Like any training manual, the brand standards document is meant to help build your brand in the long run. If you don’t follow it, the brand will become inconsistent and messy.
What Are Technical Sheets and Why They Are Important
Does your winery have trouble keeping track of all the wines you’ve made, especially when it comes to flavor profiles and technical information? Technical sheets are a good solution to keep organized, but it’s also a great piece of marketing material for your sales team and consumers.
Technical sheets are often 8.5” x 11” loose leaf papers, however they can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The most standard information on these sheets include:
- Company name and logo
- Name of wine
- Vintage of wine
- Bottle shot image
- Flavour profiles
- Food Pairings
- Alcohol percentage
- pH
- TA
- RS
- SKU
- Price
- Website and social handles
- Company contact information
Additional information to bring your technical sheets to the next level could include:
- Accolades
- Awards
- Viticulture and Composition
- Winemaker’s Notes
- Bottling date
- Production in cases
The public and trade can tell when a graphic item is made in-house or done professionally. Having a professionally-made technical sheet can give your company polish, legitimacy, and make your brand more reliable. When speaking to a designer, consider typesetting and some basic principles of design.
For more information on technical sheets, how they can work to help you sell wine, or to get some created, contact us today at info@townhallbrands.com.
Inside secrets for a better tasting room experience
Now’s the time to start thinking about what you need to create memorable experiences for your winery visitors this summer! Below are some tips on giving your guests the best winery experience:
1. Highway signage: Don’t expect that a sign itself will lead customers to your door. Make sure the print is big enough, the directions are clear enough, and use symbols if necessary.
2. Winery signage: Entice customers to your door. Use clever design and marketing content to drive traffic to your winery. What sets your winery and vineyard apart from others?
3. Creative added-bonuses for non-wine drinkers: Is your winery dog-friendly? Perhaps you have a colouring table for kids while adults taste or you offer free non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver. Make sure this is communicated clearly within your winery with signage or other marketing materials.
4. Tasting Bar: Speak intelligently about your wines. Do you have a tasting sheet, or do you offer free tastings? Do you have a wine club and supporting materials to convert your customers?
5. Wine Purchases: Marketing materials go beyond just paper and signage printing. Think about branded bags or something more that would enhance your customers’ experience. Maybe you offer free shipping. Make sure that is communicated in your materials. Or perhaps offer a promo card for their next visit.
There are many ways to both attract and retain customers. It’s imperative to think of a guest’s whole experience rather than just focusing on what’s happening in the tasting room. When it gets busy, not everything can be communicated verbally to every guest, so make sure you have the materials to support you. And don’t forget about your designers and printers! They need lead times to ensure you get your materials ready for the busy season.
Contact Town Hall Brands today for more great tasting room experience tips, or to start using the power of design to transform your visitor's experience.
Help your sales team sell more wine with a sales tool kit
Are you and your importer/distributor both eager to tell your story in a way that translates into sales? Consider equipping your sales team with consistent and professional materials (a sales tool kit) that tell your authentic story.
A sales tool kit is a toolbox, containing the items that make it easier for your customer to understand your wine, and make room for it on their shelves.
What’s in a sales tool kit? At the minimum it should include a portfolio sheet listing all of your wines, but a great sales tool kit will include several items that make it easier for the buyer to sell your wine to consumers.
Sales Tool Kit Checklist:
- Portfolio Sheet/Booklet
- Technical Information Sheets
- Sell Sheets
- Shelf Talkers
- Neck Tags
- Business Cards
- Tasting Cards
So, how can you create a sales tool kit? Here’s the process we go through to create one:
1. Strategy – The first step is to have a strategy and determine which pieces of information will be used where (such as what accolades or reviews you’ll want to use and if you want them on shelf talkers or neck tags). This will help inform which items you will need to make.
2. Gather – The next step is to gather the content you’ll need to create the tools: your brand story, wine technical info (pH, RS, TA, alc%), harvesting information, awards/reviews, and product photos (bottle shots).
3. Create – The last step is to create the materials. Portfolio sheets, tech sheets, and sell sheets, shelf talkers, business cards, and tasting cards.
Creating these materials in a professional, consistent and compelling way will help your brand stand out and make it easier on your sales reps and retailers to sell your wine.
Are you stuck in the steps to create your own kit? Maybe you don’t have all the content you need, like a compelling brand story, or you lack professional bottle shots. Or maybe you need help creating professional looking tech sheets and shelf talkers. Let us help un-stick you, and help you create a really successful sales tool kit.
We are Town Hall Brands, and have more than 21 years of industry experience, creating content and marketing materials for winery clients, successfully elevating their brands and helping their sales soar. We would love to do the same for you.
Coffee and Town Hall Brands
By Kathleen Beveridge Today is National Coffee Day or as Howard Schultz would say, "I can't imagine a day without coffee."
That being said I am not a coffee drinker, my choice of hot beverage has always been tea BUT there is something to be said about the smell of coffee brewing, the sounds of a coffee shop and the time spent with a warm mug in hand with friends, family and co-workers.
What I've noticed since joining Town Hall Brands last year is that our team loves coffee and that coffee is integral to our creative process to ensure we provide the best work for our clients. Whether creative design or communications you can bet each team member has a cup of coffee on their desk bringing focus and creative stimulation.
Now there has been studies that say coffee does not increase creativity however, for the team here I'll respectfully disagree. Coffee keeps us fueled up and when we need those mental breaks the walk to the coffee shop usually clears the mind enough that productivity is when returning to our desks.
In case you were wondering here's how the each team member enjoys their coffee!
Leeann
I like my coffee with just a little bit of milk and I like it to be strong. When I have a latte I like four shots of espresso and soy milk. No sugar. I'm sweet enough.
Andrew
Depends on whether it’s good coffee or not. If it’s good coffee it’s black.
Felicia
Often. With lots of cream.
Sujinder
With two (almost) vegans and one with dairy allergies in the house, we rarely have regular (cow’s) milk in the fridge, even though that’s my personal preference. That, and half a teaspoon of brown sugar. Always brown. I rarely get a hot cup of coffee at the home office, but my Stanley mega-thermos keeps it hot enough for the commute to Town Hall HQ. Other than that, I have a Nespresso ‘pixie’ which has served me well for years. My favourite pod is the Arpeggio. It’s intensity is 9/10. Just like me. And for the record, being environmentally-conscious, we scoop the grinds in the compost and recycle the aluminum. Love you, mother nature!
Laurisha
COFFEE IS MY EVERYTHING. IT DESERVES ALL THE ALL CAPS. I need it to be piping hot, fresh ground, and something like Kickinghorse, Ethical Bean or Salt-Spring. I like cream and sugar in it (not too much of either).
Amy
Americano black.
Kathleen
Tea please! Any and all kinds. Or if I have to choose a coffee make it sickly sweet-Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Mocha's, Carmel Machiattos. I may love the smell but the taste not so much.
Grace
Office coffee with 2 creams every morning. Sometimes with sugar if I’m feeling lazy and go to a café.
Genevieve
I like plain Jane drip coffee with almond milk and HONEY.
Cheers to National Coffee Day! May your day be filled with your favourite brew.
What a year of personalities #withTownHall
By Leeann Froese
Welcome to the #withTownHall #2015recap!
If you are a regular reader, you will know that each week we introduce a person we have encountered #withTownHall!
So as we end the year, let’s re-meet some amazing people:
Did you miss a post, or are you curious to know more about someone above? Click their posts to read about them:
Ezra Cipes, Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Crystal Kwon, Citizen Relations & Vancity Buzz
Alison Scholefield, Okanagan Crush Pad
James Melendez, James the Wine Guy
Mark Hicken, Vintage Law Group
Bailey Williamson, Blue Grouse Winery
Annika Reinhardt, Social Bites
Clement Chan, Torofuku Modern Asian
Cristina Brunner, Blue Grouse Winery
Glen Korstrom, Business in Vancouver
Julie Van Rosendaal, Dinner With Julie
Darnelle Moore, Eastside Fitness
Blue Grouse Estate Winery, team
Jim Irving, BC Hospitality Foundation
Jeremy Schacht, Ampersand Distilling
Chris Pritchett, UBC Thunderbirds Baseball
Swearing Minion, Despicable Me
Christine Campbell, Girls Go Grape
Joshua McVeity, Photographer and Fred Lee, Man About Town
Christa-Lee McWatters Bond, Local Lounge | Grille, Encore Vineyards
Kristina Manning, Monthlyclubs.com
Frank Morgan, Drink What You Like
Courtney Buryta, Vancouver Canucks
Natalie Langston, Freelance Media
Eagranie Yuh, Edible Vancouver and Wine Country
Crystal Henrickson, University of British Columbia
Steven Spurrier, Decanter Magazine
Jennifer Schell, BC Food and Wine Trails Magazine
Jackie Gidda, Mt Boucherie Estate Winery
Skip & Judy Stothert, Coolshanagh
Ron Wilson, Cheap and Cheerful
Justin Darnes, Drinks Undressed
Do you know someone who we should feature #withTownHall? Introduce us. And leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter
Meet Amy Chen #withTownHall
By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!
This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).
We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we actually are featuring one of our own team members - we introduce you to our very own Amy Chen!
It's Amy's birthday today so we thought if you haven't met her yet, this is a great chance to introduce her to you.
Amy is one of our star communicators. She does PR and event management with a smile and smarts. She has worked with us for a year and a half and in that time has become one of the city's go-to PR people when it comes to wine, food, and personalities.
Always with a positive attitude, Amy is a strategic thinker and is a great asset to our clients. You can read her complete bio here, but what we want you to know is that she is super talented, multi-lingual and in addition to being so great with people, she loves dogs too.
She works really hard and brings a ray of sunshine into our lives every day, and if you knew her, she'd bring sunshine into your life too!
She will be #withTownHall all week, so please help us wish her a happy birthday and give her a hello.
Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.