Last week I attended the Wine Communicators of Australia Direct to Consumer Summit. The day-long event is designed to share industry knowledge and help wine businesses succeed.

Here are my top take-aways:

1. Humanity trumps technology every time

First up was Linden Brown from MarketCulture. If wine businesses want to grow their profits, they must start by building a truly customer centric culture. I have spoken about this before — most wine businesses are not truly customer centric. They put themselves at the centre of their stories, not their customer. His example of Sapphire Lodges’ mantra that every one of their guests must get a moment to take home, is something every business could learn from.

Later in the day Jamie Pike, from Pikes Wines in Clare, spoke about the importance of the human warmth in all parts of his family business. If wine loses humanity, it becomes commodity.

2. Storytelling is so hot right now

Well, it kind of always has been, but it’s definitely enjoying a moment in the sun. Stories build purpose, culture, clarity and meaning. Stories are what your customer remembers and comes back for. Everything we take for granted, from currency to nation states to religion, exists through storytelling — it is our superpower. Nicholas Williams from Hungerford Hill Wines agreed, but lamented that most wine businesses are all telling the same story — a story that neither differentiates nor resonates.

Douglas Nicol, co-founder of Australian Centre for AI in Marketing, spoke earlier that that whilst AI beats us at process and production, it can’t match us at creative storytelling and new thinking. Humans will always be needed for this. Douglas, I sure hope you’re right.

3. Look outside your bubble

What can corporate finance bring to wine? Well, Samantha Elliott showed how a career with Macquarie Bank, Citibank and NAB building data-driven digital sales and marketing strategies and systems is paying dividends now that she’s back with the family business, Tamburlaine Organic Wines.

And Rod Micallef of Zonzo Estate Yarra Valley explained how running a restaurant and surrounding himself with a young team has helped him bag the elusive unicorn — Gen Z.

4. The DTC dream is within reach

Richard Owens from WithWine and Michael van der Sommen from Torbreck Vintners, both dream of a 100% direct to consumer future, and are putting in the work so wineries can achieve it. Richard through his WithWine digital platform, and Michael by studying how Napa does it.

5. Pick up the phone

Madeline Jones from Brunch Agency rounded out the day with a great session outlining what she’s found to work in DTC after consulting with over 150 wine businesses. Yes, we got into automated flows, Meta ads and pixel firing, but I was amazed at the results her clients were getting from the humble phone campaign.

Again, proof that in an increasingly digitised world, the human touch is needed more than ever.

—

Matt Remphrey, Owner