For a restaurant or bar, upselling wine is obviously an important part of day-to-day business. Teaching your team to recognize opportunities to sell from the higher end of your menu or sell an extra glass can add up to significant gains at the end of the month.
The following are 6 ways to upsell wine at your restaurant:
EDUCATE STAFF
Knowledgeability about your products will sell them for you, especially with wine. Encourage your servers and managers to try your entire list. Keep wine Literature on hand for them to pursue on slow days. This will help ensure that they make informed recommendations.
CULTIVATE PATRONS
Often times higher priced wines sell themselves if your buyer is worth his salt. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of allowing customers to sample wines before they commit to a glass. It will also create an opportunity to paint your customers a fuller picture of what they’re drinking.
RECOMMENDED FOOD PAIRINGS
If you happen to serve food, consider listing recommended wine pairings with each item. By taking the uncertainty of choosing the “right” pairing out of the equation, many customers will choose anything your menu recommends. Be sure to consider red, white, sparkling, or dessert wine options for each menu item to accommodate different tastes.
SUGGEST ALTERNATIVES
A well-versed server will be able to suggest alternative wines to customers expressing interest in a specific style or varietal. You’ll want to offer a wine similar enough in flavor profile to what they’re accustomed to drinking but different enough to excite them and their palate. It will also reinforce their trust in your future recommendations.
TABLE DYNAMICS
Certain personalities will have a domineering influence even at the quietest tables. Recognizing the “alpha” personality is useful because it creates a clear target for all of your selling efforts. Once they are sold on another round or another bottle, they will sell to the rest of the table for you.
TIMING
Selling at the right time is as important as selling the right wine. Politely interrupt their table conversation in a way that isn’t obtrusive but catches them at a point where they absentmindedly consent. An easy indicator of when this moment approaches is often when they are one or two sips away from finishing their glass.
These methods are great traits to teach your staff. With InVine’s platform, they’re even easier to adapt.
Our software offers an easy to reference resource for you, your staff and your customers. With features like the ability to highlight and promote specific wines, manage promotions, and automate pricing, InVine gives you and your staff the tool you need to upsell and increase your establishment’s bottom line.