As a social media consultant and photographer for small wine brands, I've seen first-hand the chaos and unhinged shenanigans of last-minute content creation. I swear, every year, no matter how on top of it brands think they are, I will get at least three last-minute inquiries for holiday-themed photoshoots at the beginning of December. I can't take it anymore!
So today I'm sharing how you can get your social media shit together in the new year.
One of the best ways to succeed with your social media (and marketing, in general) in the new year is to create a Year-At-A-Glance Calendar with all your important dates on it. This simple tool will help you plan for future posts and emails as well as help prepare you for future content creation needs so you aren't scrambling last minute for shit like photos for your holiday bundles!
-Here's what to include in your YAG Calendar-
Wine Club Shipment Dates:
Mark the dates of your upcoming wine club shipments, emails, and pick-up parties. This helps in creating anticipatory posts, behind-the-scenes packaging content, and reminders for your followers. Even better if you can list what wines will be included in shipments so you can plan ahead for photography needs.
Brand-Specific Holidays:
Identify holidays that resonate with your brand. Whether it's National Wine Day, Earth Day, or more traditional holidays, knowing these dates helps in crafting relevant and festive content. P.S. I'm not a huge fan of what I call "hashtag holidays" like Rosé Day because any content you make will get drowned out by everyone else's Rosé Day Content. That said, being aware of when those days are happening can be helpful for you to either avoid posting on those days or to plan in advance for them.
Cellar Activity Milestones:
Include key cellar dates like bottling, blending, and aging. These are perfect opportunities to share the winemaking process with your audience, adding an educational aspect to your content.
Vineyard Activity Calendar:
Track important vineyard dates such as pruning, seeding, budbreak, bloom, veraison, and harvest. Capturing and sharing these moments allows your audience to connect with the journey of your wines from vine to bottle.
*Note for both the cellar and vineyard activity dates: it's okay if you don't know the exact dates of these a year in advance, just list them in the general month or quarter you know they'll be happening so you can be prepared when that month rolls around.
Staff Birthdays and Anniversaries:
If celebrating your team is part of your brand, include these dates. Sharing staff stories and celebrations humanizes your brand and builds a stronger connection with your audience. One of my clients likes to use their Instagram Stories to celebrate birthdays.
Winery Events:
You generally know in advance when your winery events will be happening, like wine club pick up parties and winemaker dinners. List these dates on the calendar so you can remember to advertise them in advance.
Sales and Promotions:
Plan for important sales periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or other seasonal promotions. Early planning ensures you have compelling visuals and engaging copy ready to go.
