Wine Features Drive Wine Sales
April 9, 2010
What can a restaurant do to help increase sales in the Wine category? Well smart operators understand the effectiveness of creating features within the category.
Let me explain. Presentation of wine is a key element in selling. By presenting wine itself as a featured “event” of the restaurant, wine sales should increase. Just how do you do that effectively? Let’s look at a few components of Presentation.
In many restaurants wine sales, if offered, are almost an afterthought. You spent a lot of money to get the guest in your establishment to dine and oh by the way we have these wines they can drink It would be hard to get any customer excited about your program if the restaurant is not. So, the first thing we need to do is establish an effective wine program.
1) Develop a Wine List- Take some time and analyze your restaurant and see exactly how wine “fits” into your overall package. A good place to start is the menu. By recognizing what type of menu you work with you can see what types of wines will enhance your menu and compliment your restaurant. I have stated before it would be unwise to create an elaborate wine list for a burger and wing joint.
2) Staff Training- A key element in producing an effective program has to include your sales staff. They are your “optimizers” so make sure they know what they are selling. I know you understand this part because you are reading this on a wine service training site. Bravo!
3) Wine Events- Create a rotation of great wine events that are marketed directly to your guests. Maybe it is a wine tasting, or a wine education class. Maybe it is a Wine dinner with a winemaker or just a featured wine flight of the week. Which ever events you decide on, space them out to maintain a level of interest and continue to market them with cards, word of mouth, newsletters, memberships ect.
4) Create Excitement- Your staff can create all the excitement you need simply by talking about them with every guest. Bartenders, hostesses and floor managers can aid in this the same way. Make them a big deal and your guest will too!
5) Consider your profitability- Using creative purchasing practices and a bit of market study, you can incorporate the use of higher profit wines as your features. As you develop your features consider how you will market the features to your guests. Will it be table tents, menu clips, menu placement? Framing those wines that bring a better margin and effectively highlighting them will add to the bottom line
6) Keep the Momentum going- by continuing the program for the long haul, you have in effect created interest and destination. If your guests recognize you as a place to wine and dine you have become a destination. Ask regular customers for referrals, people they know who might have an interest in wine. Now go court them and keep the ball rolling!
Using these tips should help you get started on the right track for establishing wine features. The key is to use your intuitive skills and create opportunity. A great golfer has the skills to win, but needs the opportunity to shine! Create your opportunities for greater segment sales growth!
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