US Wineries: Using Data to Counter Declining Sales

The Ehlers Estate Case Study

Wineries that leverage data effectively are better able to counter negative market trends.

Ehlers Estate has leveraged its data to analyze sales trends and identify new opportunities. Sandra Tafur Demaria, Director of Sales and Marketing at Ehlers, has noticed a growing reluctance among tourists to visit Napa Valley, both because of the perception of having already experienced it and because of the high costs of transportation and accommodations.

Ehlers has therefore launched the "At the Table with Ehlers Away" campaign with the aim of bringing the Napa experience directly to customers. Demaria explains: "This campaign represents a thoughtful response to the evolving desires and demands of our audience; recognizing the importance of feeling empowered and valued is crucial in today's market landscape."

Who: Target Identification

The first step of the campaign was to identify the most receptive customers. Demaria describes the process as follows: "To strategically identify our target audience, we adopted a very thorough data segmentation process. We initially analyzed our sales data to outline our 10 main markets, focusing on the areas with the highest concentration of interactions and sales. This analysis was further focused on the five main zip codes that had a significant number of our wine club members."

With this information, Demaria identified both restaurant partners and wine club members in the selected areas and was able to offer personalized, curated experiences for loyal customers.

What: Offer Creation

Once the target audience was identified, Ehlers created the offerings for this segmented list. Demaria explains, "At the Table with Ehlers Away" was the perfect platform to introduce our latest vintage. It was also the perfect opportunity to introduce Adam Casto, our new winemaker. Adam played a key role in these events, thanks to his deep understanding of our vineyard's heritage and his innovative approach to viticulture.

He meticulously selected the wines that best represented and told the stories we wanted to convey, ensuring that every sip intertwined with the culinary experience to tell a story of tradition, dedication, and innovation.”

How to: Run the campaign

Demaria explains: “The campaign execution began traditionally through word of mouth, leveraging the existing relationship and enthusiasm within the wine club community. This fostered a sense of belonging among our members and also created a halo effect that amplified interest. Next, we launched a segmented email campaign targeting our key customers, which far exceeded our expectations. Each event sold out in less than two hours, demonstrating the strong loyalty and enthusiasm our initiative has generated.”

The social media campaign was also a resounding success, reaching its goals within hours of the announcement. This interest highlighted the effectiveness of the promotional strategies and the ability to capitalize on growing demand.

Results and future prospects

The enthusiasm generated by "At the Table with Ehlers Away" not only demonstrated the validity of the strategies adopted but also highlighted new insights for the future. Demaria explains that they are now exploring innovative ways to leverage the interest shown, using the data and results as metrics for evaluating future events and as a means to foster interaction with interested parties who were unable to attend. Furthermore, they are analyzing the interaction data to further refine their strategies, focusing on referrals and conversions to improve engagement efforts.

The Ehlers Estate case study demonstrates how a data-driven strategy can turn obstacles into opportunities. By identifying the right audiences, creating targeted offers, and using effective communication methods, wineries can maintain and even increase sales in a challenging market.

Ehlers' experience clearly shows that through the integration and wise use of data, it is possible to thrive in a competitive and ever-changing environment.