Sandra Hess presentation at Northwest DTC Wine Marketing & Sales Summit

Walla Walla Community College

Northwest DTC Wine Marketing & Sales Summit

March 29, 2018  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

WWCC Enology & Viticulture Center 3020 E. Isaacs Avenue Walla Walla, WA

Direct to Consumer (DTC) is the sales channel most profitable for wineries of any size. The Summit will bring together prominent experts to share best practices in the three areas – Tasting Room, Wine Club and Online Sales – that are vital to long-term business success.

Thursday, March 29                                                               

8:00-8:20         Registration, Coffee and Continental Breakfast

8:20-8:30         Welcome, Overview & Introductions

                         Sabrina Lueck, enology instructor, Walla Walla Community College

8:30-9:15         Direct-to-Consumer Strategies Can Make (Or Break) Your Winery

                        Sandra Hess, founder, DTC Wine Workshops; Castro Valley, Calif.

9:15-10:30       Operating an Exceptional Tasting Room

                        Stoller Family Vineyards; Willamette Valley, Ore.

10:30-10:45     Break

10:45-12:00     Growing & Profiting from Your Wine Club

                        Ashley Anderson, wine club manager; Ali Boyle, co-owner and marketing director

                        Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Prosser, Wash.

12:00-1:00       Lunch. The Voice of the Customer: What’s Ahead for Northwest Wine

1:00-2:15         E-Commerce Must-Do’s, Pitfalls & Innovations

                        Rick Belisle, director of sales & marketing; OrderPort Winery Solutions, Bellevue

                        Kevin Williams, director of e-commerce sales; WineDirect, Napa, Calif.

2:15-3:30         Panel: Walla Walla DTC Success Stories. Moderator: Sandra Hess, DTCWW

                         Debbie Frol, general manager, L’Ecole No. 41; Chris Kontos, partner, Kontos

                         Cellars; Kathy Belcher, senior guest services manager, Northstar Winery

3:30-4:00         Summary and Q&A. Erik McLaughlin, managing partner, METIS, Walla Walla

                        Marilyn Hawkins, principal, Hawkins & Company PR, Walla Walla

4:00-5:00        Walla Walla Wines Reception

                       Tour of Enology & Viticulture Center