Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Pain in my ass right there lighting. Okay, I've got my puppy sleeping in the chair beside me and all the cats are asleep. So let's see if we can get through this video without the fur babies interrupting us. It would be a miracle. How do you market non wine beverages when your job is to sell wine? This is the question five forest answers all the time. Stick around and I'll reveal the top four tactics that make a measurable difference. It's been a big month for wine and health news. The recent lifestyle diet wine and health conference in Toledo shed light on the growing concerns about moderation messaging. This has been covered extensively in reporting by Felicity Carter, who is my go to for all things wine and health, and I encourage you to read her article and listen to the podcast produced by Irani Global on this topic. I'll put the links in the description below. At the same time, celebrity nonalks are again in the news with f one superstar Lewis Hamilton launching Almave, the first premium nonalk Blue Agave aka Tequila substitute. Also, I just want to say that their beyond proof language is marketing perfection, so please check that out. So what does this mean for your wine brand? To answer that question, let's talk about the top four priorities for any alcohol brand wanting to improve your nonalk game.
[00:01:16] Honest brand commitment in my experience, every good wine marketer I know has at some point had a crisis of conscience. How is it that I make a living selling alcohol? True brand commitment begins with integrating nonalcoholic options into the core philosophy of your business. This reflects a deeper understanding of evolving consumer preferences, recognizing the importance of health, inclusivity and choice. This shows that you view nonalk offerings as essential to your customer relationship. Genuine commitment is visible in the allocation of resources, money talks, but it's not just financial investment, it's also time and creativity in product development, marketing campaigns, and educating your team about the value and potential of these options. Brands should strive to integrate these offerings into their overall narrative, ensuring that nonalks are not just sidelined as secondary meh options. This involves quality pricing, promotion, storytelling and creation of engaging content that highlights the uniqueness and quality of your nonalk range. The flip side of this, of course, is listening. Seek and value your customer feedback regarding nonalk offerings. Show willingness to adapt. Based upon this feedback, your responsiveness not only improves your offerings, but also strengthens customer relationships and brand loyalty. Be open to innovation and collaboration. Explore new ideas and techniques and partnerships with experts in the Nonalk Bev sector. This openness signifies your brand's dedication to evolving and catering to a diverse consumer base. Ultimately, brand commitment to nonalk options in the wine industry is about embracing these offerings as an integral part of your brand's identity, consistently investing in their development and promotion, and continually adapting to customer needs and feedback in marketing nonalcoholic wine options understanding the customer starts with creating detailed personas, rich stories of your customers lives. As I've said many times before, a good customer Persona is more than a mere demographic profile. It's like an imaginary friend that includes lifestyle preferences, dreams, fears, hopes and motivations. It answers questions like why might someone choose a nonalcoholic alternative today or tomorrow or forever? Is it for health reasons, pregnancy? Illness, sleep, productivity, lifestyle choices? Personal safety? Fear of anxiety? Religion? Weight management? Is it financial concerns or peer pressure? Understanding these motivations allows you to create a customer journey that is not just a path to purchase, but an engaging, resonant customer experience. This can involve personalized recommendations, tailored content about health and moderation, or even unique tasting experiences.
[00:04:03] Why do we so often treat our nonalks like the redheaded stepchild? We're not selling capri sun in our tasting rooms. Nonalk drinkers who intersect with wine brands are still seeking an experience parallel in quality and sophistication than that of a traditional wine consumer. And nonalcoholic beverages should be treated with the same level of expertise and hospitality as wines. Whether you're producing your own or bringing in nonalco alternatives, it's essential that these offerings reflect the same level of quality as your wine. Meticulous tasting and selection, ensuring that the nonalk products have a flavor profile aroma mouthfeel that customers have come to associate with your brand's existing wine range. And please serve those customers with proper glassware. This is so important. Proper glassware not only enhances the experience, but also ensures that nonalk drinkers are not distinguished or embarrassed by their choices. Food, of course, is still just as important. Just like their wine counterparts, nonalcoholic beverages can be paired thoughtfully with food. Create flights and food pairings for your nonalk drinkers so that everyone feels welcome at your table while you're at it. Nonalcoholic options should be treated with the same level of expertise and hospitality as wines. This involves knowledgeable staff who can speak about the nonalk beverages with the same enthusiasm and understanding as they do about your wines. Training your staff to appreciate and promote these options ensures that all customers receive an informed and premium service. What about those tours and tastings the hallmark of the winery experience. There's a growing opportunity for wineries to introduce specialized nonalk tasting sessions where guests explore the art and science behind these beverages. Seasonal festivals can also highlight nonalcoholic options, celebrating their diversity and richness. These initiatives not only diversify the winery's appeal, but also cater to a broader audience, creating inclusive, memorable experiences where every preference is valued and every tasting journey is full of discovery and enjoyment. And of course, all of this comes at a price, and I don't want you to sell yourself short. Pricing nonalk options on par with wines can elevate their perceived value rather than positioning them as cheaper alternatives, align their price point with your wine offerings to underscore their quality and your dedication to their creation or selection. In short, every aspect of the nonalcoholic offering should be executed so well that you feel proud to promote them. This means investing in quality, presentation and service to ensure that nonalk options are not just an afterthought, but a key part of your brand's offerings.
[00:06:53] It's not just about dry months anymore. Effective comms about nonalcoholic offerings go beyond capitalizing on dry January, dry July and sober October. For wine brands that truly value their nonalk customers, year round communication is key. Be sure to promote nonalcoholic options throughout the year, highlighting their relevance for various occasions and lifestyles. Doing so normalizes nonalk beverages as a staple on your menu or in your portfolio, letting non drinkers know that they are welcome to sit at your table anytime. For brands producing your own nonalk options, storytelling hasn't disappeared. Share the journey of how these products were created. Use the same rich lexicon typically reserved for wine, nose, palate, mouthfeel that helps to elevate their status. Describe what the product tastes like and why its blend creates a perfect drinking experience. And just like we do with wine, don't shy away from educating the audience. Informative content about the crafting process the unique characteristics of your nonalcoholic drinks and their place in a health conscious lifestyle can add depth to your brand's communication, fostering a deeper appreciation and better understanding among customers. When you integrate these elements into your calm strategy, your brand can ensure that your nonalk offerings are not just seen as alternatives, but as celebrated parts of your product range. So as we wrap up this episode, let's remember that the journey toward integrating nonalcoholic options is about reshaping our perceptions as much as it is our consumers and ultimately, it's about your ability to connect with the needs of current and future brand loyalists. It's about creating a space where every choice is valued and every customer's preference is met with the same level of enthusiasm. But that's enough of me preaching to you on Sunday. As always, don't forget to, like, subscribe and share with others who might find value in this content. Your support helps me stay motivated to put my middle aged face on YouTube every single Sunday. If you have topic you'd like me to cover, or a question you want me to answer, be sure to leave a comment down below. Stay tuned for more episodes for head training, where we dive deep into the world of digital marketing for the wine industry. See you next week.
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