3 Events in 3 Days
The lesson in all of this - plan, then plan some more, then create a plan on the plan you have.
I’m going to say something that no one in the wine industry wants me to say - August is the time you steal away.
August and January will find wine industry people, on the East Coast, either in a funk because of seasonal depression, or happy to have time to pretend we are working. I see you - you who are “creating business” on the golf course, or you who have a 5-hour lunch at the Jersey Shore “presenting new 'by-the-glass options”. I’m also not blaming you; you have had enough weekends stolen from your life, or have seen days that never end focused on driving sales - not fun, and you need a moment in the sun. However, what would happen if you managed a brand that has the OPPOSITE harvest schedule as your part of the world? Our Southern Hemisphere friends are ready to sell all the things come June - and you are along for the ride.
Will I be a naughty industry partner if I said I don’t look forward to the suspense, and anxiety driven lunches hoping people will show up. Or the schedules that will be changed four times over because of the cancellations that will come pouring in? This summer I recieved a call and a few texts at noon telling me the rest of my day just cancelled, and the supplier was sitting next to me in the passenger seat. Heart pounding, the August sun beating down on me (plus the hot menopausal flashes that decided to show up due to anxiety), and my stomach in knots, the only choice is to pivot.
But pivot to what? I just told you everyone is on holiday. Back to the beginning of this rant - your plan.
It goes without saying, and I don’t think I need to tell you to work your plan, however, the plan comes from your gut. Really, your soul. If you aren’t feeling this, now is not the time to try to perform. EVERYTHING is going to go down the toilet. EVERYTHING is not going to look good two days before the supplier shows up. If you have gone about this as a casual chore, then just don’t do it. When everyone tells you you are going to fail, don’t believe them. You have support; time to use it and find the people who believe in your quest. They are out there, but they are not obvious. You will be looking to your leaders for a life line; they want the numbers at the end of the day, and they are not the ones that will hold your hand. Get out that list of tribe members, loyal sales representatives that have fought the good battle with you, and look out for the newbie managers that think you have a spark. They will swoop in at this time because they know you are worth it.
Your worst pitfall will be yourself. You will begin to believe you will fail; why wouldn’t you. All the stakes are against you, your team is telling you this is impossible, the category is not strong in the community at the moment, who wants to drink Carmenere in 100 degree weather - should I go on?
When you are good, you are good - and the point of all of this is to be better than good. Do I drag a winemaker from account to account for three days, or do I bring the accounts to him? My plan; to have Aurelio Montes Jr perform three “get-togethers” in three states in three days - all in the month of August. All with about 15 to 20 guests in attendance; the perfect amount of people in attendance, and the perfect chosen few that I believe left as ambassadors to the winery. My mission was to bring the excitement, the private stories that make these wines great, and the actual guy that makes the stuff to the stage. I have worked with many winemakers in my time around the sun of this industry, but no one charms an audience like Aurelio. He comes alive and transports you to his methods and happy place. He is an encyclopedia about the viticulture of Chile, and what it takes to be a pioneer of the area. He has vision, a whole lot of charisma, and will take you along for a ride.
And right now, he is happy (I am speaking about Aurelio - one of the most important factors in ALL of this). He is happy he met the active players that will continue with his wines. He is happy he had an experience rather than a trip to the East Coast. And we are all happy we made it through, and we made it through as a success.
Why would you doubt any of this?
