All events will take place at the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, California unless otherwise noted.
Tuesday, October 23
12:00 – 3:45 PM Conference Registration (Lobby) & Tradeshow (Empire): Check in, pick up your name badge, and visit with our sponsors.
12:45 – 3:45 PM Sharing Best Practices Summits: Included in your conference registration price, these three-hour summits allow you to meet with your direct peers to learn from industry leaders, hear from those with experience in your field, and share your own best practices. We will have Summits for the following groups:
- Tasting Room & Events (Garden)
- Wine Tourism (Alexander)
- Wine Marketing (Oak)
4:30 – 6:00 PM Hospitality Suite with Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (Room 301): Join us in our hospitality suite for wine from the Ramona Valley in San Diego County, light appetizers and networking with other conference attendees.
Wednesday, October 24
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Continental Breakfast (Ballroom): Included in your registration price
7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Conference Registration (Lobby) & Tradeshow (Empire): If you did not register on Tuesday, you can do so today. Additionally, visit further with our conference sponsors throughout the day during breaks.
9:00 – 9:15 AM Conference Official Opening (Ballroom)
9:15 – 10:15 AM Opening Keynote Speaker: Michael Thomas, Principal Analytical Lead @GoogleTravel (Ballroom)
The Tours & Activities segment is growing faster than ever and is even outpacing the total travel market growth. By 2020, total global revenue of Tours & Activities is expected to grow to $185 billion, representing nearly one quarter of projected global travel online revenue. Driven by the growing consumer shift towards experiences and digital expectations, it is the third largest segment of Travel behind Accommodations and Flights, with online booking overall is growing especially fast. In this session, Michael will discuss these trends in more detail and address how wineries and others in the industry can start thinking about taking advantage of these trends.
10:15 – 10:30 Break
10:30 – 11:45 AM The Secret to Driving Referrals from Concierges (Ballroom)
Regardless of region, almost all wine country businesses would love to have referrals from their local and regional hotels, who house most visitors to the area. Hear from a panel of hospitality experts on how to create a successful program to drive traffic from hotels and concierges in your area.
- Colby Smith, Founder, CANVAS, Moderator
- Christine McMillan, Independent Concierge, CM Destinations & Consulting
- Maggie Walker, Lead Concierge and Wine Director, Kenwood Inn & Spa
11:45 – 1:00 PM Lunch & Networking (Ballroom): Included in your registration price
1:00 – 2:00 PM Breakout Sessions: Choose One of Three Tracks
Marketing Track | Tourism Track | Events Track |
Brought to You by Hearst: Wine & Hospitality Division
(Garden) |
Brought to You by Sacramento County Department of Airports
(Alexander) |
Brought to You by Eventbrite
(Oak) |
How Content Marketing can Grow your Winery/Hospitality Business Have you ever wanted a guaranteed engagement model for your marketing? Have you ever wished you had the resources to tell your story – in your own way – to your audiences? Native advertising is the solution to all of this. Learn how you can create a turnkey solution with a sophisticated distribution strategy that is centered around creative excellence and hands-on service. Session presented by Alison Pfaff, Hearst Newspapers Wine and Hospitality Division. |
United We Stand Aligning around the path to purchase: To get the best results for all stakeholders in a destination’s wine tourism industry, everyone needs to be singing off the same song sheet. From the destination marketers, to the media, to the trade, to the wineries, everyone must have a coordinated role along the consumer’s path to purchase. Session presented by Ernest Flach, South Australian Tourism |
The Key to Events What is the key to a successful event? Learn how to create and manage unique events that appeal to different guest types at your winery. Take away best practices and tips for creating, executing, and measuring events and learn which goals you should be setting for each event. Session presented by Tammy Boatright, VingDirect |
2:00 – 2:15 PM Break
2:15 – 3:15 PM Breakout Sessions: Choose One of Three Tracks
Marketing Track | Tourism Track | Events Track |
Brought to You by 5Forests
(Garden) |
(Alexander) | Brought to You by Eventbrite
(Oak) |
How to Sell Wines to Millennials (or Anyone Else!) Do your wine marketing decisions feel like expensive guesswork? Without a clear understanding of your customers, messaging, and goals, you might be leaving success or failure to chance. Join us in this session as we travel the path from confusion to clarity. Session presented by Polly Hammond of 5Forests |
SEO Goes Local Local Search Engine Optimization is the process of optimizing your online business to be discoverable via local organic search. Find out how you can optimize your local SEO by using your physical location and specific location keywords that non-local users can use to find you. Session presented by Andrew Shotland, Local SEO Guide |
Using Facebook Events Facebook Events are a great way to boost engagement, get people talking, provide helpful information and ultimately plan your upcoming business events. Learn how to plan, coordinate, and spread awareness of your brand through this tool. Session presented by Carin Oliver, Angelsmith, Inc. |
3:15 – 3:30 PM Break
3:30 – 4:30 PM The Impact of Local and Regional Wine Events (Ballroom): Wine appreciation is a common theme throughout the world. We will explore how local, regional, national and international wine events impact and promote the wine business as a whole and your business specifically.
- Laura Larson, Founder, Virtual Vines, Moderator
- Jan Aksztulewicz, Senior Manager, Events & Hospitality, Chimney Rock Winery and Rutherford Hill Winery
- Sarah Morse Cooney, VP Marketing, Hearst Bay Area
- Debbie Osborn, Event Manager, Wine Road Sonoma County
4:30 – 6:00 PM Wine Reception & Expo (Ballroom): Meet all our sponsors and taste a variety of wines from Sta. Rita Hills in this wrap up to the day’s events. The Sta. Rita Hills American Viticulture Appellation is located on California’s Central Coast in Santa Barbara County. The Pacific Ocean’s marine layer and afternoon ocean breezes traverse the coastal valley corridors between the Purisima Hills and the Santa Rosa Hills, creating the perfect environment for growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other cool climate wine grape varieties.
6:30 – 9:00 PM Optional Bottle Share Dinner (Restaurant): Enjoy a 3-course Prix Fixe meal in the Flamingo’s restaurant and bring your favorite bottle of wine to share with the group. This will be an additional cost ($36.50) and limited to 22 attendees. Sign up when you register.
Thursday, October 25
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Continental Breakfast (Empire): Included in your registration price
9:00 – 10:00 AM Breakout Sessions: Choose One of Two Tracks
Marketing Track | Tourism Track | Events Track |
(Empire) | Brought to You by Eventbrite
(Flamingo) |
|
Unlocking DTC Profitability with Big Data and Consumer Insights
Use real-life examples to show how Big Data and analytics can help wineries generate higher revenues and profits in both their existing customer base as well as attracting new customers like their very best. Case studies will include:
Session presented by Joel Miller, Customer Vineyard |
Success in Event Registration: Learn how to create a successful online registration and turn it into a successful onsite event, including ticketing, pricing, and onsite execution. Session Presented by Katie Sawyer, Eventbrite |
10:00 – 10:15 AM Break
10:15 – 11:15 AM Breakout Sessions: Choose One of Two Tracks
Marketing Track | Tourism Track | Events Track |
(Empire) | Brought to You by Eventbrite
(Flamingo) |
|
Ok, Google. Take me to the nearest winery. Learn about the rise of voice search and how wineries can use voice search strategies to drive real visitor traffic. With connected devices and voice recognition quickly becoming part of our daily activities, wineries need to be ready for the day when consumers search for a winery nearby using voice search rather than by using a search engine. Session presented by Scott Fish, 32 Degrees Digital
|
Local Guerrilla Marketing for Your Wine Event
Marketing can be the hardest part of the event planning process if you are on a budget – and that’s where guerrilla marketing comes in. Learn how to engage in high impact, low-cost local marketing to fill your events. Session presented by Susan DeMatei, WineGlass Marketing |
11:15 AM – 11:30 PM Break
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Closing Keynote Speaker: Judd Wallenbrock, President & CEO, C. Mondavi & Family (Ballroom)
12:30 – 12:45 PM Conference Close (Ballroom)