, allowing them the ideal climates for their internationally acclaimed Tempranillo, Rhone and other Spanish varietals.  

Another unique aspect of the Abacela vineyard is the trellis for the vines.  Earl’s layout of his vines includes an additional post on the end of each trellis, quite uncommon on most vineyards.  This additional post prevents tractors from running into the vines and protects the wires on the trellis. 

A few grapes were tasted and the tour was complete. 

So as I learned, the purpose of a first visit is to show our commitment to and learn as much as possible.  For me, the best part of a first visit is seeing our clients in action on their “home turf.”

Wine Discoveries in Idaho's Snake River Valley

This Monday I had the pleasure of judging the 2011 Idaho Wine Competition, which is run by Wine Press NW and hosted by the Idaho Wine Commission.  I truly enjoyed experiencing these new wine regions and discovering some gems. 

Idaho has grown from approximately 11 wineries just a decade ago to over 40.  The commission seems to have improved its marketing significantly, and I'll be following them to monitor developments and growth.  For those thinking of visiting, the greetings are friendly and Boise is a well-maintained college town that is easy to navigate. 

As is typical with me, I offer some of my favorite "gold" wines below -- these are not necessarily competition gold medal winners.

Williamson 2010 Riesling, $9 - This wine ultimately received a silver, but was nearly a gold in my opinion.  Tangerine, lemon cream, floral and basil notes filled the nose, which was confirmed on the palate that offered good balance and a clean finish.  For $9 it's a great buy!

Cinder 2010 Chardonnay, $18 - Lime, pear, green apple aromas were quite pretty, with noticeably nice oak integration on the palate. This is a polished Chardonnay that showed best in its class.  It could stand up against competitors from known Chard regions and with the quality:price ratio, knock them right out of the running.

Williamson 2010 Blossom Rose of Sangiovese, $12 - Another winner from this winery, the rose features pretty pear, floral, lavender and cherry aromas.  There is a nice acid balance on the palate which leads to a clean finish.  Great "summer sipper" all year long (we shouldn't give up rose just because the sun is hiding).

Snake River 2009 Arena Valley Vineyard Syrah, $17 - I gave this wine a gold, as did my colleague panelists, so it was rated a double gold medal.  I loved its smoky cherry, blackberry fruit aromas and notes of bacon fat and pepper.  The palate is filled with rich fruit and it brings a long finish.  (The website is beautifully done -- can't help the marketing note.)

Wood River 2008 Cabernet Franc, $28 - An impressive showing and gold for this variety, which tends not to be made on its own.  The nose has cedar, black fruit, raspberry and bell pepper.  The palate features great balance with good acid:tannin: fruit ratio for structure.  Delicious.  It won best red of show.

Koenig 2009 Riesling Ice Wine, $20 - Wow this was a fun wine to taste -- I may have even swallowed a sip :)  Aromas of apple, pear and lemon zest were complimented by slight graham cracker and herbal notes, which added complexity.  The palate featured very ripe peach and apricot notes and a very long finish.  In short, this is downright delicious.

If you haven't ever tried a wine from Idaho, I encourage you to look for these gems and explore -- afterall, one of the reasons that wine is so engaging is because it offers a way to discover the world.

PS - a special thank you to my colleague, Janel, who participated in research for this post

After Raising a Glass, What Should I Do With a Milestone?

All businesses that stay in business achieve milestones.  Since starting Trellis Wine Consulting three and a half years ago, I've been on a fast-paced learning path filled with them -- some more cheerful and inspiring than others.  The first milestones that come to mind include incorporating and registering a mark, getting my first client, getting my first big client, receiving a client's heart-felt thank you note (and wow did that mean so much), achieving a big win for a client, outsourcing some services to enable growth and focus, most recently, hiring a talented colleague and of course, celebrating each anniversary.

Owners and operators in the wine and spirits business go through many of the same milestones. Plus the first harvest, first bottling, achieving press recognition and distribution, hitting the "black" zone of profitability and so much more.  The industry tends to celebrate the big numerical milestones (5, 10, 20, etc.) with fanfare around the anniversary including press releases and parties, which are a well-deserved reward for a job well done and thank you to customers.

Where some brands may fall short is using these anniversary milestones as a catalyst for growth.  Why not think about the strategy for next 10 years while celebrating the last 10?

I am currently in the middle of an engaging research project for a supplier who is using a milestone as an opportunity to consider the company's next steps.  For them I designed a research survey of key stakeholders including internal team, distributor managers, and trade.  Each survey group requires a multi-step process beginning with survey creation and refinement, followed by list development, interviews, coding, analysis and reporting.  The final report will include a full SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and strategic recommendations for growth.

We are studying strategic possibilities, portfolio changes, industry trends, brand awareness, business practices, competitors and more.  For my client, gaining this knowledge will accomplish the following:

* create interest and buy-in given management's need for and desire to change to position the company for growth

* confidentially gather a range of diverse perspectives on the issues facing the company

* provide an organized format for all to voice creative solutions and an opportunity to analyze business and industry trends

* let customers and partners know that their insight is valued and considered -- this is a wonderful way to thank them intrinsically

* serve as a vehicle to reach and interact with the media -- our professional critics

So far, I've provided preliminary reports on the internal and distributor management audiences; my next step is to code and analyze over 500 trade survey response sets -- it's a huge number and double our assertive goals.  And I know it will be full of knowledge for my client and me.

Taking time to pause and consider goals and direction for the future is critically important for any successful business, especially in our industry, where the competition is fierce.

In my next post, I'll discuss best practices for survey design and present a case study to demonstrate how data can be used to position a brand for success.

Laying the Foundation for Innovation

Innovation begins with creating an environment where creativity and problem solving thrive.  Companies with cultures of fear, creativity blocking attitudes -- "no" or "we can't do that", and complacency -- "it's always been this way", struggle with innovation because they don't have the foundation.

Harvard Business School Professor, Teresa M. Amabile well described the link between creativity and innovation in a recent Harvard Business Review article, "Getting to Eureka! How Companies Promote Creativity". "Creativity is the initial production and development of novel, useful ideas. Innovation is the successful implementation of creative ideas."

As a marketing and management consultant, one of the key practices I can bring to an organization is a process for engineering innovation.  That process, of course, begins with creating an environment that fosters creativity.  Scheduling a brainstorming session is an easy way to begin. 

I learned a long time ago that scheduling a traditional department style gathering is a no-win situation.  (I still laugh about the meeting in one corporate winery where we begrudgingly gathered around a conference room at 6pm and were tosses snacks from a vending machine so we could "quickly get creative and figure this out so we could go home".  Instead, I like to schedule these earlier in the work day, preferably in an off-site environment or at least free from distractions (with land lines, cell phones, and email announcements turned off).  Another welcome option is over a glass of wine, but this tends to work better with smaller groups. 

Giant Post-It Notes and colorful markers are always in my toolbox because I want to record ideas and do so publicly -- the idea is to fill up the sheet and "hear" all of the participants.  I also either come prepared with a list of questions (and always a few ideas), or ask those invited to highlight the most important things we need to ask before getting started.  Depending on the dynamics of the group, fun "prizes" for recognizing truly creative insights can be a way to lighten up the mood,

When hosting a creative brainstorming, it is important to focus on one topic at a time. For example, how to reinvent the wine club, re-engineer the tour, better communicate with distributors, or get the attention of the media. (Trying to cover a combination or all of these would create competing interests for the creative energy.)

Brainstorms work well in a couple different formats.  One is to gather for 60 to 90 minutes for idea generation -- a good tactic for producing ideas in a relatively short amount of time.  Another is to break a larger group into smaller sections so that multiple sets of ideas are generated, then presented and discussed as a larger group.  For annual meetings and retreats, I prefer the latter.

There are a few important "ground rules" prevent creativity killing attitudes, stay focused, gain full participation and promote creativity after the meeting has ended. 

First, "no", "we can't", "that won't work", and other associated remarks are discouraged from the beginning.  As the mediator, I gently remind people who revert back to this type of commentary that we're in a brainstorm, not a review or planning session -- all ideas are welcomed and respected, because even those not chosen may lead us to the break-through thinking we need to harness.

Second, for the ideas outside of scope that tend to arise, I create a "parking lot", which confirms to the people who offer them that they have been heard and serves as a gentle reminder for the group to stay on task.

Third, to include those who are less communicative in group settings or due to style, I engage them during the process with specific questions. And conclude the meeting asking people to follow up via email or phone with additional insights.

Finally, I encourage participants to compliment each other during and after the process.   All members of an organization can model creativity producing behaviors and attitudes, and being positive is fundamental.

When the meeting concludes, it is also important to let participants know the next steps.  For a simpler brainstorm, I follow up with circulated notes and schedule a planning discussion.  For a meeting that is being held to prepare a more comprehensive strategy, I add a marketing plan incorporating the knowledge gained with specific action items and metrics so that the effect of any changes can be measured.  The associated actions represent the innovation and the results the demonstrated success.