After the hustle & bustle of the holidays, the tasting room can seem a bit quiet. January and February are typically the slowest months of the year for a winery. The vineyard looks like a bunch of sticks. The days are short and cold. People are generally not out looking for things to do. Sales are down in the tasting room and if you have an event center, bed & breakfast, or restaurant, those sales are down too. January is not a big month for weddings and following family visits over the holidays, winery weekend getaways are few.
So, what’s a winery to do during these cold, slow months?
Remodel the Tasting Room
1. Anything that requires you to shut down the tasting room, such as remodeling or rearranging the room – now is the time. This is probably the least valuable time of the year to be closed with minimal impact on sales and events. If you have a bed & breakfast or restaurant, this is a great time to do updates, maintenance or tackle those long overdue projects.
Host Your Own Events
2. Have a dinner(s) or a party. Release a new white wine from the previous harvest or possibly release a red from an older vintage. Give people a reason to come out to the winery other than just a normal tasting room visit. Host a Winemaker Dinner for your wine club members. These are usually a fairly high-priced affairs. The dinner should be delectable and send home a bottle of wine with the member. You’ve increased revenue significantly and they have left feeling special.
Sell Corporate Events
3. Typically during January, businesses are preparing and laying out their plans for the coming year. Often executives like to get away from the day-to-day operations and focus on the strategic game plan at an off-site venue. Create a couple of corporate packages and reach out to local businesses now. Show them what you can offer. Corporate events are probably the most overlooked business for wineries. Yes, celebratory events are probably your mainstay, but company events can generate revenue for you as well. You need to be marketing now! Have someone start calling local businesses, your local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Bureau. Let them know what you can offer and that you are willing to work with them to make a memorable event, even if they are working!
Salut!
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