Now even if you don’t have a wine business, you may love learning more about wine, or you may love to learn new business techniques. While this week’s article is going to be tailored to the wine entrepreneur, I think anyone will be able to “walk away” with a few new tidbits.
Wine entrepreneurs across the country are beginning to adopt a wine cruise program. This joint business venture, in collaboration with your local travel advisor [me!], could have you rolling in the grapevines! What is a wine cruise program? Simply put, you would be escorting your current clients on a luxurious wine river cruise through Europe, visiting some of the famed wine regions including Bordeaux, Provence, or Mosel.
1. You have minimal to lose, and much to gain
When I say minimal to lose, I’m talking financially–there is virtually no investment to start one of these programs, financially, aside from purchasing your plane tickets. “But don’t I have to pay for the cruise?” Not necessarily–you’ll be earning it! Your role is to market the heck out of your cruise program to make sure we can get the minimal cabins filled. Once you do that, you’ll not only be able to sail for virtually no money down, but a guest will be able to join you as well.
2. There’s no better way to learn about wine, than visiting the original terroir
One of my mantras for 2020 is what can I do greater, better? And while you, wine entrepreneur, have been doing a fabulous job of educating, what if you could take your clients to an actual French chateau vineyard? What if they could smell the terrior that is centuries old? What if the could pick grapes right off the vines and taste the juice that has such renown? It’s just not an experience that you’d be able to duplicate at your location.
3. Increase customer loyalty/acquire new customers
And because of that rich experience that YOU have been able to provide to your clients, can you imagine what kind of bond would come from that? Not only from you offering this program, but also from them getting to spend some personal time with you on this journey. Not only that, when you are marketing, don’t you think Thelma and Louise are going to tell their bridge friends “Oh we can’t make it next month, we’ll be traveling with our winery/wine shop.” Can you see the conversation that would start up? Can you see the snowball effect of how successful your program could be?