Jourdan on #WineWednesday / Word of mouth – the ultimate weapon in the wine world?

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(This post “Word of mouth – the ultimate weapon in the wine world? ” was written by Guillaume Jourdan. You can reach him at info@vitabella.fr or via Linkedin.)​

In an era in which all the talk is about creating a buzz, going viral and social media, here is a topic we would like to explore at VitaBella Luxury Wine: “Word of Mouth”. Why? Because the crux of the matter these days is about listening in a time when wine labels are creating content and sending messages all day long and wondering 1) if anyone is really listening and 2) if their advertising is paying off the way it did in the past. It would seem that nowadays “Word of Mouth” is more effective than traditional advertising – even if the two are obviously complimentary – for example in the event of a product launch or in building a reputation.

Here are a few reasons why wine brands are now turning to VitaBella Luxury Wine to define their “Word of Mouth” strategy:

1) BETTER TARGETING. Word of Mouth naturally targets an audience interested in the subject at hand. Unlike an advertising campaign which reaches a very wide audience and, consequently, not only those who are interested, Word of Mouth targets a relevant public. For marketing directors, this argument is capital in their ROI approach.

2) ONLINE & OFF-LINE. When we talk of Word of Mouth, many among us believe that Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are ideal bases on which to build a strategy. At VitaBella Luxury Wine we also mean off-line Word of Mouth. Because although we may spend two hours a day on average online, we spend around eight times as much off-line. So that’s where most Word of Mouth is happening.

3) MORE ENGAGING. Word of Mouth becomes particularly powerful and engaging when it is about rare and exclusive wines. You then give those you are communicating with the impression that they are insiders and special.

4) MORE VIRAL. The most powerful marketing is personal recommendation because obviously we have more faith in our friends than in advertising. So nothing is as viral as the word of a friend who recommends a spot he has visited or a wine he likes!

So how do you get others to do your communicating for you? How do you work your label’s “Word of Mouth”? Here is where psychology comes into play. You have to put yourself in the place of those who speak positively about your label and give them the opportunity, while passing on your message, to reveal something about themselves. The most viral messages are created by brands who give everyone the chance to share information that makes them shine in society and look like an “expert”. Shouldn’t the world of wine excel in this field?

INTERESTING READING: Guillaume Jourdan’s Point of View in CHALLENGES Magazine on Dom Perignon brand : Dom Pérignon pousse le bouchon dans le luxe

(For more information, contact us:
 info@vitabella.fr)