3P Partners’ Post

Interesting article. I like the honesty from Solectrac and how they are repositioning the business. It’s always important to maintain a close relationship with your end customer. I look forward to seeing Solectrac shift their GTM and overall business strategy.

In theory and on paper it makes perfect sense, but with such short time to figure it all out, especially in the middle of harvest as well, we will see how it plays out.

The First 30 Days In a New Wine Sales Job Are Critical. A wine rep who can't introduce every producer in their book after 30 days on the job should quit immediatley. Here Is The Thing You MUST Do to Ensure Success Selling Wine For a New Distributor. Major wine markets like Chicago are hyper-competitive. Even veteran wine reps have to hustle to defend placements. New reps who don't invest in learning their book in the first 30 days have already started to fail. Fortunately, reps needn't memorize tech sheets to be taken seriously but they do have to remember one sentence about each producer. Anchors: The Keys To Ensuring More Sales An anchor is a sentence that follows a pattern to introduce a producer logically, simply, and memorably. Anchors present global, regional, and local information in one sentence. “Julien Brocard makes wine at Les 7 Lieux in the French appellation of Chablis, with bottlings from all levels including Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Chablis." Written properly, an anchor allows a rep to introduce an estate confidently in just one sentence. Assignment: During the first 30 days at your new job, write and repeat anchoring phrases for each of your producers until you can recall them easily. The Good News: It's Easier Than You Think Anchoring producers simplifies the biggest challenge most new reps face: digesting the portfolio. Working in an orderly fashion, a rep can write unique anchors for each winery in a region or country with a few hours of dedicated work. Further, the repeated structure reveals connections and relationships that will serve as valuable memory prompts. By the third producer in a region, even the most foreign names will sound familiar. In one sentence, a rep with anchors shows their customers that they are going to be a serious partner. Any new rep can do this, but not every new rep will. Where will you be after your first 30 days? #wine #wineindustry #winesales #salesjobs #hiringnow #imhiring Photo Credit: Gosia Matuszewska, Rishi Productions Chicago Model Featured in the Photo: Michael McAvena

#Wineries - particularly in Napa County, going all in, a complete commitment to customer acquisition will cost you upfront, but if you can do it, you will become impervious to fluctuations in the economy. Sales is the short game, customer acquisition is the long game, but, will generate the greatest results. (don't worry, the wine will continue to sell while acquiring customers, but work with your staff to capture more data) Most won't consider the strategy, but #customerdata not #wine is your most prized commodity. The more good data on DTC customers you have, the more opportunity for sales and referrals. ➢ Lower the cost of tastings during the week - dynamic pricing alone will get more to your doors. Being the busiest tasting room on Tuesdays while there's time to talk to future customers will build better relationships. ➢ Impeccable guest experiences down to the bathrooms. The French Laundry has waiters with tape on their shoes to pick up lint on the carpet prior to dinner service. You don't have to go that far, but, you want to leave an impression. ➢ Every communication with your customers post sale should not be about sales. Think about sending them digital post cards with updates about the vintage. ➢ Regional DTC events for club members with opportunities to bring their friends, a priceless opportunity. ➢ A point person, account manager, assigned to the customer. Someone to communicate with about wine, reservations and customer service. Drives sales, lowers customer service issues and extends lifetime value. #wine, #winery, #dtc, #napa, #customer, #wineclub, #members, #data, #customeracquisition, #CAC

Mike Bosworth is a legend in the sales training world. Back in the 1970s, he noticed the Pareto principle applied to sellers - 80% of a company’s sales are generated by 20% of the sellers. In 2012, Mike published ‘What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling through Emotion Connection and The Power of Story. In that book, he described why the Pareto principle applies to selling - only a small proportion of sellers use the single most powerful sales tool available to them - story. Here are two examples, both from the wine industry. Back in 2017, the Anecdote team spent a day in the Yarra Valley wineries and we were really well looked after. Shawn Callahan made a few thank-you calls the next week to people who had helped organise the day. One of them did research into the wine industry. They explained that in cellar door situations, salespeople who used stories sold a whopping seven times more wine than the rest. I heard this next example a couple of days ago - thanks Marc Checkley. I’ve changed the names for this one. Back in 2019, Marc was leading one of his famous wine tours in France. He always finished the tour at his favourite vineyard in the Jura region. It was a great experience and the groups always bought large quantities of wine at the cellar door. A few days before the tour, [Jean], the winemaker, rang Marc and said he had an issue with mildew in the vines, and with harvest looming, he had to be in the vineyards. However, his sister [Alex] would host the group. [Alex] was a generous and graceful host, and the wine was as good as ever. But the group did not buy a single bottle of wine at the cellar door. Not one bottle. Marc reflected that [Alex] didn’t share a single story about the wine, the winery, its organic origins etc. The good news is that every salesperson can tap into the power of story. The skills are easily learned and practical. #storypoweredsales #storytelling

It’s #InternationalWineDay and I wanted to reflect on the moment that inspired me to go into the wine industry. In 2020, I celebrated my birthday during a time where covid restrictions were lifting and I went to my first winery tour in Solvang, CA. I had in depth conversation with the owner of the winery and he asked me what I was in college for. I went on to explain that I was a Marketing Major, but had no plans of what industry to dive into since the options are endless, especially living in Los Angeles. He then suggested, ‘well why not wine marketing?’. This sentence alone changed my entire perspective as I didn’t think of wine marketing being an option and what the career path looks like in that industry. He continued to explain the importance of wine marketing and how it may seem niche but there’s a lot to learn and accomplish in the alcohol industry. After that trip, I finished my college degree and was searching for any job to kickstart my career, but in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to eventually give it a shot in the wine industry. Fast forward to the end of 2022, I was given the opportunity to work for the most historic winery in Los Angeles and work with the powerhouse of wine brands and I can’t be any more grateful and motivated. Being in the wine industry has taught me so much and I know I’m still in the beginning stages of my career and it’s amazing to think how much more is yet to come. It’s quite interesting to think a simple conversation on a birthday trip truly impacted my career path and journey in life. I’m always so thankful for that owner for taking his time to educate me and guide me in this direction. Who knows what direction I would have went if I didn’t have someone in the field speaking passionately about their profession. As this post is a reflection of my journey to discovering the marketing side of the wine industry, I’d love for this to be a reminder to always ask questions if you want to know more about something or be the person who can educate someone on their career journey. You truly never know the impact one conversation can have on somebody. Cheers 🍷 #InternationalWineDay #WineMarketing #WineIndustry

Where to Start With Staff Trainings At A Wine Retailer: Build Confidence, Share the Magic, Empower Everyone to Sell More Wine Can a newly hired hourly employee sell a $75 botte of Sangiovese? Larger retailers face a specific set of challenges with wine training. Their teams come from all walks of life, often with no wine experience. And of course, the least experienced team member is likely to be the first person to greet a new customer... Where to start when training a retail staff? Inspire a dream: Use aspirational language: "Chicago to Milan is an 11 hour flight, and then we'll drive south for four hours to get to Tuscany" "When we hit Florence, we've arrived in the Chianti region, but we still have an hour to drive along winding, back-country roads before we get to Radda in Chianti, one of the four original, or "Classico" cities in Chianti" "At Tenuta di Carleone, in the heart of Chianti Classico, Sangiovese has been grown for centuries, but major wine critics say Sean O'Callaghan is revolutionizing winemaking in this historic area." Encourage coaching from within: Someone on staff knows something about Italy, Chianti, or maybe even Tenuta di Carleone. Seize on their experience, but never ask them for a travelogue. Ask how they sell Chianti to customers who don't know the region. Build on their knowledge to further a larger point about the wines you are presenting. Now, alone on the retail floor, your newest team members know who (other than you) they can ask for help. Leave them wanting more... Less is always more. Were you with me in the car on the road to Radda? Did I tempt you when I claimed that a guy with an English name is revolutionizing Chianti Classico? Were my breadcrumbs tasty? Every day is an opportunity to pour your staff a small tasty sip they can share with the next client eyeing a bottle of Uno from Carleone on your top shelf. PS: Sean OCallaghan is coming to Chicago in May. Opportunites for staff trainings with the man himself will fill quickly. Email me now to set up a tasting. Photo Credit: Benedetta Falugi

PLANNER Vale Vocation Brewery began brewing in 2015, quickly gaining a reputation for modern hopped forward beers. From small beginnings it has grown rapidly to be one of the UK’s leading independent craft breweries. We currently employ 60 people in the Head Office and Brewery teams, and around 60 more in the growing portfolio of Vocation & Co venues. We’ve found our Vocation in bringing better beer to more people, and we seek to empower others to find theirs - through personal and professional nurturing, and an ongoing commitment to progressive recruitment and employment practices. All employees and applicants to Vocation Brewery are treated equitably regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. About the role We are looking for a qualified planner to organise production according to demand and quality standards. You will be the one to ensure our goods are produced on time for distribution in a profitable manner. An excellent production planner is well-versed in production procedures and ways to optimise them. They are organised and results-driven with great problem-solving skills. Advanced communication and computer skills are very useful for the role. As the planner you will be responsible for the transactions relating to the movement of goods in and finished product out, ensuring raw materials are available in line with production demands. You will also be responsible for the planning of packaging requirements to meet production needs. Booking transport for deliveries and collection. What we expect from you: Plan weekly brew schedule building, including brewing order, FV and gyle allocation Plan weekly Process schedule building, including BBT allocation and determining process method (spin/carb/filter) Plan weekly packaging schedule building, (large and small pack) Daily adjustments to all above schedules; i.e. adjusting orders due to time losses or breakdowns Liaising with demand planner and packaging shift leads to determine if above schedules are achievable Daily plan management; i.e. updating total volumes to be packaged Yeast management – this ties into no.1, as building the plan for cropping and pitching yeast will also determine whether or not the brewing schedule is achievable RM ordering corresponding to schedule demand – spot purchases for special releases, or extra items on priority dispatch if plan updates last minute Plan and prioritise operations to ensure maximum performance and minimum delay Determine manpower, equipment and raw materials needed to cover production demand Monitor jobs to ensure they will finish on time and within budget Address issues when they arise aiming for minimum disruption Prepare and submit status and performance reports

How your sommelier skills and experience can transfer into other wine roles, plus what to expect in terms of starting level

Regional Sales Manager, Southern California About The Bruery:The Bruery is one of the nation’s most prominent boutique craft breweries, located in Orange County, CA. The company goes to market under two separate brands: The Bruery and Offshoot Beer Co., each with a high-quality, unique offering. The Bruery specializes in taste driven experimental ales and craft lagers. Offshoot Brewing Co. is the company’s newest brand that focuses on approachable beers that fit a relaxed lifestyle. While each of our brands are known for certain tastes or styles, it’s our brewing prowess and creativity that creates our opportunities.The company has built a strong following among a passionate base of members and fans, and over half of The Bruery’s overall sales are direct-to-consumer through the company’s society membership programs and Orange County tasting room. These direct-to-consumer channels drive high engagement and allow The Bruery to generate attractive margins. The cornerstone of the DTC offering is the Societies, or membership program that gives the business a community of like-minded members and of course recurring revenue streams. To know what sets us apart, you have to understand how we started; just Patrick Rue in his kitchen with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for how interesting beer can be. It was this passion and his insatiable curiosity that led him to open a brewery, build a team of talented like-minded brewers and earn the title of Master Cicerone, with the help of his world class palate. At The Bruery, we live at the intersection of tradition and bold creativity, with taste as our compass. We are easily inspired, if not easily impressed. We take our inspiration from the culinary world, traditional beer styles, natural ingredients, vineyards and even junk food. An interesting beer can make a moment special, and a special moment can spark the inspiration for an interesting beer. Taste and memory go hand in hand, and we let our taste guide us to create beers that deliver timeless and traditional flavors, while also pushing the boundaries of what you thought beer could be. One could say our brewing style has range, but we’ll leave that up to you. We’re explorers at heart, passionate about the art and science of taste, and could never be satisfied brewing just one style of beer. We believe this makes life a little more interesting. Our beers start conversations, complement meals, and bring people together. You can trust our beers because of the knowledge and expertise that we’ve built, but it’s our creative approach that will change your idea of what beer can be.At the Bruery, our Core Values are:We are Relentless in the Pursuit of ResultsWe are Candid & TransparentWe are Masters of our CraftWe Think & Act Like an OwnerWe Think & Act Like a TeamAbout the Role:The Bruery is growing and we are hiring for a Regional Sales Manager, Southern California to cover Southern California (OC,