Set Your Sights on Summer Sales

May 14, 2018

 

Now is the time to set your summer sales strategy for success. To help get your account in shape for the warmer months, we asked three of Breakthru Beverage Colorado’s top specialists what they suggest on- and off-premise customers do to make the most of the summer selling season.

Sam Heider, Fine Wine Development Manager

 

Here Come the Summer Sippers

Let’s get this out of the way first: If you’re an account that does not have some sort of outdoor patio, then you are really missing out on a lot of seasonal sales.

In terms of wine, I think this season we’ll be seeing customers gravitate even more towards rosé, sparkling wines outside of Champagne, unoaked whites and high-acid reds. There will always be the mainstay reds that should stay on the menu no matter what season it is, such as California Cabernet Sauvignon, a Bourdieu, or Rioja. Outside of those few, however, accounts should really focus their selection on those crisper, refreshing styles, and not think about the high-end reds until the fall when the corporate cards start to come out.

 

Menu Rotation

You want to change-up your by-the-glass list a few times throughout the year so that your regular customers can find something new and interesting. Changing that list up every few months, or even seasonally, is easier for the account in terms of management because then they don’t have to keep re-doing and re-printing a different by-the-glass menu every week. Another successful tactic that I’ve seen is for accounts to create a seasonal pour selection on their wine menu. Having a seasonal rosé or seasonal sparkling pour allows the account to keep their menu fresh with new wines, without having to worry about inventory issues or constantly printing new menus. 

Accounts need to remember that the by-the-glass list is where they’ll get the best margin, so let it ride and make some money on it.

 

Summer Sparklers

Every account needs a by-the-glass bubbles, but Champagne is always a difficult sell. I don’t think it is the lack consumer’s knowledge of what Champagne is about, but it is the connotation that Champagne has to be associated with a celebration rather than an everyday thing. So instead try to showcase new sparkling wine options: Cava, high-end Italian prosecco and domestic sparkling wines which can rival Champagne and are approachable in price. 

While it is important to offer at least one Champagne option, consider filling out the rest of your bubbles selection with a Cremant d’Alace or Cremant de Bourgogne, which is around $15 a pour. Now you have the high-end Champagne, a cheaper Prosecco and an affordable middle option for the connoisseurs. 

 

Wine Storage

If you have the option to keep everything chilled, that’s great. Fridge space is real estate however, and it is very tough real estate to get in the kitchen. Fortunately, you don’t have to keep every bottle perfectly chilled all the time. Using a chiller for the night, or having the bottles in a nice, ice-filled Champagne tub for the evening also works. When you use the tub and put it on display, then you are actually highlighting the wine and showing it off to the customers far better than if it was sitting back in the kitchen fridge. Just make sure you have a few bottles behind the back bar to restock throughout the evening. 

 

Feature the Seasonal Favorites Up Front 

In the off-premise market, having a featured table at the front of the store with seasonally appropriate wines is a sure win. That area is where 90 percent of consumers are going to make purchases. They can walk in, grab the wine and walk out without taking too much time. So I think having a mix of sparkling wines, roses and high-acid whites easily available so consumers don’t have to search throughout the store will make that sale so much easier.

 

 

Corie Riden, Brand Manager

 

Keep Brown Spirits on the Menu

The natural thing to do would to look at the cocktails with brown spirits on the menu and replace them with a vodka, gin or tequila drink. However, a lot of people are keeping bourbon on the menu because the category continues to be very hot. It is really interesting to see the cocktails people are creating, because they are still using bourbon, but putting a spring or summer twist on it by using more acidic ingredients like lemons, fresh juices and seasonal herbs, which transform the drink into something that is refreshing and light. 

 

Tropical Fruits 

Coconut and mango flavors are popular this time of year. I’m working on a cocktail for an account that uses fresh watermelon. I actually think it could be a very big year for watermelon. It is kind of underappreciated right now, but it fits into the summer scene.

 

Cross Merchandising Can Be Key

When stores are able to provide those extra items that customers need for a complete beverage experience at home, that really goes a long way. It is easy to go into any liquor store and pull a bottle of vodka off of the shelf, but if you have some interesting recipe cards, glassware, cups, straws, or anything that can add another element to at-home entertaining, then that is a great opportunity for impulse sales.