VinQuest 2018 Reveals the Importance of the Human Touch in DTC Wine Sales

Bryan St. Amant of VinterActive LLC has been doing VinQuest research for more than a decade, producing data that illustrates which tactics have been successful for wineries seeking more direct to consumer sales. VinQuest 2018 Consumer Direct Wine Sales Report was created to help growth-oriented wineries succeed, utilizing this data.

The more than 200 wineries surveyed are predominantly from California, with 18 other states represented as well. The wineries range from very small, producing less than 1,000 cases per year to very large wineries producing over 42,000 cases per year.

St. Amant pointed out that the report has no great truths to it, to direct one absolutely to what will be the answer to increase direct to consumer sales. What it has is great data that is easily synthesized to show what would be the most beneficial, according to one’s viewpoint in the industry, to achieving one’s goals.

St. Amant said, “My main takeaways this year are old and new: the old takeaway confirmed by this survey is that the fastest growing wineries work harder, trying more sales methods and marketing tactics compared to slower growing producers; and the new takeaway is that wine clubs are now the main driver of sales growth for DTC wineries. So any winery trying to grow their DTC sales should prioritize wine club initiatives if they haven’t already done so.”

Laura Larson, Founder of Virtual Vines DTC Sales & Marketing Services had this to say, “The DTC channel of the wine industry has a unique opportunity to capture, nurture and grow their direct consumer base since their products incent an emotional type of purchase. Building relationships by creating an inspirational or lifestyle based brand story and delivering it throughout the customer journey is easier to accomplish than many other Industries. Delivering memorable experiences at the winery, engaging in digital conversations through social media and interactive web-based applications present many opportunities to build relationships with customers that promote sales opportunities and grow customer brand loyalty. As more and more wineries are entering the DTC channel, they need to set themselves apart by implementing sales and marketing strategies that appeal to customers in a unique and more personal way. Customers want to be part of something special, and they want wineries to help them feel that way.”

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