Small but mighty. That's the phrase that kept coming back to me throughout last week's webinar. The three panelists who joined us are running lean DTC teams — Chelsea Leniart, Wine Club Manager at Scheid Family Wines, Hilary Berkey, Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations at Emeritus Vineyards, and Kristy Quigley, Operations Manager at Alma Rosa Winery. "Lean teams" meaning two or three people deep. At the most. The outsized results they're seeing, in a market that everyone agrees is hard, are genuinely remarkable. Here's some highlights and takeaways from  what they shared in last week's webinar. On Wine Club Customization The fear is that if you give members flexibility, they'll race to the bottom and swap out for your cheapest wines.  What Chelsea actually found was the opposite.  By studying what members customized in the previous year's March run, she reshaped this year's offering mor

“What can I do right now to help my winery sell more wine and, frankly, stay in business?” We know how many of our colleagues and friends are asking this question. We see and to hear it as an urgent problem that needs immediate attention. Which is exactly why we put together tomorrow’s FREE webinar, on better tools and strategies for navigating a tough market. There’s still time to sign up here. We’re particularly excited to shine the spotlight on three smart industry pros as they share their own strategies and toolkits. Here are some highlights to start: Chelsea Leniart, Wine Club Manager at Scheid Family Wines, will talk about inventory management and boosting Club revenue through projected customizations. Hilary Berkey, Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations at Emeritus Vineyards, will talk about hyper-segmentation in outbound sales, and the "side effects" of ideation for different teams. Kristy Quigley, Operations Manager

Wineries that are finding traction aren't just grinding harder. They're leaning on better tools. Tools, that is, that do the heavy lifting so that the wineries can focus on what they do best: making great wine and building real relationships with their customers. That's what this free webinar is all about, on Thursday, April 9 at 11 am PST / 2 pm EST. We'll walk you through the specific tools and strategies that are helping wineries grow — even in a down market. Here's a preview of what we'll cover: AI-driven sales suggestions. Our machine learning algorithms look at your customer data and tell you exactly who to call, what wine to pitch them, and when. These are smart, predictive tools for both sales and customer retention that lead directly to increased revenue. Marketing automation that actually works. Set up a highly targeted campaign in about five minutes (minus writing the actual message), with built-in safeguards so you don't overserve your

Generous. That's the very best word I can think of, to describe last week's Outbound Sales webinar. The panelists were generous with their time and content, and all participants were generous with their conversation. Here is the link to the webinar, in case you missed it or if you'd like to revisit. And here were some top takeaways: An Outbound Sales team is like a "Swiss army knife" of a winery. They field calls and questions from all directions, from phone sales to tracking orders to relationship building. The Average Order Value (AOV) of Outbound Sales is almost always higher than the AOV of a Tasting Room sale. Key skills needed in an Outbound Salesperson include persistence, objection handling, methodical note taking, long-term commitment, and an ability to trust the process. Chris created this highlight reel of Enolytics' Outbound Sales toolkit, including the Sell More Now! module and AI summary feature. Looking ahead, we'd like to share our

In this free, one-hour webinar, you’ll hear from industry experts and top-performing peers who are using data to grow their outbound sales. We will share growth tools for building high-performing, hyper-segmented lists without spending hours creating segments or exporting and importing spreadsheets. You’ll learn to use predictive analytics tools to anticipate when customers are likely to purchase again, and send them relevant offers they are interested in. And we will share key integrations that both speed the outreach process and drive greater campaign ROI. You do not need to be an Enolytics client to sign up for this webinar, and any DTC winery leader or operator can benefit from the tools and tactics presented. If you’re ready to sell more wine through your outbound sales channel, sign up below. We can’t wait to see you there. Thursday, March 19, 11:00am - 12:00pm (PDT) RSVP  

I'm gonna need everybody to stay calm. But I might - might - have a sliver of good wine data news to share with you. The latest Enolytics Snapshot came out this week, reporting on the month of February, and here's the big takeaway: "February's performance reveals an industry adapting to new realities rather than spiraling downward." Now. If you know us at all, you know that Enolytics is not prone to dramatics or exaggeration. "Cautious stability" is what we're calling it in this month's Snapshot analysis. So, again, everybody stay calm. But we think that not "spiraling downward" is a pretty big deal right now, so we're going to hover here for a moment. Please visit our Snapshots page and see for yourself. It's free for everyone to access. You'll see Q1 so far, and the month of February alone, and the last twelve months. Scroll down, and you'll see Wine Club Metrics, and the WISE Triple Score (because yay WISE!)

When the Super Bowl and Olympics approach, we celebrate the performance we see on the field. What we don’t see is the year-round conditioning, repetition, and skill-building that made that performance possible. Winning teams don’t train only when the lights are brightest. They train all year long. The same principle applies to winery DTC teams. Downtime Is Where Advantage Is Built Periods of slower visitation or economic uncertainty can feel like a signal to pause. But research shows that the opposite approach separates leaders from laggards. A landmark study published by Harvard Business Review analyzed more than 4,700 companies across multiple recessions. The findings were striking: “Only 9% of companies emerged from recession stronger than before.” Even more telling: “Companies that balanced cost discipline with continued investment in people and capabilities recovered faster and gained market share.” Training Is a Growth Strategy,

Wine Industry Sales Education (WISE) is proud to announce the launch of the WISE Rising Star Scholarship Program, three professional development scholarships designed to invest in the people shaping the future of the wine industry. Now in its 16th year supporting winery DTC, WISE continues its commitment to helping winery professionals grow through hands-on education, coaching, and certification. The new scholarships support both emerging professionals and rising managers who demonstrate heart, hustle, and a commitment to excellence. Recipients will be recognized at the 2026 Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium, held in Monterey California January 20-22, 2026. Two Tracks, One Goal: Empowering DTC Growth Rising Star Professional Scholarship (Value: $1,275) One Available. For individuals new to the wine industry or early in their DTC journey. Includes: WISE #111 Tasting Room Professional OR WISE #113 Wine Club ProfessionalWISE #116 Outbound Phone Sales Professional WISE

Perspective is Everything: Are You Waiting or Winning? There are two ways to look at today’s tasting room traffic rollercoaster: You can dwell on empty seats, tight budgets, and yesterday’s numbers—or you can embrace uncertainty as the spark that ignites innovation, focus, and results. At WISE, we believe this is our chance to lean in, not lean back. It’s time for a bias for action. The most successful winery leaders don’t wait for the doors to swing open—they open new doors, every day, with intention and creativity. If you’re ready to shift gears, here are 10 proven, actionable ways to sell more wine DTC—no matter what your foot traffic looks like this week. 1. Leverage Your Data Goldmine Segment your existing customer data. Reach out to top buyers, club members, and those who haven’t purchased lately with a personalized offer. Don’t let leads grow cold—your database is your secret weapon. It goes without saying, this

From blog posts and email campaigns to Instagram Reels and virtual tastings, the content you create sets the tone for how people discover, engage with, and connect to your winery. Great content isn’t just filler for your website or social media—it’s a powerhouse tool for growing your winery’s audience, converting casual visitors into loyal wine club members, and driving revenue.  Even better, content works double-duty: it supports inbound marketing, by attracting new customers who find you organically, and outbound marketing, by amplifying your message through ads, email, and other promotional efforts. Whether you’re sharing your winemaking journey, crafting a how-to wine pairing guide, or highlighting your latest release, well-planned content is key to building your brand and boosting your sales. Here’s how to create winery content that attracts, engages, and converts your audience into loyal customers and club members. What Is Inbound Marketi