http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/food/wine/how-to-increase-wine-sales.html http://www.articletrader.com/food/wine/how-to-increase-wine-sales.html Thu, 07 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0600
Selling wine can be a complex and dueling task, but it doesn’t have to be. Just ask the staff at Olive Garden. They have learned how to take advantage of the mantra: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

This acronym has been around for a while now and it’s absolutely true. Novice customers rely on restaurants to recommend wine selections to them, so why not fill that need?

Here are my six steps to increase wine sales:

1) Evaluate Wine Selection

Select wines by the style of your patrons and the food served. Try not to rely completely on the recommendations of the wine distributor’s sales representative, as he or she is trying to get you to buy the wines they distribute. Don’t focus too much on price, but do make sure that a bottle of wine costs no more than the customer’s meal.

2) Create Ambiance

Wine bottles should be displayed in plain view and be recognizable to the patrons even though he or she may not be a wine connoisseur. Music and lighting should create a relaxed atmosphere and the environment should be cozy.

3) Educate Staff

Learn the basics. What does wine mean? What is the difference between a good bottle of wine and a bad bottle? How is wine ranked?

Learn wine aromas and descriptors, but don’t forget to keep it simple. Use words that the average patron and staff members will understand and remember. Stay away from stuffy descriptions and provide just enough information. In other words, there is no need to offer too many details.

4) Offer Wine Tasting

As a consumer, I always enjoy getting something for nothing. What better way to begin an evening then by being offered a sample of one or two types of wine? What does the consumer have to lose? If they don’t like the wine sample, that’s perfectly okay. If they do like it, then they will ask for a glass or better yet - for a bottle.

5) Educate Patrons

I can’t preach this one enough. Many consumers don’t buy wine because they feel unable to make an educated wine selection. Recommend wine selections complimenting menu choices. This will transform your patron’s meal into an experience, and at the same time make the patron confident enough to order a favorable wine choice.


6) Offer a Bottle vs. a Glass

Some states have passed wine to go laws allowing patrons to take home an unfinished bottle of wine. These laws have also been referred to as Merlot to Go, Cork n’ Carry, Pinot to Go, or Wine Doggie Bag Bills. Most patrons are not aware of this law. Take this opportunity to inform them, and watch your wine bottle sales skyrocket! To learn more about your state wine to go law, visit www.togobrand.com.












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Christine Smith specializes in helping restaurants limit
liability exposure and maximize marketing efforts.
For more specific information visit http://www.togobrand.com.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/food/wine/how-to-comply-with-the-new-wine-to-go-laws.html http://www.articletrader.com/food/wine/how-to-comply-with-the-new-wine-to-go-laws.html Thu, 07 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0600
I decided to go out and ask one of my favorite restaurants what they knew about the law and how they were complying. The restaurant is a phenomenal restaurant located in West Palm Beach, Florida named The Okeechobee Steakhouse. This establishment has been in existence since 1947 and I was certain that they would have policies and procedures in place to comply with the wine to go law and at the same time reduce their liability.

If you’re like my husband and I, then you enjoy making a whole evening out of dinner. We began by waiting for our table at the bar and ordering a bottle of wine. As usual, we had a glass at the bar and brought the rest to our table for dinner. Long story short, after enjoying our salad, meal and dessert there was no wine left over to take home. What a surprise! After all those years with the pressure of not being able to take a good bottle of wine home with us - we mastered the art of finishing it with dinner.

Even though there was no more wine left, I still needed to find out the answer to my question: What is this restaurant doing to comply with the new Florida wine-to-go law? We, therefore, asked to speak directly to the manager. Once the restaurant manager arrived at our table, we asked her if she had heard of the wine-to-go law that was recently passed? She immediately responded “of course I have.” We then asked what the restaurant was doing to comply? With a puzzled look on her face, she said “Well, we re-cork it and let the customer leave with it”. Wow…I was shocked. This is an extremely well known restaurant willing to risk everything they have built over nearly 60 years… without even knowing it!

After that evening, each night we went out to dinner, we would ask the same question: Have you heard about the new wine to go law and what are you doing to comply? We received a variety of answers, from “We have never heard of the law, what is it?” to “We re-cork it and put it in a plastic grocery bag and hope for the best.”

So, what exactly should have been done? The Florida Statute 564.09 states that a restaurant licensed to sell wine may permit a patron to remove one unsealed bottle of wine provided the following conditions are met:

 The patron consumed a portion of the wine with the purchase of a full meal.
 The restaurant securely reseals the bottle.
 The bottle is placed in a bag that is secured in a manner that is visibly apparent if the bag has been opened.
 A dated receipt for the wine and the meal is attached.

Although the laws vary from state to state, about 34 states of passed such laws. For specifics on your state go to www.togobrand.com/usmap.htm


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Christine Smith specializes in helping restaurants limit liability exposure and maximize marketing efforts. Specifics of the wine to go law vary from state to state and about 34 states of passed such laws. To view your state law, visit http://www.togobrand.com/usmap.htm.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>