Use Your Personality for a Great First Impression

It’s showtime, baby! You are on stage. When someone comes through that door, look up, smile, and say something like, “Come on in!” Or, just say, “Welcome!” Then reach out to shake their hands, tell them your name and ask for theirs.

The first impression that you make to arriving guests establishes an immediate, welcoming atmosphere that encourages sales and positive, personal connections (if not, it may throw up a wall to the enjoyment of their visit).

You have greeted them, made eye contact, smiled, shaken hands with them, and you know their names;—believe me, your guests are already feeling really good about being there. When you let guests see and feel how much you love being a winery host and making them feel important and comfortable, you are off to the best possible start.

The first contact—make it positive and memorable.

Getting to Know You

Every question you ask makes your visitors believe that you are interested in them. You are not interrogating, you are getting to know them and helping them choose wines that they may not have discovered on their own. Asking questions is how you create a warm, friendly and helpful atmosphere and that “once-in-a-lifetime” feeling that people will remember.

Making a first impression wine toasting

Break the Ice Questions

  1. What brings you to the Napa/Sonoma/Temecula valley?
  2. You look like pros on the winery circuit. How can I help you today?
  3. What other wineries have you visited?
  4. Where are you from?
  5. Where are you staying?

Dig Deeper

Those new to wine (or a bit shy) may be hesitant to state their desires. This is where your skills at uncovering their interests come into play. Try one of these:

  1. What would you like to know?
  2. Tell me what you are most interested in today?
  3. Shall we start with the whites or go right into the reds?
  4. Would you like to see the cellar? the vineyard? the bottling line?
  5. Do you want to learn more about winemaking?
  6. Would you like to hear about what makes our winery different from the others you’ve been to?
  7. Are you planning to take some wine home to add to your wine collection?

The key is being interested in them. Even if you get a “I’m not sure…” in response to the above questions, you may easily segue way into, “Would you like to hear a little about the winery while I pour you the first wine?” It’s rare a guest would discourage you.

The bottom line is that by demonstrating your continued personal interest in the guest(s) by developing the conversation, you’ll make a strong first impression. And look at the possible results when things either go well (or not):

My sister-in-law and her daughter wandered into one of the longest established, most renowned wineries in Sonoma, wearing shorts and running shoes. The two women stood behind a group at the tasting bar. Staff members looked up, apparently assumed that the casually dressed women were unimportant, and looked away. Feeling unwelcome, the two walked downtown into another tasting room where they were warmly welcomed, and they hung out for an hour or so before choosing several wines to take home.

How to Make a Better First Impression

It’s up to you to impress visitors from the moment they arrive in your establishment. How well are you doing at that now?

  1. Are you greeting every new arrival? Smiling?
  2. Are you using their names in conversation?
  3. Are you asking relevant questions and listening with intention to their answers?

To improve your skills, download this worksheet with tips and fill in your own favorite questions to ask visitors. Add new ones you’d like to test out and then put them to use in your own tasting room.

Next up we’ll tackle body language! Would you believe that far more is conveyed to the visitor by our body language than by the words we use? Find out if you’re sending any mixed signals to visitors that are turning them off from buying.

This article is part of the email Relationship Sales Success Series. It provides a step-by-step guide to improving wine sales and wine club sign ups. While it focuses upon techniques for those working winery tasting rooms, the principles of great sales skills can apply to any industry. Sign up for the series here.