In order for your calling campaign to be effective, calling at the right times is vital. While sales can happen at any time, the reality is that if you’re calling a customer on a Monday morning, it’s probably not going to be a very exciting time for sales. Just as important, is what to say when you call them. It’s always a good idea to have at least a tentative script in mind to give your reps confidence and create a more consistent experience. 

Calling at the Right Time

Time of the Year

The best times of year to call are during the spring (Feb – June) and the fall/ winter months (Sept – Dec). Calling too late into the Summer and you end up catching customers on vacation and in many place, it is too hot to ship anyways.

Time of the Week

Wednesday-Saturday are typically when you will find calling most effective. It’s later in the week and customers will likely have more time to sit down and chat about wine.

Time of the Day

During the day, calling is most effective anywhere from 10am-3pm. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call in the evening from 6pm-8pm as well. While you may worry about catching your customer during diner, this is a good thing. If you call during diner, chances are they’re drinking wine (maybe even your wine) and will need to restock.

Knowing What to Say

A good calling script will have four parts:

Intro – introduce your self and your winery to the customer immediately. It lets the customers guard down and this way they don’t think it’s some telemarketer. They know your winery and you already have a relationship. Its a warm call!

Reason for the Call
“The reason for my call is… (your in the wineclub, you came out to visit us, you have purchased in the past and we want to make sure you are taken care of)”

Offer
We have flat rate shipping, we have get 10% off if you buy a case, etc.

Close
What I am doing for a lot of our customers is putting together mixed cases so you can get a little variety. What would you like in your mixed case?

That’s all there is to it. Hopefully this has gotten you thinking about calling your customers. We have solutions for wineries who are looking for both in-house or outsourcing solutions. Get in touch to learn more!