Fundamental to the success of Craft Beverage Jobs and our mission to connecting passionate people with unique job opportunities within craft beer, wine, distilled spirits and other craft beverages is providing you, our reader, with valuable and informative content.
That is why we are excited to announce our newest partnership with the Wine Industry Sales Eduction (aka WISE Academy) and the introduction to WISE Academy Wednesdays or #WISEwednesday.
About Wine Industry Sales Eduction
WISE Academy was co-founded by Lesley Berglund and Mack Schwing, two wine industry leaders who recognized the need for a higher level of direct to consumer sales training than previously offered to the industry. WISE Academy was founded in 2008, and has grown to become the leading source of education, training and certification for all aspects of direct sales (tasting room, customer service, events, wine clubs, online sales, etc).
Individuals who wish to obtain relevant job training for the sake of career development seek out WISE as do organizations who send employees for more formalized sales education. While the curriculum is focused around Direct-To-Consumer sales, WISE Academy takes a holistic, liberal-arts approach by addressing development of the individual with regard to problem solving and nurturing one’s own skills and talents.
WISE Academy curriculum is broken down into the following categories:
- Core Courses
- Tasting Room
- Inside Sales
- Wine Club
- Online Marketing
- Data & Metrics
- Leadership Series
WISE training can be both modular and progressive. Those wishing to only take a select number of classes relevant to their needs may do so, or a student may also seek certification through the WISE system. Being WISE Certified benefits both the individual with excellent career growth opportunities and benefits the employer by having someone on staff who is skillfully trained to identify opportunities for incremental DTC profit.
Courses are held throughout the year and there are campuses in California – both in Sonoma and Napa counties. There are several courses also offered in Washington state – catering to that region’s growing wine industry.
Mystery Shopping & Onsite Coaching
To compliment the offerings of the Academy, WISE also offers services to the industry in the form of Mystery Shopping and Onsite Coaching. Wineries interested in having their Direct to Consumer program audited may choose to have trained WISE staff members visit anonymously and WISE is also available to lead group workshops and coaching for new or existing establishments.
To learn more about WISE Academy, please visit their website. You may also follow WISE on Facebook and on LinkedIN
#WISEwednesday
Though WISE Academy focuses its training and offering to the wine industry of California and Washington, their expertise in Direct to Consumer sales and marketing is very relevant and valuable to the growing craft beer, cider, and distilled spirits industries as well.
Each Wednesday, WISE Academy will take over the Craft Beverage Jobs blog and share tips, tools, and insights – taken directly from their course curriculum – to assist the Craft Beverage Jobs community with their DTC initiatives and education.
Each week the topic will change, and will focus on the following areas as they relate to Direct To Consumer Sales & Marketing:
- Service
- Brand Identity
- Metrics
- Sales & Service
- Mystery Shopping
- Organization
- Silent Selling
- Leadership
- Growing Traffic
In order to make sure you don’t miss a #WISEwednesday post, we encourage you to subscribe to receive them each by email. Click here to subscribe to WISE Academy Wednesdays
#WISEwednesday – Mini Preview
Front Stage vs. Back Stage
Front Stage activities are customer-facing – everything the customer sees, hears and experiences in your Tasting Room. Back Stage activities are our back-of-the-house functions, providing support for a perfect Front Stage performance. When something goes wrong in our guest experience, it’s usually because something in our Back Stage slipped. Are schedules put away or are they on top of the bar? Is the bathroom spotless, glasses polished, parking lot clear of debris? Is our POS system providing flawless check out?
Take a moment each day to see your Tasting Room through the eyes of your customers. Is your Back Stage showing?