A preference for the wines, first access to new wines and upcoming events, and of course feeling appreciated as a club member are all key drivers to a wine club’s success.

I work for a company called Active Club Management. We currently work with over 200 clubs with a majority of them being mostly wine clubs. In reviewing the clubs with the largest list of club members and the highest level of retention I have found that participation is most often based on the “VALUES” that goes well beyond the wine.

Yes, benefits are important and club members should have exclusive benefits. Many wineries offer private releases that are exclusive to club members and which would never available to the general public. This is often enough for people who are on the fence about becoming a club member to sign up.

The most successful clubs are those which build communities of people who participate with the winery well beyond the standard club releases and have club member retention well beyond the reported industry average of 18 months. Club members generally build relationships with the winery staff as well as with other club members. The better the relationships, the better the retention for the wineries and the more the club experience has to offer the individual club member.

The wineries that exceed the industry averages offer different ways for club members to feel valued. It could be as simple as a tour through the vineyards, reminders of “behind the scenes” tours, barrel tasting, participation in crush, pairing events and knowledge about the industry. The goal is to provide participants with insider’s information so they feel a part of the winery and not just a member of a club.

I agree with you when you say club members are evangelists. And customer service certainly supports the message. However, treating all visitors to one’s business as “valued” is a golden rule that is all too often forgotten.

I also feel that club members should speak up to the club manager. Let them know what you like, what you want to keep and ideas that would make the club a better value for you. Yes, they should be asking you but if they forget, I encourage you to speak up and help your favorite wineries provide the best club possible.

SECURITY! One item I do not see mentioned is the importance of asking how the wineries are securing your information. Storing your personal profile and your credit card
can be extremely dangerous if the winery does not meet the credit card industry requirements.

Theft and fraud is ramped these days and if your credit card number is improperly accessed it can make the best of wines go sour. Wineries all to often feel they will not be a target for this sort of theft however a majority of wineries seem to store the credit card information on site, without the proper security.

I do not sell security but it is worth mentioning. Please, make sure when you sign up for a club that you ask how they secure your information. If they do not tell you that they are PCI certified you may strongly want to consider passing on the club.

Enjoy!

As for what I personally look for in a wine club? I definitely look for exclusivity for one. I like being introduced to wines that I might not be exposed to otherwise and I like the benefits that come with my memberships. If I don’t feel there are enough perks to belonging to one wine club, I’ll probably opt to join another instead. I also look for value. I haven’t been hit too hard by the economy myself, but I still like to get as much value for my money as I can. Many wine clubs not only are fun ways to get to know wine a little better, but affordable ones as well.

At my site wineclubguide.com, we find, research, try, and review many of the most popular and unique wine clubs available to consumers today the better to help them figure out which programs would be best for them. Whatever you’re looking for in a wine club, we specialize in helping our visitors locate the wine clubs that most closely fit what they’re looking for.