How to Be a Successful Winery

A successful winery is born of hard work and luck.

The number of wineries in America has tripled in the past 20 years, and today each of the 50 states has at least one commercial winery. The largest producing state is California, which has 1,300 wineries--about half of the country's 3,000--and ranks fourth in the world in exportation, behind Italy, France and Spain. If you come to own a winery, whether through purchase or inheritance, take cues from previously successful wineries, both traditional and up-and-coming, to become a part of the growing market.

Instructions

1. Consider the location and span of your winery. Because grapes grow in specific conditions, it is not practical to relocate the operation of your winery, but you can decide where and how to connect with customers. For example, a winery in upstate New York can serve its products at a secluded, rural venue overlooking its fields as well as a heavily visited location in New York City. And a winery in Napa Valley, where local competition is high, can ship its products nationally or internationally, like others before it.

2. Hire the right staff. To run a commercial winery, you will need a staff with the skills needed to communicate with the public. Employees should be friendly and personable, with a knowledge of the history of wine in the area and at your location. They should know the characteristics of each wine: which complements heavy food items and which acts as a dessert in its own right. The size of your location dictates the number of employees you will need.

3. Offer deals, complimentary items and services to customers who visit your winery. You can provide sample glasses of a wine that's popular for the season to customers browsing your store, or a free dessert to diners who purchase a bottle of wine at your restaurant. And visitors who sign up for package deals such as tastings and tours can receive coupons and vouchers for items during their next visit, or referrals for their friends.

4. Develop your winery's website. As customers refer their friends and generate buzz for your business through word of mouth, daily traffic to your website will increase, so your online presence should be significant. Your winery's website should be colorful and visually pleasing, with enticing images of your products, such as photos of food items or wine bottles inside a menu. The site should be easy to navigate with text that is short and clearly focused. Consider dedicating a section of your website to positive customer reviews.

5. Market your deals, your contribution to the local economy, and the overall experience of a day at your winery. Depending on your budget, consider commercials and print advertisements, or start a blog containing daily or weekly updates on staff members, business promotions and day-to-day life at your winery. Use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to assemble a large number of followers, and make those followers feel that they are part of an exclusive group of customers with exclusive benefits.

References

• California Wineries Mall
• Fun California Wine Facts