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Change the Trajectory
of Your Career

We’ve been training and coaching clients’ public speaking, sales and presentation skills for more than 30 years. Our graduates have become dynamic, in-demand public speakers, and have increased their wine sales two- and three-fold.

More than 600 wineries in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Canada and Europe have had employees take our training courses, as well as employees from large corporations such as AT&T, American Express, Anheuser Busch, Disney and more.

How can we help you improve your skills?

Public Speaking & Presentation Skills  |  Sales Training Courses  |  Books

What Our Clients Say

We have been sending employees to Lynda Paulson’s public speaking courses for over 25 years. In every case, I see a marked improvement in the confidence, delivery and style of the individual’s public speaking skills. Shy people learn to become more engaging and self assured, and the more gregarious types hone their presentation style so they are more professional and effective overall.

Kim Stare Wallace, President, Dry Creek Vineyards

I am happy to report that we doubled our wine club sign up goal after the workshop.  We are off to a great start!

Nicole Pattalochi, Director of Hospitality, Archery Summit Winery

Seventeen years later, I am still channeling your guidance, wit, tools and enthusiasm for hospitality and public speaking. I prepare, scenario build, program for the most positive out-come and connect with my audience! You are a great coach!

Teresa D'Aurizio, Vice President Sales & MarketingZD Wines

I am a more effective speaker, a more creative speech writer, more at ease in delivering a message before a microphone, before a camera, and using a myriad of visual aids. I have even overcome my own personal monster—intimidation by the media. Thank you Lynda Paulson—The Public Person’s Miracle Worker!

Sally Jordan, Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Lynda Paulson gives strength to the weak-kneed speaker by inspiring confidence which all but guarantees successful presentations. Her techniques work! I am still singing your praises and am grateful for your Executive Speaking Experience.

William C. Finlayson, President & CEO O’Conner Hospital, San Jose, CA

Lynda is absolutely one of the best coaches out there. She creates a supportive and collaborative environment that put us all at ease. This was one of the best investments I have made in my career.

Laura Levy, MA, CPT, Vice President, Global Learning SystemsMylan Pharmaceuticals

OUR SERVICES

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR COURSES

Executive Speaking Experience

An Intensive, Two-Day Speaking Course
A powerful, personal, interactive program focused on public speaking and presentation skills for individuals

WHAT IS THE ‘EXECUTIVE SPEAKING EXPERIENCE’?

Lynda’s workshop is not a lecture; it is an exercise that conditions people to handle communication under stress. If speaking to ten or ten thousand, her coaching builds confidence and the skills to carry it off. We have been sending our key people to Lynda for over twenty years.

Terry Lindley, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, American AgCredit

Learn how to deal with anxiety and develop poise and presence, prepare for different audiences and gain confidence in your own personal style. Get hands-on, interactive exercises, personalized one-on-one coaching, and written evaluations through ten or more videotaped practice sessions. Develop audience connection, real-time response and buy-in. You’ll learn how to handle confrontational issues and respond to Q & A with authority. It’s one-on-one coaching and critiquing with a true “laboratory” approach.  All of it allows you to practice and think on your feet.

COURSES

Winery Hospitality & Relationship Sales Training

A Hands-on, Interactive, One- or Half-Day Workshop
Featuring practical, step-by-step exercises, group activities and coaching

WHAT IS THE ‘RELATIONSHIP SELLING’?

Lynda’s energy and confidence in sales is conveyed through her various examples and exercises. She really challenges you to examine your sales approach and hone the skills that are lacking at any sales level experience. These skills are not just about the sales delivery, but how to observe the non-verbal cues of a buyer. Her coaching also focuses on improving the hospitality of a tasting room by creating a richer experience for the guest. Our multi-bottle and case sales have increased 3-fold since the seminar – we definitely see a difference in our tasting room!

Tracy Hart, Owner, Le Mulet Rouge Vineyard and Winery

Participants of this interactive workshop learn how to maximize the revenue potential of each tasting room visitor while building strong bonds with them. Using the structured techniques of relationship sales, skills taught in this workshop lead to greater customer satisfaction and sales. Attendees receive worksheets and practice sessions throughout the day to lock-in new skill-sets immediately. Having cemented the lessons in workshop, they apply their newfound skills in their own tasting rooms, restaurants or hotels.

Every member of your sales and hospitality team needs a copy of the popular bestseller, ROMANCING THE GRAPE: Relationship Selling for Hospitality Professionals!!

Don’t miss this special limited offer: Purchase 12 or more books at $20 each, direct from the author, Lynda Paulson, and receive one FREE half-hour zoom consultation on her unique techniques for training and motivating your people to increase their sales of your wine, club memberships, and events. Contact Lynda for details: (775) 530-6119 • Lynda@SuccessStrategiesInc.com.

Relationship Selling for Hospitality Professionals

Romancing the Grape…” should be mandatory reading for all winery tasting room personnel.

Jo Diaz, Author of Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz, Owner of Diaz Communications
Read Jo’s complete book review on “Juicy Tales” Wine Blog.

Romancing the Grape” should be in every tasting room!

Christina Frakes, St. Francis Winery

by Lynda R. Paulson

Nowadays as the wine industry has become so much more competitive, relationship selling “on the ground,” at the winery is more important and more effective than ever. A handbook of tips, exercises and suggestions, this book will enhance tasting room hospitality staff communication skills so that guests will never forget their visit to your winery and won’t leave the tasting room without purchasing wine! The reader will learn all about “relationship selling,” which will come quite naturally once the reader understands the fundamentals. It’s all about the host or hostess as a unique, personable, enjoyable human being.

Romancing the Grape - book cover

Do visitors leave your winery with great memories AND bottles of your wine? How many recommend your tasting room experience to their friends? How many join your wine club on-the-spot?

Romancing the Grape teaches hospitality staff to create unforgettable experiences for every one of your tasting room guests, while dramatically improving your bottom line. Through skill-building exercises in each chapter, readers learn to engage in personal ways, and winery hosts and hostesses learn to sell wine in a way that turns guests into lifetime customers.

View Lynda Paulson on KSVY 91.3 FM’s “Wine Women Radio Hour” talk about the 3 top tips she’d give to tasting room hospitality staff to close more sales:

View/Download the “Romancing the Grape” book flyer (PDF)

View an Excerpt from the book on Handling Objections (PDF)

View recent Forbes articles on Lynda Paulson’s book: “A Wine Sales Trainer Pits Her Views Against Digital Marketing”
and
“Two Wine Pros Weigh In On The State Of Wine Marketing And Sales”

Purchasing multiple copies? Contact Lynda for details!

Praise for Romancing the Grape

I am happy to report that we doubled our wine club sign up goal after the workshop.  We are off to a great start!

Nicole Pattalochi, Director of Hospitality, Archery Summit Winery

Romancing the Grape ~ Relationship Selling for Hospitality Professionals by Lynda R. Paulson should be mandatory reading for all winery tasting room personnel…I highly recommend this book to any and all tasting room managers. If you don’t have a tasting room manager who is so invested (and why not, I can only wonder), then get the book for yourself, tasting room personnel. Odds are, if you practice what’s in the book, some day you will have the skill-set to manage tasting room personnel.

Romancing the Grape will make a huge difference in your career. Working in a tasting room is more than a glorified part-time employee. It’s a bonafide sales job, and you’re invited to be and excellent professional. You’ll gain all of the knowledge and confidence to become that shining star!

Romancing the Grape has been much needed for a long time.

Seventeen years later, I am still channeling your guidance, wit, tools and enthusiasm for hospitality and public speaking. I prepare, scenario build, program for the most positive outcome and connect with my audience! You are a great coach!

Teresa D'Aurizio, Vice President Sales & Marketing, ZD Wines

We’d read you were good, but in no way were we prepared for the dynamic workshop we experienced. Your rave reviews started during the first break and two weeks after, the Foundation is still receiving calls. Our members have reported excellent results.

Karyl Hammond, New York Grape & Wine Foundation

I personally have benefited from Lynda’s training on several occasions, and am forever grateful for the tools she has given me. Her classes are fun, dynamic and life changing. I would highly recommend Success Strategies to any organization looking to improve the effectiveness of their team.

Kim Stare Wallace, President, Dry Creek Vineyard, California

We have seen great results—phenomenal! The staff is motivated and feels like they have the support, they are regularly helping each other out…we could not be more happy.

, Long Meadow Ranch Winery

Time spent in Lynda’s workshops pays dividends for years.

Greg Ralston, General Manager, Wine Creek LLC

View/Download the “Romancing the Grape” book flyer (PDF)

View an Excerpt from the book on Handling Objections (PDF)

View recent Forbes article on Lynda Paulson’s training: “A Wine Sales Trainer Pits Her Views Against Digital Marketing”

Table of Contents

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll find inside:

How to Use This Book | Relationship Selling

You are the Message, the Star of the Show |  Greet Every Guest, Every Time | Making the Connection | Asking the Right Questions |  Getting to Know You
Enthusiasm Sells | Your Body Talks | Listen to Yourself
Stories That Sell | Words that Sell, Evoke and Enhance | Beautiful Bouquets
Bridges | Nail-Downs | Stand Out in Your Field | Food, Wine and the Seasons | In the Buying Mood
Close the Sale with Conversation | Trial Close | Direct Close | Visionary Close | Recommendation Close | Assumptive Close | Reminder Close | Acknowledge Every Sale

Where is the Gift Shop? | Phone Sales | Tune Up Your Voice | More Conversation
Big Groups | At the Tasting Bar | Bring in the Expert: Teamwork! | Speaking at Special Events | Separate Tables | Winemaker Dinners

Relax and Listen | Tough Questions and Objections | Grumbles and Complaints

Welcome to the Family | Retention

Reinforcing the Sale | Good-bye and Thank You

View/Download the “Romancing the Grape” book flyer (PDF)

View an Excerpt from the book on Handling Objections (PDF)

Lynda R. Paulson

Lynda PaulsonLYNDA R. PAULSON has received widespread recognition across the U.S. as a communication skills and public speaking coach for decades. Her popular in-house and public Winery Hospitality & Relationship Sales Training workshops are legendary throughout the wine world, as she has worked with more than 600 wineries in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Canada. Highly participatory, the workshops involve discovery of communication strengths, and above all, developing relationship sales expertise. Find her sales and hospitality expertise captured now in this new book, complete with exercises and advice direct from her workshops.

“I wrote this book because I could not find one book to specifically address relationship selling by the hospitality professional. Nothing! What is more important than being good at what you do? GETTING BETTER! This book, no matter your experience in wine educating and selling, will move you to your next level. You ready for that?”

View/Download the “Romancing the Grape” book flyer (PDF)

View an Excerpt from the book on Handling Objections (PDF)

Learn from the Best

About Success Strategies

Our Values

Our mission is to guide and coach women and men, students, executives, any level, to find their voice, their confidence, their personal strength, to express themselves in such a way that people listen and find them to be credible and interesting.

I usually give myself two sets of personal evaluations following a workshop. One: How did I do?  Meaning how good was I; was I in the “zone”?  Did I flow?  Did I hit all the points?  Did I shine?  scale 1-10

The second evaluation:  Did they get what they came for?  Did they benefit?  Was it fruitful for them;  did they grow and conquer?  Get their money’s worth?   same scale

If one and two come out together that is a home run.  If one is great (I performed!) but two is not so great…that sucks.  It is far far better that they get what they needed then me being a great performer.

Listen, follow through and deliver more than promised if at all possible.  …And it is always possible.

To prepare to the nth degree. Leave nothing to chance. Never wing it.

Honesty, integrity and kindness. This goes for friendships as well as professional connections. I don’t always measure up, but it is a continuous effort and goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Public workshops are held in Napa Valley, CA. Private classes are wherever the client wants them.

Classes are offered now solely as private training. Contact us to book a session.

Buy the book on Amazon! If you’re interested in bulk book sales, please contact Lynda Paulson at 775.530.6119.

Absolutely. In-house workshops are personalized to the winery, the participants and to the expectations of the management team.

COURSES

LATEST NEWS

Questions? Just call 775.530.6119 today. Or…

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