Restaurants have a profound impact on guiding a customer’s decision when it comes to selecting wine or spirits, making them a potential platform for expanding a brand’s acceptance in the market. Many restaurants successfully use their status as trusted food and beverage institutions to shape drinking trends, encourage interest in certain brands, and maintain customer loyalty.
The 2024 Santé Wine & Spirits International Awards will introduce you to some key restaurateurs and will also increase your exposure to tens of thousands of beverage purchasers and consumers. It is a great value with a potentially large return on your investment.
Here are some ideas on how restaurants can help build your brand.
1. Staff Training and Education: A knowledgeable staff is the first step in familiarizing customers with new brands. Training sessions can help employees understand the taste, characteristics, wine-making process, or history of a brand. This education enables the staff to effectively communicate the unique selling proposition of new brands and recommend them to customers according to their preference.
2. Wine and Spirit Tasting Events: Host special events, often in collaboration with the brand itself, to allow customers to sample new offerings. This method gives customers a chance to explore a range of tastes and cultivates an appreciation for new brands. A well-hosted event can also create a buzz around the brand, influencing customers to purchase it in the future.
3. Feature on the Menu: Placement of the brand strategically on the drinks menu helps increase visibility and acceptance. Pairing recommendations with suitable dishes can boost sales. Additionally, featuring the brand in the restaurant’s signature cocktail showcase can raise interest and demand. Special descriptions or stories about the brand on the menu can spark curiosity and conversation.
4. Social Media Promotion: Collaborate with the brand to launch targeted social media campaigns, which will allow the brand to tap into an existing customer base. Showcasing the brand in beautifully styled photos, sharing customer reviews, or hosting exclusive giveaways can generate buzz around it.
5. Limited-Time Offers or Discounts: Introduce the new brand with limited-time promotions or discounts. This method pushes customers towards trying out the brand at a lower risk due to a decreased price. Once customers develop a liking for the brand, they will still buy, even without the discount.
6. Brand Ambassador: Restaurants can act as brand ambassadors by using the particular wine or spirit brand exclusively for a certain period. This approach exposes customers to that brand repeatedly, embeds the brand in their memory, and encourages them to associate it with their dining experience.
7. Customer Engagement: Allow customers to vote on new brands to be added to the drinks menu or host a blind tasting event, letting them choose their favorite without knowing the brand. This strategy makes customers feel more involved and appreciated, increasing acceptance for new brands.
When restaurants adopt these strategies, they are not just selling a product; they create experiences. These experiences contribute significantly to the brand’s acceptance and serve as powerful tools to introduce, familiarize, and foster loyalty towards a new wine or spirit brand in the market. Remember that every customer engagement contributes to building a stronger connection between the brand and the consumer.
Enter the 2024 Santé Wine & Spirits International Awards to increase your exposure to both the on-premise and off-premise marketplace. Winners receive published reviews, badges, and social media exposure.
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