Social Media Takes Over At WSWA

Social media has a greater presence at this years upcoming WSWA Convention. Thanks in part to great social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and a WSWA blog, it only makes sense that an educational seminar on social media be offered as well!

WSWA attendees, you're in luck! A series of educational seminars presented in partnership between WSWA and the U.S. Drinks Conference will take place on Tuesday, April 12; among the many topics to be covered in the all-day series of seminars is a panel on Social Media Marketing.

Here's a brief rundown on some of the key points you'll come away learning, but I encourage you to read the full description of the seminar offerings here:

• What does success look like?
• What are the wrong ways to use Facebook and Twitter?
  
• Should your distiller or winemaker be tweeting?

The Social Media Marketing seminar will be moderated by our very own D4TH contributor Steve Raye, along with a great collection of panelists including: Kit Codik, CEO and Co-Founder of Liquor.com; Camper English, Writer/Publish of Alcademics.com; Alyssa Rapp, President of Bottlenotes.com; and Vincenza Kelly, Marketing & Promotions Officer of the Italian Trade Commission.

T-Minus Four Days Until WSWA 2011

WSWA is prepared to kick off its annual exposition and convention for the wholesalers of the beverage alcohol industry this weekend in Orlando, Florida. Are you going to be there?

About a month ago, we informed you of some new educational programming that we are excited to see WSWA feature this year as part of a new collaboration between WSWA and the U.S. Drinks Conference. However, there is a plethora of other amazing content offered up by WSWA including: a wine and spirits tasting competition, opening night reception, exhibition floor featuring new brands, among other products, a mixology competition, keynote speaker presentations and a presentation of the Sidney Frank Award to Bill Samuels, President, Maker’s Mark Distillery. You can click on the images below to be taken to a PDF of the entire WSWA schedule.


Although I personally won't be in attendance at this year's convention, I am sure that I will be following along while online, thanks in part to the tremendous efforts from WSWA to tweet and blog up-to-the-minute coverage throughout the conference. If you will be amidst all the action in Orlando, WSWA is encouraging that you participate virtually as well by tweeting photos and commentary of the conference using the hash tag #WSWAConvention.

As a team, we are anxiously awaiting the start of WSWA and are looking forward to seeing all the familiar - and new! - faces take over the Sunshine State. Stay tuned on Drinks For The House as well for more WSWA action as it unfolds this Saturday.

Cheers!

The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk

I just finished Gary Vee’s new book The Thank You Economy and I have to say he’s done it again.

He’s been the most visible and productive advocate of using social media for marketing in the wine industry, and has demonstrated in the promos for this book that he’s not lacking for innovative new ideas for book promotion as well.

Here’s some excerpts from his in-your-face, straight-talking, get-out-of-your-chair-and-do-this manifesto of modern marketing.

“People can spell bullshit even across an oil slicked Gulf”

“Social media is not media, or even a platform, it’s a massive cultural shift.”

“If you’ve already experimented with social media and it didn’t work, there are only two possible reasons: your product or service isn’t any good, or you’re doing it wrong.” (great line, but I’d add a third or maybe a corollary for both…you don’t have clear objectives)

“It’s not the number of followers you have or “likes” you get, it’s the strength of your bond with your followers that indicates how much anyone cares about what you have to say.”


Right on bro’! We’ve been carrying that flag for a while now…Facebook fans and Twitter follower numbers are nice, but it’s the depth of the engagement that we’re interested in. We’ve created a proprietary tool to measure engagement level across social media platforms and that tells us more about how we’re doing than likes or followers. Combine that with social media monitoring tools like Sysomos and you’ve got some powerful real-time, behavior-based market research.

“Intent Matters”

You said it Gary. The better you can intuit intent, the more likely you are to delight customers. That’s why social media monitoring and tools like the engagement index are so important to us. They help us understand why people feel compelled to converse with us, so we can respond with more content of value to both of us.

Drinking St. Patrick's Day Style

I'm not Irish. But it sure is fun to pretend to be for a day once a year! That's why today I'm offering up a variety of drinks of both the beer and spirit persuasion that are ample to serve up this St. Patrick's Day.

Don't be surprised that the thing called "green beer" is not included on the list. There is always a time and place for something kitschy such as green beer, but I know you guys have it in ya to step up your game! Try any of these great drinks as a different and more creative approach to celebrating St. Patty's and let me know what becomes your new stand-in. :)

1. Irish Coffee - The best part of waking up on St. Patty's is with a dram of Jameson (not Folgers!) in your cup. I enjoy this recipe from Imbibe as a go-to Irish Coffee.
   
2. Black Velvet - Have some Guinness on hand? Rather than just downing a pint, why not consider adding a bit of fizz to your glass? The Black and Velvet I experimented with earlier in the year is a nice alternative to drinking Guinness on St. Patty's. You can also read Paul Clarke's take on the drink here.
3. Irish Appletini - Offering a sweeter edge, the Irish Appletini (pictured at top) is a great cocktail to switch up the heavy beer-oriented focus for St. Patrick's Day. With a touch of effervescence at the end, this drink is refreshing and takes the heat off the Jameson whiskey.

Irish Appletini
2 parts Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 part Hiram Walker Sour Apple Schnapps
Top with Ginger Ale

Shake whiskey and schnapps in a shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with a green apple slice.

Saving the best for last is the Pickleback. Never heard of one? You're in for a treat. The drink itself is notoriously simple. The Pickleback consists of one shot of Jameson followed by a pickle juice chaser. While its origins are unknown, the Pickleback can now be ordered in cocktail bars throughout the country. Slightly sweet, slightly salty, the Pickleback is surely one to try this St. Patty's Day.

Any other St. Patrick's Day rituals that you drink (or eat, for that matter) today? I'd love to hear your feedback, as always!

Slainte!
SJ

You Gotta buy this Book!

Kudos to author Greg Dicum and the folks at ClearGrape, Shelley Alger and Tim Childs for publishing a fabulous new book on Pisco titled "The Pisco Book". (It's available for sale at Amazon.com, but hurry, there are only 18 copies left!)

Folks, this is the new definitive source on the subject of Pisco. Whether you're in the cocktail community or just love a good story, you'll enjoy this read. If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between a falca and an alembique, where the name Pisco really came from, or the Peruvian/Japanese origins of ceviche, you’ll find the answers here.

In our travels around the country to mixology bars and conversations with bartenders, cocktail writers and aficionados, we’re seeing the nascence of an emerging trend. People are looking for something new and different from vodka, tequila and rum. And Pisco clearly (no pun intended) fills the bill.

There are some great Pisco recipes in the book, several created and contributed by Pisco Maestro Johnny Schuler, Jim Meehan of PDT, Dus Dushan Zarick of Macao Trading Co. and a few that are on our “we gotta try these next” list.