8 min
Liquor Plus Radio 10 Liquor Plus Radio
-
- Food
Show Notes Episode 10 Liquor Plus Radio Wine Talk Week 6/52 2012
It has been a few weeks since my last post. I think my body and brain just told me to relax a bit; dial it back as the creative juices had run dry. I’m not saying they are back but the caffeine cursing through my veins right now has got my fingers tapping keys.
Last week I was confirmed as a Speaker at both EatDrinkTweet in Penticton (Feb. 17-19, 2012 http://allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet/ (http://allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet/)) and then the following week on a retail panel at Vancouver International Playhouse Wine Festival (Feb. 27-March 4 http://playhousewinefest.com/ (http://playhousewinefest.com/)). The central theme about each of my speeches will be how social media has changed the way we do business.
For years so much of what we do in retail was invisible, the effect of which was that it was easy to focus solely on the measurable of sales, average ring, demographics, and a few other non-feeling results of the retail function. The expectation was that as long as the quality of the product met the quality of its production cycle, buyers and consumers would buy it. Things that were not measured were the human elements all the way from where the products were produced to who rang it through at the till. Those human elements are the conversations and relationships made and re-enforced; these are the things that get a product to market.
It is easy to talk about the grape, the region, the soil, the malts, the hops, the yeast strain and the water. It is even easier to talk about where the wine maker, brew master, master blender go their training or the barrels that their products were aged in. It is much harder to speak of the catalytic moment where the product gained life and how that moment was captured and spread throughout the supply chain one relationship at a time, right through to the customer, or better yet, guest. That is the domain that Social Media has uncovered or shone the light on.
Social Media has given everyone from farmer to retailer or restaurateur, to customer the ability to speak to one another. It allows for creativity to exist and come alive where it was previously squelched.
I measure the richness of the conversation by the feeling I get when someone tells me that they loved a recommendation, or when I can grasp and share the vision of the ‘artisan’ who made the product. I don’t walk away from the engagement counting bottles sold or bought. I walk away feeling enriched by the conversation. I’m reminded of the line Anna Farmery uses to sign off her podcast “People won’t necessarily remember the things you say, or the things you do, they will remember how you made them feel”.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that Social Media is a magic pill for every company. The fact is that is you don’t want to actively and authentically engage with your customers and suppliers you won’t realize the benefits or richness that Social Media offers and it will work against you instead of for you.
I firmly believe that if it were not for the lively interactions that we have with our customers, suppliers and colleagues, that our company, selection and proposition to the market would be lacking real soul.
Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy.
You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca (http://www.liquorplus.ca/) clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com.
Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus
As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right.
Show Notes Episode 10 Liquor Plus Radio Wine Talk Week 6/52 2012
It has been a few weeks since my last post. I think my body and brain just told me to relax a bit; dial it back as the creative juices had run dry. I’m not saying they are back but the caffeine cursing through my veins right now has got my fingers tapping keys.
Last week I was confirmed as a Speaker at both EatDrinkTweet in Penticton (Feb. 17-19, 2012 http://allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet/ (http://allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet/)) and then the following week on a retail panel at Vancouver International Playhouse Wine Festival (Feb. 27-March 4 http://playhousewinefest.com/ (http://playhousewinefest.com/)). The central theme about each of my speeches will be how social media has changed the way we do business.
For years so much of what we do in retail was invisible, the effect of which was that it was easy to focus solely on the measurable of sales, average ring, demographics, and a few other non-feeling results of the retail function. The expectation was that as long as the quality of the product met the quality of its production cycle, buyers and consumers would buy it. Things that were not measured were the human elements all the way from where the products were produced to who rang it through at the till. Those human elements are the conversations and relationships made and re-enforced; these are the things that get a product to market.
It is easy to talk about the grape, the region, the soil, the malts, the hops, the yeast strain and the water. It is even easier to talk about where the wine maker, brew master, master blender go their training or the barrels that their products were aged in. It is much harder to speak of the catalytic moment where the product gained life and how that moment was captured and spread throughout the supply chain one relationship at a time, right through to the customer, or better yet, guest. That is the domain that Social Media has uncovered or shone the light on.
Social Media has given everyone from farmer to retailer or restaurateur, to customer the ability to speak to one another. It allows for creativity to exist and come alive where it was previously squelched.
I measure the richness of the conversation by the feeling I get when someone tells me that they loved a recommendation, or when I can grasp and share the vision of the ‘artisan’ who made the product. I don’t walk away from the engagement counting bottles sold or bought. I walk away feeling enriched by the conversation. I’m reminded of the line Anna Farmery uses to sign off her podcast “People won’t necessarily remember the things you say, or the things you do, they will remember how you made them feel”.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that Social Media is a magic pill for every company. The fact is that is you don’t want to actively and authentically engage with your customers and suppliers you won’t realize the benefits or richness that Social Media offers and it will work against you instead of for you.
I firmly believe that if it were not for the lively interactions that we have with our customers, suppliers and colleagues, that our company, selection and proposition to the market would be lacking real soul.
Liquor Plus Radio is hosted and Produced by Rod Phillips with technical assistance from Steve Jobs (RIP) via GarageBand, Mike & Cheryl DeWolfe and Mike Vardy.
You can subscribe to Liquor Plus Radio by either going to our website www.liquorplus.ca (http://www.liquorplus.ca/) clicking on View Community, then the LP Blog, and subscribing by RSS, Or you can subscribe through iTunes or at www.BluBrry .com.
Liquor Plus Radio is sponsored by Liquor Plus. Liquor Plus has 5 Island Owned and Island Operated full service locations to serve you better. Liquor Plus Discover the Plus
As always please let us know what you think as we know we can improve but need feedback to do that right.
8 min