Training the staff at a restaurant can be a lesson in frustration. First off, it’s like hearding cats, trying to get everybody organized. Then, if the sales rep is doing the any of wrong things, it will go overtime and the attendees will be bored or antsy. Want to do the easiest, fastest, and most Read More…
Month: September 2016
Monday Challenge: TMI
Every Monday I throw out a challenge to the readers. Something to think about during the week of wine work. This week: become conscious of TMI, too much information. Over-explaining and over-detailing a wine is all too common. I see it all the time when reps are trying to train the servers at a restaurant, and Read More…
Ideas, Connections, and Ownership (i.e. Throw away the box)
This one is for the wine wholesale reps out there, especially those feeling down or disenfranchised. With the rise of the gig economy and the proliferation of freelancers, certain aspects of the wine sales game have changed tremendously. Two things to ponder, plus one radical idea: You own your contacts and relationships. Your boss might disagree, but in my Read More…
Polo, Sailboats, and Top Level Wine
Briefly think about these three worlds: professional polo, recreational sailboat racing, and the upper crust of the wine world (I’m talking Grand Cru Burgundy, first growth Bordeaux, Cult California Cabernets). What do they have in common? They have a tiny audience. I’m not just talking about a small audience. This is not the 1%. This is Read More…
Percentage growth, Exponential growth, and a cool little math trick
“I’m going to help you grow your business 6% per year!” Okay, honestly, how many of us can do the math on that one? And what does it really mean in the end? If your business is bringing in $100,000 a year it’s relatively easy math for the next two or three cycles. $106K, then $113K or so, Read More…
Are you selling a commodity? Probably not.
Commodities are products that are driven first by price. Charles Shaw, i.e. Two Buck Chuck, is a commodity. Barefoot, YellowTail, Franzia box wines, Beringer White Zin, and many other wines such as those are commodities as well. Yes, they have brand recognition, but the driving force of the sale of those wines is first and Read More…
Quiz: What are you selling?
Really, what are you selling? Think about this. I’ll give you a hint: it’s not wine. Honestly. It’s also not service. It’s also not your expert advice. So what are you selling? You’re selling the emotion attached to the sale, not the final product. The product is secondary. You’re selling satisfaction. If you approach your day Read More…
Happy Labor Day 2016 … on your mark, get set …
We’ve reached the end of another summer and the SOND selling season is just about to kick off. Over half of the wine sold in the United States is sold in the upcoming four months. A couple of weeks ago I urged you to take your foot off the gas. Now it’s time to do Read More…