Have a restaurant that wants to move more wine, or attract more of the serious wine crowd? Here are some ideas. Half price wine night – Can be a weekly event for one month, or keep it going all year long. Pick the slowest wine night of the week and do 50% off all bottles. Read More…
Nobody owes you anything
Sorry to bring you the bad news. But it’s the truth. That extra will call you ran? Looking the other way for a week while a bill was due? The extra in-store tasting you decided to do last week, when your kid’s play was being put on? There are no repayment gods that will ensure Read More…
If they don’t buy it, did I fail?
In the world of wine sales, part of the job is showing product. Learning how to present, how to tell stories, and how to close the sale are all essential tools to do the job. So what if they don’t buy? Did you fail? Of course not. The process of a good sales call is Read More…
What doesn’t work
It doesn’t work to not show up at an account for weeks. It doesn’t work to forget to tell an account they are overdue on a bill and about to get posted. It doesn’t work to not show new wines during a sales call. It doesn’t work to bad mouth your competition. It doesn’t work Read More…
Who is the hero?
Selling, all selling, is storytelling. And every good story has a hero that overcame obstacles, found the path, and achieved (or is working hard toward the goal). Every wine worth talking about has a hero. This is where commodity brands stumble and family-owned wineries have the edge. It’s hard to make a hero out of Read More…
Can you measure it?
As a wine sales rep for a good retailer, you sometimes take your personal time and devote it to the store by standing behind a barrel pouring samples for anybody who wants them. Boring stuff, usually. You might not sell very much wine, but one person connected deeply with one of your wines, and she Read More…
The 5000 piece puzzle
Lots of people love puzzles. It’s a great way to idle away time on a long weekend at the cabin, or during a family reunion. Why are some 1000 pieces? Why are some only ten inches square while others are huge? Why would someone intentionally choose an incredibly difficult 5000 piece puzzle? Easy: they want Read More…
Fiction perfection.
There is no such thing as a perfect wine. There is no such thing as a perfect sales call. There is no such thing as a perfect customer. And there’s no such thing as a perfect sales rep. Don’t aim for perfection. Aim instead for continuous improvement, personal development, refinement, and betterment. Be better today Read More…
Show notes
One more sales call is done. Onto the next one. You throw the wine bag into the trunk, you hustle into the driver’s seat, take a quick look at the time (damn, late again) and throw it into reverse. Not so fast. The moment after a sales call is the one moment you have to Read More…
Why did they say “no”?
There are so many reasons an account says no. They said no because they don’t like the wine.They said no because they already have 20 Pinot Grigios around $15.They said no because they read a report that wine of that category and price are slowing in sales.They said no because their budgets are tight that Read More…
Who did better?
Sales rep A and sales rep B have the same account list. They joke about how they should carpool to their accounts. Sales rep A walks in, does the normal discussion and tasting with the buyer, goes through the inventory and starts to take the order. Ten wines get ordered, a case of each. A Read More…
How to make a phone call
When I was a teenager, I had an unnatural shyness about calling people on the phone and asking for information. What time do you open? What time do you close? How much do your karate lessons cost? What time does the movie start? Are you looking to hire a very introverted teenager like me? I Read More…
The intimidation of the Wine Wizards
Every market has them, usually on the wholesaler or retail side. I call them The Wine Wizards, because they often look the part. White hair, a look in their eye, an air of wisdom and voice of knowledge. They have decades of experience. They have traveled the world. They have more stories about meeting great Read More…
Bowling and Wine Selling
Bowling is easy. If you can consistently deliver the ball, with the same energy, direction, spin, and accuracy, you can win big, and you can crush the competition. And it has to do with math. It’s the difference between a 90% success rate and a 100% success rate. When you’re winning at bowling (consistently throwing strikes) Read More…
But what kind of problem does the account have?
It’s easy to have problems with an account. Sometimes it’s the fault of the sales rep. Sometimes it’s the fault of the account. But it’s better to simply say “we have problems.” Because it really doesn’t matter who’s fault it is. A problem is a problem. The key is to ask what kind of problem there is. If Read More…
Social clean up
Here’s a good list of projects for the week. These are important, will take a bit of time, but only need to be done once a year. Linked In Remember that profile you filled out in 2010? Well, your network keeps seeing it and those that search for you will find it. Take the time to Read More…
Taking a stand
All that really matters is the experience of the end consumer. Simple as that. If she pops a bottle of wine with friends, pours the glasses, and loves the experience of drinking that bottle then it really doesn’t matter who the wholesaler was or even who the retailer was. The only two connection points in Read More…
The supply and demand and end of bin irony
The moment a retailer buys wine from a wholesaler it gets marked up with their standard percentage. Then the wine takes months to trickle out. Finally, you’re down to the last six bottles. Finally. The standard reaction is to discount it, to make it less valuable. To do what you can to turn it into Read More…
I don’t care if the wine is good
Thanks for pouring me a glass. Yes, I agree that’s pretty damn good wine. But I don’t care. Because there is a ton of good wine out there. But here are some questions for you: Who made it? What do they represent? Are they taking a stand on something? Is it a region consumers are Read More…
The five percent, and the one percent
95% of all Champagne sold is produced by the largest houses and have the names we all know. 5% of all Champagne sold is Farmer Fizz, i.e. Recoultant Manipulant, stuff from the families and the little producers that ship tiny quantities their wines to the United States. For wine salespeople and marketers, the discussion usually Read More…
Promises, promises
“I promise I’ll communicate better about out of stocks. Trust me.” “I promise I’ll visit that unsold account. I’m all over it.” “Have no fear boss, I promise I’ll get that invoice mess up cleaned by the end of the week.” “I promise I can run that will call on Monday.” “I promise you I Read More…
Thanksgiving week empathy
This is a tricky week for the wine sales rep. Retailers are busy. Too busy for sales calls. But they may need the emergency will call. Displays have to be stocked and looking good. It’s the classic situation of “you can’t sell it if you don’t got it.” Restaurants are historically a bit slow (but Read More…
Why can’t you?
Why can’t you be the most successful wine sales rep in the state? The region? Why can’t you become the most successful wine retailer in your city, or your state, or even the country? The common answer, the default answer, is competition. “Too many other wholesalers / sales reps / retailers … that’s why.” But Read More…
A simple rule for wine sales reps
All wine sales reps should have one simple rule, a rule that cannot be broken, a rule that is priority above all other duties. A weekly email communication with their customers. Here’s the template, and it doesn’t have to be more complicated than this: “Hey __________ – I’m glad you enjoyed the __________ that we Read More…
The extra hour
This morning, many of us woke up earlier than we normally do. We woke up with energy at a time that we normally slog. We went to bed a bit earlier last night than we normally would. Daylight savings time is one of the best magic tricks out there. And like any good magic trick, Read More…
Building systems (and avoiding reactive work)
In the wine sales world, there are SO many balls to juggle at a given time. Samples, staff trainings, cold calling, prospecting, and personal education to name a few. Returning phone calls, catching up on email, outlining a day, outlining a week, outlining a month. Maybe you work for a wholesaler that requires a weekly Read More…
The Paralysis of Analysis
I know several spreadsheet masters. These people work Excel like David Copperfield working an illusion. They know every twist, component, angle, and formula. They can plug in data along with a single variable and come up with years of projections. They can take the smallest of downturns in sales in a territory and analyze it Read More…
Selling motivations
A critical question to ask at the start of your sales day is this: Why am I selling wine? Making money is one reason. This is your living. “Bad salespeople have hungry kids” is the old (old, old) saying. You have to convert sales to make dollars and keep your lights on. Pretty simple. For Read More…
Buying motivations
A critical question when selling wine to restaurants and retailers is this: who is really making the decisions? The wine buyer might be making 100% of the choices. But usually not. An invisible hand exists in all business, and the motivations of the owner is often a controlling force within an organization. Sometimes for better, sometimes Read More…
Milestone Dates
Happy October 1st. To most people, maybe all, it’s just another day. But for me, it’s October First, The Milestone Day. A milestone date is a marker. It’s a particular date when something eventful, positive, negative, traumatic, celebratory, life-shaping, or just plain big happened to you or because of you. It’s a date that as Read More…
Knowledge, experience, and hustle
Some wine sales reps are newbies to the business, without much experience with wine or sales. Some wine sales reps have incredibly deep wine knowledge, but little sales experience. Some wine sales reps are pros in sales, but not so much in wine. And some wine reps are pros in sales, lots of experience, plus Read More…
Sometimes paper is better
Your customers, the wine buyers at both the restaurant and retail level, need one fundamental thing. Without this, it the sales relationship falls apart. With it, it grows stronger over time and builds in accountability on both sides. Communication. But here is a trap many fall into — thinking that email is communication. It can Read More…
The list of quick improvements
This is a good exercise. Grab a piece of paper. Turn off the inputs and interruptions. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Namaste. Now answer the question: “What can I change, improve upon, upgrade, do, or fix in just one or two minutes, that will have a lasting impact on my work?” A Read More…
The wine velocity sweet spot
Right now, today, we have the technology to put self-driving cars into the world that are safe and reliable. Seriously. The technology is there to have fully self-driving cars all over every city in the world. The problem is they max out at two miles per hour. Would you hop in a self-driving car that Read More…
The alternative to working smarter, not harder
It’s sage advice for most people. We’ve heard it time and time again. Work smarter, not harder. But after you have organized your work life, after you have figured out systems to work harder on your business instead of being stuck in your business, after you have figured out the key customers to make an Read More…
A seven year (payment) plan
How far forward do you plan? Some very smart people insist that five year and ten-year goal setting is not realistic. That there is no way to project that far and know what will happen with the economy, your industry, or even the state of the world. I see their point, but they are wrong. Read More…
The easiest formula for opening new business
New business is the lifeblood of most wine sales reps. You need to be opening new accounts to help energize the growth needed to expand your business. Here is the simple universal formula for 100% success in opening a new account. Show up. Show up again. Be there. Call. Email. Communicate. Show up more. Shake Read More…
Overwhelmed
Another sales call. More samples to pull. Who is the new buyer again? Oh yeah, that will call I have to run! The focus winery of the month. Do I have a sparkling wine stopper? OMG Thanksgiving and Christmas is around the corner! My phone is out of juice! Yet another sales call. I know Read More…
Passions vs. Skills
Two wine sales reps. Two different ways of doing business. Sales rep number one has a passion for what she does. She is so into wine! It’s her life. It’s all about the aromas, the flavors, the food, and the occasional travel. Wine is first and foremost the creator of her energy. A wine sales Read More…
What customer service is not
Customer service for a wine wholesaler takes many forms. Clear information. A heads up. A lead. Running the emergency will call (when it truly is an emergency, not a matter of convenience). Being on time. Making sure your customer knows your portfolio and what you can do to help grow their business. Customer service is Read More…
Under promising? Over delivering?
“Under promise then over deliver.” The problem with that equation is that you intentionally under promise. Why do that? Just over deliver. Keeps it easier.
High end chocolate
The world of high end, exclusive, limited availability, hand-made chocolate is pretty neat. Where the beans came from, the roasting, the pressing, the sweat involved in every step makes each bar simply taste better. It’s a world where knowledge multiplies the taste experience. And the folks that buy the high-end chocolate have little hesitation to Read More…
The choice to complain
Private complaining and grumbling about accounts and your sales life, to friends or significant others, is part of a salesperson’s life. We all have to unpack a bit at the end of a tough day. It’s life. It’s normal. We all do it. Don’t worry too much about your daily or weekly grumbling about small Read More…
Info power (and wine wholesalers)
I type this post while sitting at a coffee shop. No surprise there. But this coffee shop (Caribou) is trying to compete with Starbucks. Part of their strategy is the new “perks club” (cute name). If I join the club I can slooooooowly build points for a free cookie or a coffee. But in exchange Read More…
Learning to taste, or tasting to learn?
When buyers are just starting on their wine journey (“Hey server manager! You’re now the bar manager and the wine buyer! Good luck!”) they need to learn the basics. A sales rep in tune with this will welcome the opportunity to help them learn to taste. Then at the next sales call you might have Read More…
The irony of competition
There is a grand irony in the wine business. First, the more wholesalers there are, the better it is for retailers and restaurants. It makes for competition, it makes for more choice, it makes for opportunity to buy wines that nobody else has, it allows for a retailer or restaurant to stand out easier. Second, Read More…
Looking backward …
… rarely helps. Yes, you can learn from the past. But you can also think too hard about it, too often. Try this: think about the past and the mistakes you or your company made (“We hired that lazy good for nothing that derailed the team and sucked down morale”). Make a full list. It’s Read More…
Don’t forget the boss
Most wine buyers, both on the restaurant side and retail side (but it seems more so on the restaurant side) have one thing in common: they don’t own the store. And when the buyer is not the owner, then you have a worker. And when you have a worker, they have a boss. And a Read More…
Seeing things with true clarity …
… is almost impossible. But doubly impossible when you’re starting from behind to begin with. How do you start from behind? Lack of sleep Lack of exercise Drinking too much wine and feeling the compounded impact on your brain and body Anxiety (fear of what might happen) Disorganization Poor diet Letting others usurp your time Being digitally Read More…
On luxury wine
A luxury wine (as opposed to a great but expensive wine) exists based on scarcity and social proof. It has to be scarce, because the rules of supply and demand not only keep the proposed value sky high, but actually increases the eventual cost of holding a bottle of your own. A luxury wine cannot Read More…
Being relevant
To be relevant in an industry is the simple goal for most workers and most businesses. To be a restaurant that gets mentioned in the “top 10” lists. To be a wine that retailers are asking for, not being loaded upon. To be an employee asked for an opinion on an internal matter. To be somebody Read More…
Recognizing sunk costs
It’s one of the most important lessons you can learn: All that matters is the future. That is the clearest way to describe sunk costs. What happened in the past, what occurred between you and your customers, the efforts and investments you put into your job, the brand building and analysis and yearly reviews, the Read More…
Broken locks
Embarrassing story, but a good lesson to be learned. I was recently at a restaurant. Not just any restaurant, but a well reviewed chef-driven hard to get into place of the moment kinda restaurant. I went to the restroom. Had to go. Happens to everybody. It was a small one room restroom with a crappy lock Read More…
Falling into a hole
You’re cruising. You’re doing great. Your work is firing on all cylinders. Then BAM, you find yourself tripped up. You fell into a hole and now you have to work your way out. First, are you injured? Can you stand back up? Can you shake your head and make a little goofy cartoon noise (with Read More…
The problem with committees
Committees work on averages and “most votes win.” Therefore, in a committee people (over time) are hesitant to speak their mind, outliers are outvoted, and passionate singular voices have no impact and thus are rarely heard. Committees can be great when it comes time for group discussions and decisions such as where to put the Read More…
You have permission …
… to take the simple path instead of the complicated path. … to take time off to rebalance and think big thoughts. … to find success while others struggle. … to put your own name and identity out there before your company. … to take a break after reaching goals. … to work smarter instead Read More…
The Bourdain Tragedy
Foodies, chefs, and lovers of all things food and wine got the terrible news on the morning of June 8th 2018: Anthony Bourdain was no longer with us. That it was suicide was particularly tough to hear and made it all the more frustrating and heartbreaking. Bourdain was one of those great characters on the Read More…
Let’s talk email
Efficiency is talked about often, and email is definitely one of the most efficient ways to communicate (in many ways too efficient, which is why it gets overused). In the spirit of efficiency some people use email well. And others do not. And it’s painful to watch (and read). Rules: Learn what BCC: is all Read More…
It’s not the age, it’s the attitude
I’ve had two interesting interactions in the last week. The first was with a young and freshly minted Somm who works as a sales rep for a distributor. His sales style, his pitch, his attitude, his focus, and his energy were all about him. And talking with him got old really fast. The second was Read More…
Tell and Show
When we are young, we have Show and Tell in elementary school. Then we grow up and become wine sales reps. And we continue our version of Show and Tell. We pop the cork, we show the wine, then we tell. Flip it around. Tell and Show. It works better that way. Tell your customer Read More…
The problem with being the first to say it
Sometimes the truth needs to be said. The problem is somebody has to say it first. “This brand really doesn’t fit our portfolio or our company style.” “That customer is not good for our business, even if they buy more and more wine.” “Your technique in selling is too abrasive and confrontational.” “The cigarettes you Read More…
Screwing up (gracefully)
You dropped the ball. Screwed up royally. There are no excuses. Somebody is going to be mad. The owner’s manual on screwing up gracefully reads pretty simply: Own it. Don’t make excuses. Don’t try to hide. Apologize. Hope for the best. Then apologize again. Too bad more people don’t have a copy of the owner’s Read More…
Overwhelmed
Too many commitments. Too many meetings. Too many things on the to do list. Too many emails in the inbox. Too many phone calls to make. Too many customers to see. Too many wines to sell. Too many things to organize. Too many, too many, too many! Many sales reps secretly (or subconsciously) see a Read More…
Proven and tested vs. taking a chance
When taking wine out to show to your accounts, take a moment to think about how you’ll present the wine in the context of the rest of the marketplace. A wine that has been proven and tested can be a big brand, stacked high at all other retailers, on the top ten hot brands list, Read More…
What work should you do today?
The answer is pretty simple, really. Do more of the work that proves to work well for you. Do less of the work that proves to not work well for you. More of what works, less of what doesn’t. Take the time to think about that as you make decisions on how to spend your Read More…
When problems happen
In the wholesale wine biz, life can seem like an ever-ending pattern of putting out fires. Wrong pricing. Wrong delivery. I need it NOW. I needed it yesterday. And on and on. The organizational structure of most wholesalers treats problems the same: “we will solve the problems as they come up because we believe in Read More…
Bird Brains: Proof that there are always haters
If you try to appease everybody all the time you eventually spend an inordinate amount of time appeasing the lowest of the low. In the wine business, there are legendary thugs and bullies that own liquor stores around the country or buy wine for such shops. They harass, they intimidate, they threaten, they position themselves for Read More…
Rosé showers bring May flowers
The rush is on. Containers are landing at a furious pace, and dry pink wine is being stacked high at wine shops coast to coast. Rosé features on wine lists become coveted spots, and it’s a boxing match between reps to get those placements. When most wholesalers put together their rosé offerings into a sell Read More…
Maybe you’re not selling wine today
You’re showing wine. You’re showing off bottles and labels. You’re pouring fermented juice in glasses for people that buy it for retailers and restaurants. But often the wine is just a prop. Often what you’re actually selling is yourself and the company you work for. The wine in the glass just happens to be something to talk about Read More…
The benefit of size (both large and small)
The sales rep of a large, national, big business wine wholesaler meets with an important wine buyer. Here is what she says: “We have scale and resources. We have many people on staff that work in the background and help us be better every day. If a truck breaks down, we have dozens more that Read More…
Simplifying networking
“Connection points” and “synergy” are terms often bantered about when it comes to networking. Heck, there are easily 12 other overused buzzwords I could list here. There are whole books, blogs, video series, and courses based on the Art of Networking. At its core networking sounds so easy: The idea that you can help them and they Read More…
Investment: Out of the (TV) box thinking
This is going to be a strange one but stick with me on this… I just got a new TV and it came with Roku, one of the many cable-cutting options out there. You scroll through the available services, some free and some not, and add them to your options. I added the CW Network (for free!) Read More…
“So, do you have any questions for me?”
It’s a predictable part of the job interview, usually happening at the end of the interview process. The wholesaler doing the hiring of a new sales rep asks their rote and standard questions (“Where do you see yourself in five years?” etc.). Then they ask you, the one trying to be hired as a wine sales rep, Read More…
The myth of the overnight wine success
What is this wine and where did it come from?? It’s suddenly everywhere! Who is that sales rep that is mopping up business all over town? Nobody knows anything about her! Overnight successes are found in all industries, including ours. Some brands, from previously unknown wineries and tiny weird distributors, shoot into a city like Read More…
The chemistry of learning something new
Let’s put brain chemistry to work for us in the wine sales industry. No, I’m not talking about even more sampling and drinking. I’m talking about learning. Turns out the release of dopamine in the brain — the trigger that happens when you have the first sip of a really great wine, or hear coins Read More…
The customer is always right …
The customer is always right, until they are not. Then you need to distance yourself from them. Burning bridges is a historically bad idea, so don’t do it. But if you have a customer who is simply wrong (in how they do business, how they treat you, how they pay their bills, what they ask for Read More…
The communication quandary
The single biggest problem wine wholesalers have is simple and universal: communication of important information. Nobody does it well. Nobody. What’s new in the portfolio? What’s leaving the portfolio? What is out of stock? What containers just arrived? Which sales rep left? What sales reps just got hired? When is the next portfolio tasting? Who is Read More…
What’s your one great talent?
We all have one. The one talent that we can say with confidence “I’m better at that than most.” When I was selling wine for a local fine wine wholesaler, I learned over time what my great talent was: dealing with problem customers. If somebody was pissed of, if they kicked out their previous sales rep, Read More…
What is focus?
The process of “focus” gets bantered about endlessly, especially at wine distributor sales meetings. “You have to focus on this line of wines.” “We need focus on this important importer.” “You have to focus better on our number one account.” “We have to focus on getting that wine on that wine list.” In this light, Read More…
What makes for a truly good wine sales rep?
What makes for a truly good wine sales rep? Is it somebody who can break into an unsold account? Is it somebody who can sell wine that nobody else can? Is it somebody who can get retailers to buy more quantity? Is it somebody who can build more by the glass programs at restaurants? or, Read More…
A short guide to a great (quick) staff training
You’re a wine sales rep and you sell wine to a restaurant. You ask the manager if you can come in for a pre-shift wine training. They say sure, swing by at 4:15 on Friday when all the servers are here but we’re not yet busy. Oh, and you’ll only have ten minutes. The irony Read More…
The stories you hear
Rarely does a customer tell you a story just for entertainment. In fact, it’s incredibly rare. Stories are told to tell you the reason or justification why an account is doing something. Or, if that’s not the case, they are asking for something without asking it directly. Stories about other sales reps screwing up? It’s an Read More…
When do you ask for help?
Most experienced wine sales reps live an independent life during the day. See the right accounts, keep selling wine, keep the bosses happy (i.e. not being too involved in your sales business), then head home. That naturally leads to an assumption on both sides (management and sales): if the boss isn’t hearing of any problems from Read More…
A simple formula
Here’s the simple formula for success: Exceed expectations. Again and again and again and again and again. There. Done. Simple as that. (Moral of the story: you don’t have to complicate things to achieve success in business.)
Plus five percent
Teachers in West Virginia are back to work this week after a torturous nine day strike that grabbed media attention nationally. Traditionally one of the lowest pay states for teachers, they saw no option other than to walk out on the job to get the attention they deserved. Fighting tooth and nail, they got what Read More…
Spring Training
It’s March, and all the baseball teams are in sunny locations getting ready for opening day, happening in about a month. Spring Training is the time to loosen up the joints, play some casual games, let the coach get a feel for the team, let the team get a feel for each other, all the Read More…
It comes down to telling a story
What makes this wine different from others? What makes this wine similar to others? Why was this winery started? What struggles led to winery success? When did they face failure? Was there one hero in the winery that saved the day? When did all of this happen? How many acts are in this winery’s play? How Read More…
What are you selling? (Maybe it’s not wine)
A wine sales rep’s life, even with lunches, dinners, samples, winemakers, and travel all involved, can be isolating and lonely. When isolated feelings of “me against the competition” and “us vs. them” creep into the sales mindset, you may find yourself running from account to account to account, pulling bottles out of the bag, presenting everything to Read More…
Plans, planners, CRMs, and what is really needed
Tools, pens, calendars, graphs and check lists. Reminders, pings, pokes, and Things. CRM’s, Saleforce, Zoho, Pipedrive, and Hubspot. SevenFifty. Endless inspirational quotes. Internal meetings, sales meetings, performance review meetings. The value of the tools at the wine sales reps disposal can only be measured by the action taken to use them correctly. Thinking about tools and Read More…
Is the wine good? Or is it helpful?
Wine sales reps are hooked on the “good” of wine. “Isn’t that great?” “What do you think? Do you like it?” “Just delicious wine isn’t it?” This is the all too common conversation after pouring a taste for the buyer. It’s based on the quality of the juice, trying hard to make it sound more Read More…
Trust
Trust can’t be measured, so as a result it’s rarely discussed in a performance or account review. There are few numbers we can attach to these questions. Therefore, because these are unquantifiable, they have become some of the most unspoken points within our industry. When you really think about it, isn’t this what it’s all about? Read More…
Opening new accounts – the first touch
Opening new accounts is the lifeblood of the wine wholesale business. If you’re not opening new accounts on a regular basis you are beholden to the slicing up of the market by competitors. New business is the only way to stay ahead of that curve. A simple prospecting tool is, of course, email. Make a form Read More…
The number one complaint (you can do better than that)
Let’s start with the truth: retailers and restauranteurs have it tough. They work in a small box, and live a life of interruption. Vendors, customers, sales people, employees with complaints or issues constantly pulling at them. Trying to structure a day for creative thinking, personal development, or with the goal of flow can be difficult Read More…
Be quick to listen and slow to speak
Sage advice, for sure. But it goes against the nature of the sales rep. The sales rep is wired to talk, and talk, and talk. More tech sheets. More maps. More reviews. More scores. Oh and here’s one more thing to prove to you that my wine is good! In the mind of many wine Read More…
The Playbook: Losing a brand
Every wine wholesaler needs a series of playbooks. These are plans and protocols that you pull out when the inevitable happens. When you lose a sales rep, when you hire a new sales rep, when you bring on a new brand, and of course when you lose an important brand. Here’s a quick outline for Read More…
Sometimes, there is no answer
“How can we sell more expensive wine to more retailers?” “How do we break into the hot new restaurant?” “How can I make my sales reps more efficient and responsive?” “How can we get more market share in this increasingly tight and competitive wine scene?” There is no answer to these questions. If there were Read More…
Your job is not to make it easy for the buyer
As a wine sales rep, the temptation is to make life easier for your buyers. You run that will call. You put up those shelf talkers. You pick up the 10pm phone call, or respond to the 1am email. You train their staff. You figure out the industry trends for them. You do the work, Read More…
The shotgun and the arrow
Two different wine sales reps, from two different companies, with two different ways of presenting wines and ideas to the same restaurant buyer looking for a new Cotes du Rhone by the glass. Sales rep 1: “Thanks for the time today. So I brought five Cotes du Rhone at a range of prices. All are Read More…
The simple way to do an annual review
With 99% certainty here is what every one of your retail and restaurant customers does NOT know. They don’t know how much wine they bought from you this past year (dollars and cases). They don’t know how much wine they bought from you the year before that (dollars and cases). They don’t know the percentage difference Read More…
What are you going to do next year?
This is an important question to ask, because next year is next week. Annual reviews of accounts, territories, personal strengths, personal weaknesses, planned development, goals, outlooks, and ideas are wonderful ways to take a longer view of your wine sales business. It’s also a great way to fall into the sticky mud of too many Read More…