The Biggest Surprise So Far, About Wine + Data? Walk Before You Run

Photo Credit: EverydayDevotions.com

During our Enolytics retreat a few weeks ago, I asked our co-founder (whose professional experience is not in the wine industry) what the biggest surprise for him has been, since we launched a little more than three years ago.

“At first, the splash we made was about building an ecosystem of data partners who could help fill in the ‘blindspot’ of consumer sentiment around wine,” he said. “That’s still really important, and getting more so every day.”

And since then?

“Since then, what’s surprised me the most,” he said, “was how many wineries have said, ‘Look, we already HAVE data. We already own it, and we’re pretty sure we aren’t using it as best we can. It maybe isn’t as sexy or as splashy, but why don’t we work with that, before we bring in outside data?’”

In other words, let’s walk before we run.

Makes sense to us.

So, what kind of data do most wineries already have?

It depends on the size and nature of the business, but most often it involves DTC sales, tasting room visits, Nielsen data, CRM data, social media analytics, financial history, purchase history, or some combination of any of those.

(Can you relate to this?)

It adds up to quite a lot, actually, with the potential of something very powerful and strategic.

The catch, as maybe you can also relate to, is how few wineries dedicate staff and resources to working with the data that a wine business already has, that they generate organically every month or every quarter or etc of the year.

That’s where we can help. That’s where we’ve been helping, as much as this segment of the industry has been a surprise development for us. We’ve caught on pretty quickly.

Where are you in the process? Do you have a handle on how much data you have? Do you analyze it, and put it to work for your business? Is it helping to increase sales and improve your bottom line? Do you have a hunch it can be better?

Let’s talk about it, and see if there’s a way we can help. Please be in touch with any questions or ideas.

PS We’ll be taking next week off, enjoying the last official weekend of the summer. I hope you do too!

Thank you, as always, for reading –

Cathy