Soon communication tactics will need to return to what they were last year, and still keep the current climate of the pandemic in mind.

You need to work twice as hard to keep your customer base connected to you; if they cannot visit you in person, you need to do your best to show them what is happening. Your social media channels, website, and email lists should all take precedent.

On social media, you need to over communicate about what is happening at your winery. If you cannot see people in person to give them a visit and tour of your facility, you need to show them. Depending on the channel that you use, video and photography is as important as ever.

Okanagan-based photographer Lionel Trudel says “Tasting rooms are the connection point between the art of winemaking and your clients. Are your photos inviting?”

It is worthwhile to invest in quality photography for your winery. [Okanagan Crush Pad vineyard photo by Lionel Trudel]

Your business and brand have a narrative that can be told with photography and videos, and it’s this authentic storytelling that ingratiates your audience to you. We all know that feeling we get when a good photo draws us in. You want that for your business.

So how is your photo library? Is it up to date? Do you have recent and relevant pictures? Stock photos can be an option, but even if you are starting from scratch, I suggest you avoid using stock pictures if possible. Also, if you can, keep things mixed up and avoid using pictures from shoots that you've already posted multiple times (these are easy to spot as the people shot are in the same clothing and settings). People prefer a more personal approach versus something that looks like an ad.⁠

If you are building your photo library, consider your shot list, and consider how you will achieve that list.

For a shot list with the clients we work with, we carve their photo libraries into the following categories:

• Tasting Room
• Winery/production/ harvest
• Vineyards/orchards (aerial photos)
• People
• Events
• Product shots (bottle shots here)

Images should be captured in varying seasons to reflect the growing year and visitor experience. Be aware of what season each photo was captured in, as you don’t want to confuse your audience on what is going on at your business. For example, to promote your winery in the summer, avoid using photos that look like they were taken in the fall.

Many people think that they can take the photos they need themselves, on their smartphones. And it’s possible: while professionals and photo enthusiasts will always get better results using ‘proper’ cameras and lenses, modern smartphones take pictures that may suffice some business needs.

A downside to photos captured on phones is that they don’t normally have high enough resolution for anything other than some digital use. Photo resolution and file size are very important, and vary depending on whether you will be printing, enlarging, using on the web, or posting on Instagram and social media.

It is well worth it for a winery to invest in the services or a professional photographer to build a multi-purpose photo gallery.

It is no secret that the wineries that invest in good quality photos with a photographer are the ones whose images get chosen when the media come calling. If you are flipping pages in a favourite magazine and notice that the same winery is getting coverage again and again, many times it is because they have a good quality high-resolution photo library.

When you work with a photographer, here are a few tips to consider:

Be sure to get the images delivered digitally in three formats and sizes: print, website and social media. For print, you want to obtain the original high-resolution image files in a .TIFF format, and .PNG and .JPEG for websites and social media.

Also, it is important to have the rights to your own photos, so attribution goes to your winery instead of to the photographer. It is also a lot safer to own your own library than to risk duplication of these images in the market and see them used by someone else.

Once you have a photo library you will be well positioned to give customers a clear understanding of the beauty of your location, whether the photo need be for email newsletters, social media posts, event listings, advertising, print collateral, and more.

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Town Hall Brands is a marketing and graphic design agency that specializes in branding and promoting in the areas of agriculture, beverage alcohol, food, and hospitality. See more at townhallbrands.com or on social @townhallbrands.