Leverage Being SIP Certified in Your Marketing

"In North America, and the U.S. particularly, sustainability has grown from a nice-to-have to a key trigger for consumers," according to Food Business News. That's why SIP Certified encourages you to create a narrative around your sustainable practices to drive sales in our ever-evolving marketplace.

In recent Marketing Tips, we have discussed introducing SIP Buzzwords to your consumer-facing staff, how to Talk to Your Customers About Your Sustainable Practices, and how to Tailor Your Message to Fit Your Customer.

Consumers have a plethora of options when it comes to wine sales channels, making it crucial to differentiate yourself in the market!

Being SIP Certified enables you to leverage your commitment to sustainability to make your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

In this Marketing Tip, we will discuss three avenues where you can promote the message of your sustainability.

1. Online

Consumers are increasingly using the internet and social media to find and share their favorite brands.

Be it through a dedicated page on your website like Castoro Cellars, or a blog post like Pisoni Vineyards, highlighting your efforts in upholding the 3 P's of Sustainability (SIP Buzzword #1) will create a credible narrative that consumers can get behind.

Adding the updated SIP Certified logo to your website with a link to SIP is also an effective way to encourage shoppers to learn more about your practices and the requirements for certification. 

2. Off-Premise

These channels include any place your wine can be seen outside of your winery or tasting room.

With so many consumers purchasing from physical retail outlets and online stores, it's clear that promoting your message of sustainability on your physical product is vital.

Using the SIP Certified logo on your bottle helps convey your sustainable ethos on the aisle of the store when you can't be there to speak to consumers directly.

Food and Beverage Insights reports third-party certification is increasingly important with consumers; “The idea of 'responsible consumerism' is growing as Americans are turning their dollars toward companies and brands that are backed by a commitment to bettering the planet for generations to come.”

3. Staff Training

Your customer-facing staff are the front lines for consumer education.

Training them to speak about your sustainable actions and SIP Certified requirements is easy! SIP Certified offers an online training course for staff to brush up on all things SIP Certified and includes a fun quiz to test their knowledge.

Again, if you haven't already, be sure to share with your staff our past Marketing Tip posts, where we discuss effective ways to incorporate the message of sustainability into the everyday customer-facing conversation.

We encourage you to print the infographics from those previous Marketing Tips, and post them behind the tasting counter, in the break room, or anywhere else your employees will see them!