Distributors.... sigh.

I can kind of understand that distributors don’t respond to emails from wineries reaching out. Kinda.

But.

When they reach out to you and you send samples and then nobody responds? You send little hint emails eventually, “did shipment arrive?” or “did you get a chance to try the wines?” and still crickets.

Such strange behavior. How are they then with their retailers or customers?

Send flowers.

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Or fish wrapped in newspaper. [wink.gif]

You end up dealing with folks succesfully that treat you nice from start to finish. No need to waste time and samples if you get no love. Move on. Focus your hustle.

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The most successful salespeople fail over 50% of the time. The best figure out how they can sell to the people that will buy. Qualify, qualify, then close. I was in sales for 30+ years and was very successful. If you are chasing them, you haven’t qualified enough. Why do they want samples? What need of theirs do you fill?

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They’re like band managers. Manic cocaine-addled ADHD freaks. One thing many do is sign on more accounts than they can properly service, as a sort of hedge. Not sure who will become hot, that plays in their favor. If their customers are happy with one producer in their portfolio filling a niche, they will do nothing to promote an alternative. That’s just counter-productive.

Asking you for samples is a kind of hedge. It costs them nothing. It requires no thought to ask. They could decide they aren’t interested after all five minutes after the phone call or press of ‘send’. Why go through the effort letting you know? Awkward conversion. And, they may change their minds again, and wouldn’t want to look wishy-washy with a second awkward conversation.

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Nailed it!

People love to think of the glamour of wine, but in the trenches you mainly deal with these anxiety freaks with multiple failed relationships and a history of drinking great piss as their main claims to fame.

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I think Wes is right about distributors wanting a stable of wineries in the hope that some will get hot. That brings up the basic disconnect between the new, small and relatively unknown wineries and distributors. We hope that they will go out and introduce our wines to their accounts while distributors really just want to take and fulfill orders, preferably from demand that the winery generates on its own. The function that we most hope for (boots on the ground sales in far-flung markets) is not the one distributors are anxious to fill.
I was talking to a big distributor once, and he told me that what would really help is if I came onboard with a big, established sales channel like Costco. I’m not sure what profit he thought would be left over after Costco had worked me over, but the idea that I would hand that entirely over to him brought home the idea that the ideal of distributors is to be as superfluous as possible.

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When I go to market I expect to make every sale for my distributor, and I ask for the sale too. You can’t be shy.

Sometimes in far places the only accounts are the ones you’ve made. Other distributors rock the house and everyone loves you. I visit those places twice a year (usually).

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Thanks for input.

I can only be in so many places at once, and sales would be nice if it could outsourced, at least partially. But not feeling very confident about their ethics at the moment. I’ve also heard some real horror stories from a few smaller CA producers, which doesn’t build inspiration either.

Maybe, isn’t that energy better spent growing DTC and your own retailers instead? The returns are better and it seems to be about the same amount of work. Not sure. I’m still very new to the sale side.

Adam

After a few unsuccessful pings of disti’s, I learnt very quickly that they come to you, not you to them.

Paul

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They are busy protecting the children from said wine.

I’ve had the same issues, even one who never corresponded after an on-site visit with them! Not inclined to pursue that one-sided relationship. I have a meeting tomorrow with a So Cal Distributor — one of two responses to cold emails/calls (out of twenty-ish). He responded immediately with a “thank you” — that doesn’t take long. Then emailed/texted for his annual visit to the Willamette Valley; so this seems promising.

But in the meantime, I have engaged a small brokerage firm. They seem great. Only $2500 for three States, plus they get 10% of your first PO in a State. (For States like CA, that can be two or three different distributors/POs.). They taste my wines as a team, develop a strategy based on quality and price points. No guaranteed success (depends on the wines/price of course) but they tell me they currently place 100% of their clients. The owner seems to know everyone in the business and everyone knows him as a former mega-buyer for various large restaurant groups. We shall see how this goes! The company name is SOMLYAY and I heard Erik interviewed on a Guild Somm podcast recently and decided on the spot that I need a sales team, so why not contract it out as needed?

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David,

Interesting concept- please keep us posted . . .

It’s tough out there Adam. If they don’t respond to your follow-up e-mail, just move on and keep your positive note going. You got this!

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Adam
My heart goes out to you, I do empathize . We are a small import/wholesale business and we receive at least 10 or more requests every single week of the years to add a winery to our portfolio.
I would imagine it is because other wineries see the names of well-known Chateaux & Domains that we distribute. I do my best to politely explain what American distributors look for - occasionally.
Usually I cannot take the time to reply to all of the constant requests.
I never encourage anyone to send samples - I think that is so thoughtless - and you should not send samples unless you think you have real interest.
you need to establish your guidelines the same as wholesalers have theirs and anyone who is disrespectful of your efforts - you do not want to work with them.
Its a investment by a distributor to take on a new brand and you should ask yourself if they will really represent you with that work and investment.

Best of success.

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Severed horse head is more persuasive.

My company’s brand managers have stacks of shipping boxes by their desks right now. New samples from current producers and prospective producers alike. Plus we are now in Q4. Suppliers we don’t even work with yet (unless they are suppliers we are really trying hard to land) are definitely at the bottom of the pecking order and I know one or two whose sample drops I facilitated keep pestering me about status but I have nothing to say/do with the process at this point. You just have to sit tight and don’t be surprised if people don’t respond.

I know Erik, I hope SOMLYAY is working out!

Hey Adam, I am picking up this thread again because I have some good news to share. I decided to try a small national wine consulting group to find distributors and can now report that it has definitely worked well. The person assigned to me (Alexandra) has contacted and dogged dozens of distributors since August; she arranged for samples to be sent to 8 or so; and I am starting to see concrete results (one for TN, one for the DC/VA/MD region, and another on-the-cusp deal for PA/NJ/NY/DE). The group is Somlyay and I can give you Eric’s contact if it’s not on the website. The cost was $2,500 up front (for at least three states), and then they get 10% of the first PO for each deal. That’s it. I just knew I would drop the ball during harvest and it’s been great to have the extra support. Plus my cold calls and e-mails were getting nowhere, just like your experience related in the OP! Cheers!

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