S O N D has started and the holidays will be here shortly. Consumers will start stocking up and the big question is, “Will it be your wine they are buying?” Your neighbor winery is calling its customers and there is a good chance that your customers are their customers. Whether you are ready or not, it’s time to get it set up and the calling started. Here is what you need to do:

Who will you call?

The database needs to be cleaned up, segmented and ready to call. It may sound like a big project, but keep it simple. Your calling group should be anyone that has purchased in the last 18 months and you can ship to. period. Call them all and only dial them a total of 3 times. If they don’t pick up by the third try, THAT is when you leave a message.

Who will do the calling?

Of your staff, find out who is interested in doing the calling and they can do it. If you don’t have the staff, there is still time to run an ad on Craigslist to find part time help. You are looking for people that have calling experience and are passionate about your product.

What should you say?

Scripting the call is key. It gives structure to the call so your rep knows what to say and sound confident. Once again, keep it simple. There are 4 components:

• Intro – Hi, this is _________ with XYZ Winery. Is Mr. or Mrs. Customer there?
• Purpose of the Call – The reason for my call is…(there can be many reasons for the call that can be based on news about the winery, wineclub or current shipments)
• Offer – Flat rate shipping is a great tool and the customer still pays for some of the shipping costs. Customers like a simple, understandable rate such as $20 or $10.
• Close – What I have done for many customers is build them a mixed case for the holidays. It gives you a nice selection for the different people you may be visiting or different meals you will be having. Can I go ahead and put a mixed case together for you?

Don’t forget….

• Be a good listener
• Make the call conversational by telling customers stories about the winery and what’s happening
• Call customers between 10 am and 7 pm. Calling them at dinner is good because they are probably drinking your wine.
• It’s a soft sell and there is no need to be too aggressive. It’s all about great customer experience and database preservation. Being too aggressive will turn customers off.

Good luck!