Small wineries certainly can't market their product the way the big companies do, and they shouldn't! The appeal of small wineries is that they are special. They make a product that is given extra attention throughout the wine making process. Full page ads in national lifestyle rags do not say "This is a special wine". Because of this, I don't see small wineries competing for, "a slice of the marketing pie" with the big operations. It's just not the same pie.
Small wineries need to be savvy with their marketing budget. They need to be acutely aware of who their customer is and target that market ferociously. Straying outside their demo is just a waste of money unless there is clear and measurable plan to win a new market. The "carpet bomb" approach is clearly unsustainable for a winery with a limited budget! Knowing exactly who your customers are will allow you to focus those marketing dollars accurately and get your message in front of the right eyes.
For the money, there is no better medium to reach your specific audience than the internet. Every demographic is represented with thousands of sites where advertising is relatively cheap on a click-through basis and social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace have hundreds of thousands of members. Small wineries can make their own "groups" and invite people to join them. Soon a community will form and your brand is getting noticed. This e-Marketing approach is not for everyone. It's far less expensive than print, but It takes time and dedication. Like the vine, your on-line community needs to be tended to if you want it to grow. If you think you can plant a few seeds and then sit back to watch you’re going to be less than amazed at the results. But with the right effort your e-Marketing will begin to bear fruit.
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