Assumptions:

Westchester Wine Merchants (WWM) is a single owner LLC that imports and distributes a variety of wines to retail outlets in Greater New York.  WWM is owned by John Valeriani, 45 years old, and has a staff of 15.  He sees opportunity in the adjacent geo areas and would like to expand the market to include the rest of the Tri-State Region, Southern Connecticut and Northern New Jersey.

Goals & Market Requirements:

• Determine risk & opportunity (revenue, profit, locations, price range, etc.)
• Decide best approach to introduce WWM to the new areas
• Need local partners? additional storage facilities?  how many more vehicles?
• Promotion and publicity required?
• CT & NJ regulations,  insurance,  health coverage issues
• local practices vis-à-vis distributors

John knows wines…can size up people…has a lot of experience in the business and a budget in mind…but is that enough? Clearly John needs to act…and quickly! He contacts Tactical Event Solutions. Can TES help put together a plan using a tactical event(s) strategy to expand to new markets? And if so, how and at what cost?

TES Initial Free Consultation & Recommendations

At the initial meeting between John and TES, a very productive discussion takes place!   After in-depth questioning, and verification of the situation, objectives and challenges, both are satisfied that each understands the situation and agree that potential business value is achievable by each entity.

TES proposes the following overall and specific recommendations:

• Utilize a phased approach:  proceed to next phase only after success of prior phase
• Design a budget that keeps each Phase separate and distinct

Phase I – Wine Tasting Events:

• Design 2 wine tasting events at premier Conference Centers
• Invite key stakeholders
• Create and design events around a central theme
• Publicize the event in a targeted fashion
• Provide feedback form for each attendee
• Schedule one-on-one meetings with key retailers
• Measure results
• Send “thank you” notes: request any additional feedback
• Make decision on whether to continue or not

Phase II – Test Market:

• Conduct meetings with selected retailers
• Decide on a limited number (2 or 3) for each Region
• Ship wines
• Monitor results
• Make decision whether to continue or not

Phase 1 Execution:

• Events take place
• Southern Connecticut: Dolce Norwalk Hotel
• Northern New Jersey:  Dolce Basking Ridge
• Key stakeholders attend: Wine Merchants, Municipal Leaders, Local COC, Media
• Central Theme: latest South American red wines
• Wine priorities determined by target markets and participant feed-back
   

OUTCOME:  Events determined a success  - continuing to Phase II.

ANALYSIS:   Tactical Event Solutions, in tandem with Westchester Wine Merchants, helped design a complete program of Tri-State regional wine tastings to determine market approval of the concept.  Taken simply as a wine tasting - it's a simple event.  Meeting all of the marketing objectives, and doing the research to determine their feasability is what makes this case study a tactical event solution.  Contact TES today for a free consultation to see how tactical events will help you find new business, build enduring relationships with new and existing customers, and deliver successful, market driven results.