The impact of COVID 19, especially on the hospitality industry is extreme. The need to shut down bars, restaurants, and cellar doors in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus has become a necessity for business owners.

Before the corona virus made its way to the country, wineries around the world were gearing up for what is usually their busy season. Looking at the current situation, many are getting used to the new normal by exploring new business models to keep it going.

It is also true that when all of this over people would be dying to get back out there for drinks, meeting friends over a delicious meal and a glass of brilliant wine. Until then, how about utilizing this time productively by engaging with new customers, connecting with them over social media, improvising your backend operations, and working on off-premise sales strategy so that when everything kick starts you will be ready. So to help you with some ideas to navigate through the coming days, check this out.

1. Connect with your customers

We always talk about how maintaining relationships with customers is an important part of a long term sales prospect. Your customers would want to know so many things from you about how you started the winery, which is your favorite wine, and so on. Why not touch base to those consumers who have been buying from you and supporting you for the longest time. Get personal with them. Put up an Instagram story asking what they would want to know from you. Give them the date and time when you will be going live and take up their questions then or pre-record the video and publish it.

2. Virtual wine tastings is the new lockdown trend

With tasting rooms being shut, there is a disconnect between wine lovers and their favorite wine. Winemakers are now harnessing on platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram Live and Zoom to offer virtual wine experience to reach everyone with live tastings, webinars, QnA sessions and much more.  

The process is simple too. The customer needs to sign up at the winery’s website. The representative will call and ask about which type of wines they like and set up a time for tasting. The winery then sends out a tasting kit to the consumer.

You can also try this: How about a Friday Happy Hour where winemakers can talk about a particular wine or take questions from the audience about it or maybe a let the crowd know about their new release and cover everything about it. Fun, interactive and a great way for a healthy conversation.

3. Get your business on Get Drinks Delivered

You might be delivering, but not everyone might know about it - so how are you going to make customers see that you’re delivering? This is exactly why Beverage Trade Network launched Get Drinks Delivered. Get Drinks Delivered is an online platform that helps consumers discover and support small business owners that can do deliveries and pick-up.

“We may very well be in this new normal till the vaccine comes, which maybe 12-18 months. This new solution will help the business to get in front of consumers. This is not a backend eCommerce solution or a wine club solution software or a logistical solution – this is pure sales and orders. This will help wineries, breweries, distilleries, bottle shops and restaurants who are delivering tell their consumers they are open for pick up and are delivering."  said Sid Patel, CEO and Founder of Beverage Trade Network.

“It’s a very simple solution to a very big problem. Consumers will be able to see who is giving pick up options and delivering, where they are delivering, safety protocols, what product type and which area they deliver, and call the business directly. More importantly, BTN will be helping push these businesses and help them market the message to create awareness and orders”, Sid added.

4. Contact Less Tasting

Here is a different way that wineries can try their hands on. The best part, you don't need much to set up this event, your parking lot will do.

Known as the Contact-Less Tasting Event, here's how you can go about it:

1) Set up a Contact-Less tasting and sales event this weekend in your parking lot.

2) Draw marks where and how people should form a line keeping in mind social distancing requirements.

3) What's needed:

a) one table with sanitizer

b) samples bottles and small plastic cups for tastings and dustbin.

c) cases and bottles for purchase with tasting note and price. simple shelf talkers. imagine setting up your retail store. but a self-checkout one. tip one bottle $10, one case $100. 5 cases $400. People prefer quantity right now and they will stack up.

4) Cash bin where they drop the bills. Good faith works. Humanity is real and people are honest. But you can also stand near the money table if you prefer. They call you for payment by card so you don't have to touch their card.

5. Keep your customers updated through social media

As you postpone any of your event at the winery or close tasting room or offer curbside pickup options, make sure your customers know about it. And the best way to do it is through social media. Consider sending them a personalized email or a message.