With more than 30 SKUs, Gervasi Vineyard’s wine portfolio has enough diversity to appeal to a wide range of palates and audiences.
But the Canton, Ohio winemaking company’s success and rapid growth that has taken place since 2010 can be attributed to more than just selling the wine it makes. Here are three ways Gervasi sets itself up for success.
Following Up and Communicating
Keeping people engaged who’ve indicated they’re interested in hearing news from Gervasi is one way.
Their robust e-mail list is one way they keep their audience engaged and buying their products. The list that Gervasi Marketing Director Andrea Hartman said was organic has grown to 100,593 contacts.
“We find our guest list is still very engaged and interested in receiving news about us through e-mail,” Hartman said. “It’s a great way for us to communicate with our guests about upcoming events.”
Putting More on the Menu
Once they’ve arrived at the 55-acre estate that includes a hotel, restaurants, cocktail bars and gift shops, Gervasi has a number of ways it showcases its products.
Wine tastings, for instance, now take place tableside at the on-site restaurants, The Bistro and The Still House, which presents an opportunity for additional sales.
“This allows us to market the delicious cuisine and craft cocktail offerings we also provide to our guests,” Hartman said. “We also offer a premium pairings tour on Saturdays that includes a tour of our winery along with a tasting of four wines and four small bites.”
Making Merchandise Attractive
Gervasi’s estate also includes a dedicated space to sell both wine and non-wine products that opened earlier this spring.
The 2,000-square-foot marketplace boutique gift shop opened in April. It was a move CEO and General Manager Scott Swaldo said was necessary to display its growing product line, which includes a portfolio that has expanded sizably since it opened in 2010.
When the original wine and spirits merchandising space was built 12 years ago, Gervasi was selling eight wines. Their portfolio has since expanded to include more than 20, not including the line of spirits Gervasi also produces.
The merchandise presentation allows for the customer to more easily understand the product options, but the space also allows Gervasi to sell luxury products that include accessories, home decor, barware, pantry items, culinary items and Gervasi-branded merchandise.
The setup definitely influences buyer behavior, Hartman said.
“We find that when we offer a wide variety of product inventory the average guest is likely to buy a bottle of their favorite wine or spirit and find a unique gift item for themselves or someone else,” Hartman said.
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