Introduction
How is the wine industry embracing the digital world? What role do influencers play in wine marketing? What can you do to increase engagement and build deeper connections with customers? Why has the wine industry been so resistant to adapt to the digital age?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Paul Mabray, a wine unicorn and digital futurist who has created and led companies that have transformed the wine industry through the strategic and visionary use of technology.
You can find the wines we discussed here. Enjoy!
Highlights
- How is the wine industry embracing the digital world?
- Why haven’t you seen any major disruptors in the wine industry?
- What do we know about online wine buyers?
- Can you quantify the value of social media?
- What role do influencers play in wine marketing?
- Why should you pay attention to superfans?
- What’s the difference between an influencer and a superfan?
- How can you describe the ROI of social media?
- How are wineries utilising a subscription model?
- What can you do to increase engagement and build deeper connections with customers?
- How can you convince your team about the value of social media for wineries?
- Why has the wine industry been so resistant to adapt to the digital age?
- Which “wacky wines” should you try?
- Where is the balance you should find between content generation and engagement?
- Why should you have a focus on service?
- How can you bridge the disconnect between consumers and brands while building brand awareness?
- What can you learn from Starbucks’ digital flywheel strategy?
- Why do you see so many wineries lean into the content creation side of their digital strategy?
- What can you learn from pro + consumer wine ratings?
- How has Paul brought together the wine and tech industries throughout his career?
- Which business strategists’ work does Paul recommend you should read?
- What social media test did Paul run with California wineries?
- How has the PR industry been revitalised?
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About Paul Mabray
Paul Mabray is a wine unicorn and digital futurist. He has created and led companies that have transformed the wine industry through the strategic and visionary use of technology. He believes that the future of the wine industry hinges on its ability to adapt and change to meet consumer expectations, wherever they are, whether that’s online, at the winery, in the liquor store or at home.
A Digital Think Tank for the Wine Industry: That’s how Paul Mabray describes his Napa-based consulting company that uses strategy and technology to solve problems in a complex category.
Paul has been working in the wine and technology industries for 17 years and has been a guest lecturer at University of California’s Berkley School of Business, UC Davis that has trained winemakers around the world, as well as at many international conferences.
Resources
- Connect with Paul
- Wine.com
- Paul Mabray’s Article | The Five Tribes of Online Wine Buyers
- Brian Solis, author of X: The Experience Where Business Meets Design
- Olivier Blanchard, global business consultant and author
- Danny Meyer’s Book | Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business
- Digirupt.io Article | Starbucks’ Digital Flyweel Strategy Continues to Pay Off
- My Wine App | The only Wine App with built-in label and barcode scanners to instantly access expert wine reviews.
- Join me LIVE on Facebook every second Wednesday at 7pm Eastern
- My new class The 5 Wine & Food Pairing Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Dinner And How To Fix Them Forever
Tag Me on Social
Tag me on social media if you enjoyed the episode:
- @nataliemaclean and @natdecants on Facebook
- @nataliemaclean on Twitter
- @nataliemacleanwine on Instagram
- @nataliemaclean on LinkedIn
- Email Me at [email protected]
Thirsty for more?
- Sign up for my free online wine video class where I’ll walk you through The 5 Wine & Food Pairing Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Dinner (and how to fix them forever!)
- Join me on Facebook Live Video every second Wednesday at 7 pm eastern for a casual wine chat.
- You’ll find my books here, including Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines and Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass.
- The new audio edition of Red, White and Drunk All Over is now available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com and other country-specific Amazon sites; iTunes.ca, iTunes.com and other country-specific iTunes sites; Audible.ca and Audible.com.
Transcript & Takeaways
Welcome to episode 65!
Today you’re going to hear from Paul Mabray, a wine unicorn and digital futurist, who has some deeply insightful observations and predictions about the wine industry and how social media and other online technology is changing the way we learn about and buy wine as consumers.
This conversation first aired on my regular Facebook live video show a couple of years ago, but Paul is so forward-thinking I wanted to share this conversation with you. We’ll definitely have to get him back for an update soon.
During our chat I occasionally respond to comments that the viewers make during the show. You can join that conversation every second Wednesday at 7 pm eastern.
I’ll put a link where you can find us in the show notes, as well as to Paul’s website, social media handles and the video version of this conversation at nataliemaclean.com/65.
Speaking of your wine future, why not make it a tastier one? Sign up for my free, online video wine class the 5 Wine & Food Pairing Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Dinner (and how to fix them forever!).
Go to nataliemaclean.com/class and choose a time and date that work for you. I look forward to seeing you inside the class!
You can also watch the video interview with Paul that includes bonus content and behind-the-scenes questions and answers that weren’t included in this podcast.
Okay, on with the show!
Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this chat with Paul Mabray.
Here are my takeaways:
- Paul is so memorably pithy: All customers are important, but some customers are more important than others.
- His insight is spot on about bundling service with products, and that products are becoming services, especially with monthly subscriptions like dollar shave club or rent the runway. That’s a model he says that wineries started but many haven’t innovated on since.
- He points out how relevant the Dunbar Rule is for wineries on social media, where it’s possible to scale deeper engagement. I like his concept of thin and thick connections.
- He has great insight into how the roles of wine critics and PR managers are changing.
One side note, he mentions that he wishes he had the ability to share a playlist of his favourite wines the way you can with songs in Spotify.
Well, there’s an app for that! My wine app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices allows you to share your fave wines, as well scan barcodes and front labels. You can search for it using my name and I’ll put a link to it in the show notes at nataliemaclean.com/65, along with links to Paul’s website, social media handles, the video version of the conversation and how you can join me next Wednesday on Facebook live video.
If you liked this episode, please tell a friend about it, especially one who’s interested in the fascinating wine insights Paul shared.
Finally, if you want your wine future to be mouth-wateringly delicious, join me in a free online video class at nataliemaclean.com/class.
You won’t want to miss next week when we’ll be chatting with Clark Smith, a winemaker, consultant, author, inventor, musician, professor and provocateur to the wine industry around the planet. Clark has some stimulating and controversial ideas to change the way you think about the wines you drink.
Thank-you for taking the time to join me here. I hope something great is in your glass this week, perhaps a wine that you can see drinking again in the near future!
