Boutique Winery Background Info.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Heim on March 1, 2009 at 7:38am

One of the most defining characteristics of the emerging economy is disintermediation. The web, search and social networks are enabling a new, empowered customer and disrupting traditional channels. There are signs of it everywhere. Look at what self-serve discount brokers have done to the brokerage establishment; what bloggers and craigslist have done to newspapers; what Lulu.com and Amazon have done to book publishing; what YouTube and broadband have done to network TV.

Innovation in connecting with and uniquely satisfying customer niches will continue to chip away at traditional ’power’ channels, across virtually all industries.

The beautiful thing about the emerging economy – you don’t need distributors to succeed, you need passion. As a boutique winery, your future, your success, is entirely dependent on you and your ability to find and connect with the right customers. This is not to discredit the value of traditional distribution. It's merely to say, "because of emerging media, you CAN succeed without traditional distribution".

The purpose of this group is to share innovative ideas on how to differentiate, create a niche and build a fan (customer) base using emerging media. I suggest, we leave conversation addressing traditional distribution to a different group.

Permalink Reply by Nick Coppola on March 1, 2009 at 9:46am

Hello John,

I think you are making assumptions that perhaps others have not arrived at yet. There are still places where distributors are a necessary part of the supply chain.

In a sea of wine and even boutique wines I agree that passion will help you rise to the top, but will you be the only one to sell your wine? Can media and technology effectively convey that passion?

What I was driving at in my initial post was that perhaps the innovation for boutique wineries is to find a business model that includes working with people who are as passionate about their wine as they are and who make it their business to promote such wineries. How, would also be something we could discuss... I do have thoughts, but would also like to see what such wineries think.

I don't feel the answer lies exclusively in the latest cool technology, but more likely a combination of evangelists who are willing to spend the time telling people about interesting and exciting wines even if it only means selling a small number of cases. There is a price for exclusivity, is there not?

Respectfully,

- Nick

Permalink Reply by John Heim on March 1, 2009 at 2:09pm

I completely agree.

The intention of this group is not to minimize or under value other aspects of good marketing. It is simply to explore emerging media as a marketing tool in the boutique winery business.

- John