President Biden’s speech yesterday outlined the current state of vaccine rollout, including progress towards the goal of 200 million shots by his hundredth day in office. He shared plans to support educators; expanding vaccination sites and mobile coverage; and a new date for nationwide adult eligibility. The President ended by urging Americans to stay the course, getting vaccinated as soon as they are eligible to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 variants.
The administration is setting their sights on summer, saying, “we can have a safe, happy Fourth of July with your family and your friends and small groups in your backyard.” While tasting rooms have been opening in varying degrees in accordance with state and local guidelines, the thought of Independence Day marking a nationwide milestone in our return to normalcy begs the question:
Are you ready for life after the pandemic?
For customer traffic and sales, the answer is obvious. What’s not as clear is what can be done now to prepare for the eventuality of marketing your post-COVID-19 craft beverage business. We designed a checklist to help in the following areas:
How does a marketing health check make your craft beverage business more discoverable?
It’s best-practice to do an audit of your marketing efforts quarterly to ensure you’re meeting your performance goals. In the case of COVID-19, it’s even more important to make sure your business continues to engage customers throughout the pandemic and beyond. Those tasting rooms will likely see the greatest surge of traffic and sales in-step with lessening restrictions and growing consumer confidence. Read on for 15 areas of marketing to help position you for reopening, with links to articles and guides for execution.
physical space
More than a fresh coat of paint and spring cleaning (which couldn’t hurt, though), take the time now to make your space ready to welcome craft beverage drinkers. Those who haven’t visited your tasting room will need a proper introduction, while regulars will be reminded of why they prefer you over others. First impressions are important for guests who have refrained from public gatherings for the past year. Knowing what to expect when they visit will help warm them up to the idea:
Marketing Tactic | Links and Guides | |
Tasting room video tour: share a behind-the-scenes look at the space, your team and customers enjoying themselves in a safe environment. | Coronavirus and video content | |
Photo-worthy settings: make it easy for guests to share photos of your tasting room, helping drive traffic after reopening. | Crafting your indoor space | |
COVID-19 procedures: guests will continue to seek out a procedural page on your website during the transition period. | COVID-19 procedures webpage Updating business hours during COVID-19 | |
Events calendar: take the time now to plan out and publish at least the next three (3) months of online and in-person events. | 4 areas of your website that attract new customers The Events Calendar for WordPress | |
Give the gift of craft beverage: gift cards and pay-it-forward boards help prompt customers to make plans to visit. | Gift certificates and vouchers |
Marketing Tactic |
Links and Guides |
Tasting room video tour: share a behind-the-scenes look at the space, your team and customers enjoying themselves in a safe environment. |
Coronavirus and video content |
Photo-worthy settings: make it easy for guests to share photos of your tasting room, helping drive traffic after reopening. |
Crafting your indoor space |
COVID-19 procedures: guests will continue to seek out a procedural page on your website during the transition period. |
COVID-19 procedures webpage Updating business hours during COVID-19 |
Events calendar: take the time now to plan out and publish at least the next three (3) months of online and in-person events. |
4 areas of your website that attract new customers The Events Calendar for WordPress |
Give the gift of craft beverage: gift cards and pay-it-forward boards help prompt customers to make plans to visit. |
Gift certificates and vouchers |
operations
Many craft beverage producers transformed their outdoor spaces to accommodate guests when indoor drinking was prohibited. Curbside pickup, delivery and even in-state shipping created sales opportunities previously unimaginable. What lessons have we learned that put us in a better spot to serve our customers? It’s important to identify those areas of your business that have benefit from the COVID-forced pivot. Choose what to carry forward once the pandemic is in the rear view:
Marketing Tactic | Links and Guides | |
Reservation system: will some form of table reservation system provide ongoing value to your waitstaff and guests? | Winter COVID-19 prep Team Booking for WordPress | |
Customer service: how we talk with customers has radically changed, including scripts for commonly-asked questions, social dialogue and automated chatbots. | Supplement: responding to COVID-19 fatigue What to do when a customer gets COVID angry How to respond to criticism | |
Entertainment: craft beverage brands got creative to provide engaging content to drinkers, even during a complete shutdown. | Using calendars during coronavirus | |
Festival participation: we’re all itching to get back to in-person sampling, but consider a hybrid strategy for the balance of 2021. | Festival economics: is sponsorship worth it? Online festival participation | |
Respect the frontline: recognizing the great work done by medical providers, educators and essential businesses during COVID-19 doesn’t have to stop after reopening. | Coronavirus and frontline support |
Marketing Tactic |
Links and Guides |
Reservation system: will some form of table reservation system provide ongoing value to your waitstaff and guests? |
Winter COVID-19 prep Team Booking for WordPress |
Customer service: how we talk with customers has radically changed, including scripts for commonly-asked questions, social dialogue and automated chatbots. |
Supplement: responding to COVID-19 fatigue What to do when a customer gets COVID angry How to respond to criticism |
Entertainment: craft beverage brands got creative to provide engaging content to drinkers, even during a complete shutdown. |
Using calendars during coronavirus |
Festival participation: we’re all itching to get back to in-person sampling, but consider a hybrid strategy for the balance of 2021. |
Festival economics: is sponsorship worth it? Online festival participation |
Respect the frontline: recognizing the great work done by medical providers, educators and essential businesses during COVID-19 doesn’t have to stop after reopening. |
Coronavirus and frontline support |
role of digital
The value of digital connection has been undeniable during the coronavirus. Technologies like Zoom took center stage, providing a lifeline for family, friends and businesses unable to meet in person. Social media use exploded in new and unexpected ways, from sharing at-home learning tips for parents to DIY bartending with JohnnyDrinks on TikTok and everything in-between. Now is the time ramp-up digital efforts to help your craft beverage brand rise above the noise following reopening:
Marketing Tactic | Links and Guides | |
Stockpile photography: photos of your customers, space, team and beverage will make it easier for your team to post more frequently in the coming months. | Targeting social posts during COVID-19 | |
Industry press: design a press release template to notify local and regional media of major milestones in your reopening schedule. | Newsworthy: a step-by-step guide to press releases Press release: when craft beverage is newsworthy Opening tasting rooms during coronavirus Communicating a positive COVID-19 test | |
Online ordering: expose the online storefront feature of your point-of-sale system or add ecommerce capabilities to your existing website. | Storefront: a step-by-step guide to online selling Ecwid Ecommerce for WordPress | |
Advertising: have you enabled your ad accounts across social, search and display channels? | Advertising without super-sized budgets | |
Refresh your website: update messaging, imagery and functionality to reflect the current selling environment. Your brand is not the same today as it was a year ago! | ADA and website accessibility 4 areas of your website that attract new customers Homepage refresh for a COVID winter |
Marketing Tactic |
Links and Guides |
Stockpile photography: photos of your customers, space, team and beverage will make it easier for your team to post more frequently in the coming months. |
Targeting social posts during COVID-19 |
Industry press: design a press release template to notify local and regional media of major milestones in your reopening schedule. |
Newsworthy: a step-by-step guide to press releases Press release: when craft beverage is newsworthy Opening tasting rooms during coronavirus Communicating a positive COVID-19 test |
Online ordering: expose the online storefront feature of your point-of-sale system or add ecommerce capabilities to your existing website. |
Storefront: a step-by-step guide to online selling Ecwid Ecommerce for WordPress |
Advertising: have you enabled your ad accounts across social, search and display channels? |
Advertising without super-sized budgets |
Refresh your website: update messaging, imagery and functionality to reflect the current selling environment. Your brand is not the same today as it was a year ago! |
ADA and website accessibility 4 areas of your website that attract new customers Homepage refresh for a COVID winter |
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