In wine circles, Anthony Dias Blue needs no introduction. A former wine and spirits editor for Bon Appetit, Anthony is now the editor-in-chief of The Tasting Panel, as well as the founder of Blue Lifestyle, one of the nation’s most successful producers of wine and food events.
So when Anthony Dias Blue speaks, it’s a good idea to listen.
On that note, we were impressed with a recent editorial Blue wrote titled “Stop The Whining.” In it, Blue says that he often hears wineries complain that they’re not getting noticed. But when he visits their web sites to learn more, he frequently finds their web presence to be “totally inadequate.”
Here’s what he says:
“I, along with other serious media types, get a great amount of information on wineries and their personnel from the Internet. I’m sure most retailers and food and beverage professionals access the web frequently to expand their knowledge.”
“If you are producing wine and trying to sell it, not having a comprehensive web site is suicidal. There needs to be background information about you, your winemaker and your wines.”
“Your web site is your calling card. It represents you. Your web site should create an image…Tell us things that are relevant and will give us insight into what you are trying to accomplish.”
“Show some nice pictures of your place and your vineyards, but don’t clog things up with too many pictures of barrels and vines.”
You will note that Blue doesn’t say a lot about the design of the site. Of course, a snazzy user-friendly design can only help—but a snazzy design by itself only puts you in the league of other sites with a snazzy design.
In other words, what truly sets you apart is your own individual story and, most important, how that story is told.
What makes you and your products different? What is your vision, and why should people care about your brand? What are your unique selling points? What is your content strategy for maximizing your sales potential?
These are the types of questions that can only be answered with words, not pictures. This is why our motto is “every word counts.”
Telling a great story is easier said than done, of course—which is why we’re here to help.
