Write Shelf Talkers That Talk to 80% of Consumers

You already know that 80% of wine buyers are women.   So what do women respond to in a shelf talker?

Wines with talkers of any kind sell better than those that have none.

Women like information that goes beyond the tasting notes and food pairing.  Here are the top tips collected from dozens of retailers across the world:

1) Tell the story of the
winery, the family and what makes this wine or the land it came from special.  Personal anecdotes are very effective.

2) Hand written shelf talkers are twice as effective as those printed in typed font.  If this sounds like too much work, use a great handwriting font in a dark blue colour!  It makes the note that much more personal and credible.

“I see customers meander down the aisles, stop to read shelf talkers and fill their carts largely with bottles
that are behind handwritten notes”
Lance Montalto, The Wine House, Los Angeles

3) AWARDS – AWARDS – AWARDS.  If you have them, print them on the shelf talker, using the full medal logo.

Medals signal this is a safe, quality purchase.  This wine won’t embarrass me in front of my friends and business associates…

4) Have fun with it – most shelf talkers are too serious and too polished.  Use an anecdote about the sunburn you got the day the grapes were harvested, or that the vineyard cat slept through the entire 15 days of maceration.  Make the customer picture themselves in your winery the day the grapes were crushed.

5) Sign it – add the winemaker’s or owner’s signature. Signing it makes the note personal and a genuine statement coming directly from the winery.  Women consumers especially want to know where a wine is coming from.

P.S.: A shelf talker is not just for the wine shelf.  Use it on websites, your online retailers, send it to restaurants and bars serving your wine.