10 top tips for maximising wine sales - compiled by Vintellect

1. Offer as many wines by the glass as possible
   Make sure that you offer as many wines by the glass as possible, including sparkling wine. Only list wines that you are likely to sell within one week, not wines that may be open for several weeks! It is essential that you use a wine preservation system, like Presorvac, which can keep the wines fresh for up to two weeks.
   
   
2. Re-seal every bottle IMMEDIATELY
   EVERY time you pour a glass of wine, re-seal the bottle immediately, even if you know you are going to pour that same wine again within minutes!
   
   There are two reasons why this is so important:
   • The moment a wine is exposed to air it starts to oxidise and deteriorate (just like taking a bite out of an apple). By using Presorvac as soon as a glass is poured, the wine will remain fresh for at least a week. Whereas if a bottle of wine is left until the end of the day before it is resealed, it will barely remain fresh for another day or two.
     
     
   • Presorvac is the perfect marketing tool! Be seen to be using it and it will generate interest from your customers. Some customers will question you about what you are doing. Explaining to customers that you are preserving their wine will give them the confidence to try better quality, higher-priced wines.
     
     
3. Be bold and offer more expensive wines by the glass
   Using Presorvac enables you to offer better quality and higher-priced wines by the glass with confidence. You will be surprised just how much customers are prepared to spend on good quality wines available by the glass.
   
   
4. Offer a good choice of rosés and sparkling wines by the glass
   With consumption of rosé wine up 200% it is a good idea to list at least two by the glass. Since Presorvac also preserves sparkling wines you should offer a choice of at least two, with one being Champagne. All sparkling wines are best served in flutes so that the bubbles are both conserved and shown off at the same time, instantly imparting a moment of luxury, while the price will be closer to your still wines. With a 125ml flute customers who are driving may feel they can still go on to enjoy a second glass. Don’t be afraid that Champagne and sparkling wines won’t sell: try them and you will be surprised. Prosecco is the trendy bubbly of the moment and good examples represent excellent value for money.
   
   
5. Use the best quality stemware
   When offering a range of quality wines by the glass, good stemware is essential. Remember that we drink with our eyes! When a customer is served wine in a good quality large clean glass it will taste so much better than the same wine filled to the top of a small pokey glass covered in glass washer smears.
   
   
6. Good merchandising alone can result in a 20% increase in wine sales
   Create an impressive ‘wine station’. This is an area of your bar/restaurant dedicated to displaying wine and to maximising sales. A well designed wine station should create an immediate positive impact on customers, making a powerful statement that tells them you offer the best wines and the best service possible.
   
   
7. Your wine list can set the standard of your establishment: good presentation is essential
   Ensure that your wine lists are well designed, clearly presented and easy to read. Descriptions need to be well written to give confidence and encourage customers to experiment. Good descriptions really do ‘sell’ wines. Any blackboards used to advertise your wines must be clear and easy to read.
   
   
8. Use every opportunity to match food and wine
   Food and wine matching seems to be buzz words at the moment. Customers so often appreciate a recommendation, so it is a good idea to recommend a wine to match each dish on your menu, or at least with your daily specials.
   
   
9. Ban the term ‘house wine’!
   Removing the term ‘house wine’ opens up your list, encourages customers to try different wines and allows staff to make recommendations. Your staff should present the wine list automatically and be ready to recommend an appropriate wine. Remember most customers do welcome a recommendation. Never assume a request for a glass of ‘house wine’ is a request for the cheapest wine!
   
   
10. Introduce ‘structured’ staff training
    Last, but by no means least, train your staff to serve wine correctly using wine preservation and train them to be able to recommend appropriate wines. Staff training is the key to your success. On-the-job training must be properly structured and every member of staff should be trained to the same standard. E-learning is the most cost effective way of ensuring that every single member of staff is trained to a high minimum standard. ‘Max your wine sales’ shows staff how to serve wine correctly, how to use wine preservation system (including Presorvac) and gives them the necessary knowledge and confidence to promote your wines and maximise your sales.
    
    Listed below are 7 reasons why you should train your staff in wine:
    
    • 1. It gives them the knowledge and confidence when talking to customers about wine.
    • 2. Investing on your staff makes them feel valued.
    • 3. With their newly acquired knowledge and feeling a sense of value, they are likely to stay longer.
    • 4. Lower staff turnover means less time recruiting and more time for you to develop your business.
    • 5. Happy, knowledgeable, professional and loyal staff lead to happy and loyal customers who a more likely to return bringing their friends.
    • 6. In short, wine training leads to a substantial increase in sales and profit – not just from wine but everything else too!

    click here to download a copy of Vintellect’s top 10 tips for maximising wine sales using Presorvac.