On the Web: www.scottpaul.com On Twitter @scottpaulpn On Facebook

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution.

Interview Questions

How long have you been using Twitter?

Since late 2008

What prompted you to dive in?

The inter-connectedness of people with shared interests really appealed to me, and I found much of the information in the Twitterverse quite interesting…

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

A little bit of everything – links to my blog posts, announcements of new releases & events, photos of current activities in the vineyards and winery, chatter about my beloved Arsenal soccer team in London, updates from my weeks in Burgundy, Twitter-only specials in the tasting room, etc.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

We’ve definitely seen evidence of all of the above – especially increased web traffic, great customer connections. When our stuff gets retweeted we often see significant spikes in our web activity…

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools? People probably think it takes too much time – but it really doesn’t.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Embrace it enthusiastically, have something to say besides “buy my wine”, and enter into conversations – social media is not broadcasting, it is social interaction…

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

We’re the only winery that I’m aware of that is also a major national importer – we import 15 of the top producers in Burgundy and a killer grower Champagne – all the imports as well as our own wines are available here in our tasting room – a unique opportunity to taste old-world and new-world Pinot side-by-side. Most people don’t know that I was America’s most-listened-to radio personality in the 80s – I was Shadow Stevens on Z-100 New York, Pirate Radio Los Angeles, and had a nationally syndicated show called Hitline USA that aired in 350+ markets. And I once lived on the tour bus with the band Poison. But that’s another story for another time…

What is your favorite rock band and why?

Pearl Jam – I was an executive at Epic Records when we signed them and launched their first album – it was exciting to be a part of all of that…

Wineries on Twitter

www.foliowine.com/pages/winemakers_studio.html 

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/foliowinemakerssudio

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/foliowinemakers

How long have you been using Twitter?

We’ve been using Twitter for about a year or so now.  It hasn’t been until the last 6 months though that we really started getting more involved and engaging though.

What prompted you to dive in?

We first signed up shortly after signing the winery up on Facebook.  Just looking for different ways to interact and build relationships with existing and new customers.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

I have to admit; at first we were doing it all wrong.  We were using Facebook and Twitter primarily as a sales driver.  Now we see it as more of a brand and relationship builder. So we try to post things to help people keep in touch with what’s going on in Napa and also when we’re out on the road in their home area.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

For us the traffic and sales are tough to quantify, because you may have someone that comes to the winery but doesn’t necessarily say they saw us on Twitter or Facebook.  I’d say the biggest benefits to using social media is creating and maintaining relationships with new and old customers and spreading the word about what we’re up to.

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

There isn’t one particular success story that comes to mind.  The biggest success is being able to stay connected with people who care about us nationally and internationally!

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

I think right now the biggest barriers are 1) some companies not being able to quantify and get results to justify allocating someone’s time to work different social media avenues. 2) I also think that even though social media sites are being used by multiple generations, there are some people across all generations that just don’t have the knowhow.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

For wineries new to social media or those giving it another shot, I would say first to just be natural with your postings.  Don’t use it as a constant sales pitch.  Once you’re able to create relationships with your followers and fans, then you can have sales offers occasionally.  But if this is all they get from you, you will see your followers and fans leaving a lot quicker than they join.  Another thing is to provide meaningful content from all areas of your business (hospitality, cellar, vineyards, etc.).  Lastly, the sales results will come organically by creating long-term, dedicated relationships with people who enjoy your wine and what the winery is doing.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

Our winery is Folio Winemakers’ Studio and we are privately owned by the Michael Mondavi Family along with select employees within our company.  We have a beautiful property in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, which we have been at for 3 years now making our wonderful selection of wines from Napa Valley as well as other surrounding areas.  One thing that makes us unique is that we are not the traditional winery that has 4 or 5 wines.  We have a wide variety of wines, 23 in fact, that appeal to wine novices and connoisseurs alike.  The great thing about having these wines is we allow our customers to make their own selection of which wines they want to taste!

What is your favorite rock band and why?

My favorite rock band would have to be Pearl Jam.  The thing I like about them is that they make great music and have been for about 20 years now!  They‘ve never been sell-outs and changed who they are due to their fame and success.  Plus they enjoy great wine!

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution. Click http://drinknectar.com/tag/wineries-on-twitter/ to view all interviews.

Lange Twins:       On the Web    -    On Twitter    -     On Facebook

How long have you been using Twitter?

I’ve been on Twitter since Sept. 2008 – my how the time flies!  I actually had to Google search ‘how to find out when you joined Twitter’ to get this answer.  Not a good sign – do the questions get harder?

What prompted you to dive in?

I’m an addict for new technologies and with all the media coverage on Twitter, it looked like it was here to stay.  Now look at it – something like 600 tweets per second?

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

I look at Twitter as just one more way for us to interact with our fans – the keyword there is interact.  It’s tempting to just scream offers and news from the rooftops but it’s much more enjoyable when you get to know your Twitter fans.  It’s amazing who is following you!

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

Brand awareness and interaction is the goal for me.  If someone buys your wine, enjoys it, and tosses the bottle, that’s where the interaction stops.  If this same customer does a simple Google search for the winery and finds a great way to interact with the winery (enter Twitter & Facebook) then that experience is strengthened. 

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

Oh, there are tons!  My favorites are the customers who find our wines out in the market and tweet about how much they enjoyed it.  For such a small brand like LangeTwins, it’s really cool to see where people are finding our wines and what they think of them.  On the flip side, if they don’t like it, Twitter and Facebook give you a line of communication to have a dialogue with that customer – that’s vital.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

I think the biggest barrier is time – most family wineries like ours are running 110% all year long.  It’s fun, but incredibly consuming.  I’ve made social media (blog, Twitter, FB) a priority because I see the value in it, and, I enjoy it!  But it took a bit for everyone @ LangeTwins to come around.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Jump.  Pour yourself a glass of wine some night and spend 30mins browsing around Facebook and Twitter.  Then watch that 30mins turn into 3hrs!  Now you’re hooked.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

We’re a multi-generational family owned winery that crafts wine from sustainably grown winegrapes.  As a 5^th generation family farmer in Lodi, California, it’s important to preserve the land we farm for future generations.  From using solar panels to produce green energy to restoring native habitat areas amongst our vineyards, we take an all-encompassing approach to sustainability.

New release?  Nice timing!  We are just releasing our Proprietary Tier of wines, which are limited individual lot selections sourced from our favorite vineyards.  Our initial release is a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2008 Chardonnay.  The wine label was chosen by our fans on Facebook and our blog!  Talk about a social media wine…

What is your favorite rock band and why?

Oh man – I am probably going to be ousted by the family now.  Metallica!  Since I was a kid, they’ve always stayed in my Top 5 (well, there was a rough patch there with Load/Reload) and Dec 08 my wife surprised me with concert tickets.  It was insane.  Their last album, Death Magnetic, is amazing. *changes Pandora station to Metallica*

Black Star Farms on Twitter     Black Star Farms on Facebook

The goal of this series is to connect with wineries and wine business that use Social Media (Twitter and Facebook) effectively. These interviews can serve as a catalyst to help other wineries and wine businesses to see the benefits (and pitfalls) of joining the social revolution.

How long have you been using Twitter?

Black Star Farms has been using Twitter since July of 2009.

What prompted you to dive in?

We attended a wine marketing conference last spring called License to Steal  where there were several sessions devoted to social media.  Twitter was the most popular topic that generated the most discussion.  At that time we were not using Twitter but we quickly realized the importance of adding it to our social media strategy for the important reasons that I have listed below:

1. Create meaningful relationships with customers as well as our vendor partners
2. Establish relationships with wine bloggers
3. Be aware of what is being said about our “brand” and wine growing region
4. Engage in conversation with our followers
5. Talk about trail events, promotions, and special offers

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?  

We post content two to three times daily — usually in the morning and late afternoon.  Content varies to include what is newsworthy, educational or perhaps comical, what may generate conversation and anything that promotes our brand and region.  We do use Twitter to post promotions as well as special events but this information does not drive 100% of our content. 

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook?

The benefits of using Twitter and Facebook are increased brand awareness, a connection to our customers, and real time exposure to media and wine bloggers. Since joining the social media realm we have definitely experienced an increase in publicity on-line as well in print. 

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

We are working with Shannon Casey at Michigan By the Bottle on our first virtual wine tasting to be hosted on Twitter on March 8^th. It is called Tweet and Taste Michigan (#ttmi).  The response to this event has been amazing! There are 57 confirmed participants and we are anticipating more as it gets closer.  There are daily tweets and mentions about  #ttmi on Twitter and Facebook which are leading to press coverage in several local and regional publications. For an event that has not even happened yet we are extremely pleased with the results.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

For the smaller wineries in our region I would have to say the reason is a perceived lack of time.  The educational process for learning how to effectively use social media tools combined with the daily maintenance can be daunting.  The employee managing the social media for a winery is usually the same employee with many other job responsibilities and the idea of adding more work to their daily plate is viewed negatively and sometimes impossible.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Educate yourself and staff about how to use these tools correctly. There are great websites and bloggers who can teach you what you need to know – find them! Attend seminars and conferences about how to use social media. Create a plan or strategy before diving in.

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

Black Star Farms is a unique agricultural entity that features two winery production facilities, their adjacent tasting rooms, a distillery, Inn, and equestrian facility.  Our winery just celebrated its 10^th year anniversary and is proud to represent the viticultural diversity of the Northwest Michigan region, and its proximity to the 45^th parallel – the same parallel that runs through so many of the great wine regions of the world.  Our varietal wines are of high character, acidity, and balance. Fruit is sourced from both our own vineyards and local grower partners. This consistency allows us to obtain replicable quality across vintages.

What is your favorite rock band and why?

The Rolling Stones because almost every album is awesome and something that you can listen at anytime. Not to mention I worked at an awesome bar called Beggar’s Banquet – an experience that was life changing in many positive ways!

Below is the story of Cleavage Creek Winery and how they use Social Media. Theres is a unique story. To help spread their amazing story, please comment on this post, follow them on Twitter, and re-tweet this to all of your followers. I was truly touched by the compassion of a 77 year old man and the love for his late wife.

How long have you been using Twitter?

Cleavage Creek Wines joined Twitter in April of 2009.

What prompted you to dive in?

Twitter offered a great opportunity to spread the word about Cleavage Creek’s passions of making great wines and funding breast cancer research.  Fighting cancer starts with raising awareness.  Reaching the Twitter audience only enhances the ability to do such.

What type of strategy or approach do you use when posting content?

On Twitter, you are who you are. Cleavage Creek uses the friendly approach which is precisely who we are.  We love to talk about wines. We make mention of breast cancer in an effort to raise awareness.  We like to engage others.  So many entities and individuals are using Twitter so the opportunities are endless to establish relationships and learn and share.

What have been the benefits of using Twitter/Facebook? (increased traffic, increased brand awareness, customer connection, etc)

In using Twitter, we’ve met a plethora of people from around the world, literally, whose acquaintance we might not have made with out it.  That’s amazing! It’s also very vital to our goal of raising awareness about our fight against breast cancer.  Almost everyone’s life has been touched by breast cancer in some form or fashion.  When new Twitter pals learn about the efforts of Cleavage Creek to fund breast cancer research by using our award winning wines, it helps the cause.

Is there a single success story that you can point to with using Twitter/Facebook?

Since joining Twitter, Cleavage Creek has enjoyed a good deal of wide media coverage – all has been appreciated and important to our cause.  The most touching Twitter experience is when we hear from those who are fighting breast cancer or have a loved one. They thank us for our efforts and many times tell us that upon learning about Cleavage Creek, they encourage a loved one to get their annual checkup.  It’s very gratifying to know that the mere existence of Cleavage Creek can have a positive impact. This motivates us everyday, literally.

What do you think is the single biggest barrier to why we don’t see more wineries actively using Social Media tools?

Many wineries might not have the resources to dedicate to using Twitter.  It can take a fair amount of time.  Once they learn the benefits and possibilities that might change.

What advice would you give to wineries joining the stream or getting back into the stream?

Don’t be afraid to engage anyone on Twitter.  Most people are friendly and receptive if approached in a respectful manner.  Do your Twitter home work.  Seek out others with similar interests.  Have something interesting to say. Treat Twitter members like you would wish to be treated and you’ll enjoy a rewarding Twitter experience. It’s actually great fun!

Briefly tell us about your winery, a new release, or something unique about you?

One man & a small vineyard…making award winning wines & funding breast cancer research.

Cleavage Creek is owned by Budge Brown who lost his wife of 48 years to breast cancer.  Mr. Brown obtained the Cleavage Creek label after deciding that he wanted to fight the disease and raise awareness so that others would not suffer as his wife had.  www.CleavageCreek.com

Budge Brown released his first Cleavage Creek wines on October 15, 2007.  His second wine release took place on October 4th, 2008.  Cleavage Creek wines have won numerous awards in international, national, and regional competitions - 32 medals won thus far. These are seriously good wines doing seriously good work. The latest release of new wines was October 1st, 2009.

Dedicated to fighting breast cancer, Brown and Cleavage Creek donate 10% of gross wine sales to breast cancer research.  At least 10% was the original commitment.  Brown has far exceeded that number, reaching deep into his own pockets to bolster the contributions made by Cleavage Creek. Over $70,000 has been contributed to date to efforts to fight breast cancer. Most recently, Cleavage Creek has funded a new Integrative Oncology Research Center for breast cancer at Bastyr University.

 On each bottle of Cleavage Creek is the image of a breast cancer survivor — her story is told at the Cleavage Creek website.  These ladies are not paid to do this, but they lend their time and experiences to fight the disease. A total of 20 breast cancer survivors have appeared on the Budge Brown era of Cleavage Creek wines.

 In a time when about all we hear news wise is negative, this is a wonderfully positive story — amazing what one determined 77 year old man can do!    

Here’s the complete story:

http://www.cleavagecreek.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=21

 What is your favorite rock band and why?

The Eagles…great music & fun times.