You’re not selling on price

If it’s about the quality of the wine, the story of the winemaker, the place it is from, the history of the region, the consistent accolades about the winemaker over years and decades, then why do we so often start by talking price?

If you want price to be less of a consideration in the decision process with your buyers, you have to train them to think differently: in generalities, not specifics. Once you say a wine is $120 a case, you are competing head to head with every other wine in the store between $96 and $144.

Here’s an idea: get in the habit of verbalizing up to four dollar signs. Or even have 3×5 cards with the dollar signs on them. In the start of the conversation about a wine, you can indicate where the wine falls. “We’re tasting a two dollar sign wine here, which means in a retail store in the $12-18 range.” This gives them an idea of where you’re at, but doesn’t have it shape the conversation from the get-go.

Don’t sell on price, for if price is the main or only factor then you’ve turned your wine into a commodity, which means you’re hoping you are cheapest.

You never, ever, want to be the cheapest.

You’re not selling on price. You’re selling on connection to something bigger.