| The US wine industry is growing due to the | | | | next time they are in town. Publishing your award |
| increasing popularity of wine with the American | | | | winning wines, tasting hours and other activities |
| Consumer. Unique marketing methods, especially | | | | your winery hosts should be a standard practice |
| from the Australian wine industry, have brought | | | | in your online marketing efforts. It is a good idea |
| more exposure to wine in general. With all of the | | | | to also publish the special events your wines will |
| wine makers out there in the market today, how | | | | be featured, or served at so you can increase |
| does a winery stand out and get more exposure | | | | your loyal following and create advocates for |
| to their wines, especially with the current | | | | your wines. |
| economic conditions? | | | | Other ways in which a winery can improve their |
| 1) Focus on more exposure in your local market. | | | | online exposure is to blog consistently about their |
| Many wineries are completely unknown to their | | | | wines, and do regular press releases about special |
| local market. Many of them are tucked away on | | | | events your winery is hosting and new wines that |
| a side street or in a corner of some shopping mall | | | | your winery is producing. Press releases get |
| and very inconspicuous. These wineries hide many | | | | widespread exposure as well as getting more |
| great finds just waiting to be discovered. The | | | | traffic to your website and has search engine |
| problem isn't in the wine itself, but in the | | | | benefits as well. |
| marketing. One thing that wineries can do is to | | | | 3) Make your website sticky |
| participate in their growers association (there is at | | | | Sticky means to have something on your website |
| least one in almost every state), and encourage | | | | that people will want to come back to over and |
| more varied marketing methods, such as online | | | | over again, and/or others will want to link to. |
| marketing. A winery can get a good amount of | | | | What will cause people to come back to your |
| online local exposure. Strategic and exclusive | | | | web site consistently are things such as an event |
| partnerships with popular local online sites that are | | | | calendar, weekly contests where contestants get |
| also serving your target market is a good | | | | a free bottle of wine, or a gift card or a recipe of |
| beginning to getting more local exposure. | | | | the day with a wine to go with it. When your |
| 2) Increase your online advertising efforts | | | | visitors find things of interest and value on your |
| The way to expand your reach is to focus on | | | | web site, you will get more traffic and exposure. |
| your offline efforts more regionally and nationally | | | | The wine industry is no different than any other |
| as well as locally. If you are in an area that gets a | | | | out there when it comes to needing to get their |
| lot of out of town visitors, then you will certainly | | | | product in front of their target market. Many |
| see some rewards in this endeavor. When | | | | methods of doing that are the same as any other |
| traveling wine lovers know about your winery, | | | | industry; it just takes some creativity and a |
| they can be sure to put it on their itinerary the | | | | well-planned strategy. |