1. Review brand strategy and execution. Conduct a rigorous brand audit. Get your team together to hone your brand proposition. Check relevance: is it unique, authentic and compelling to your target customer? Sage Brandworks' brand execution expert, Dave Studeman, recommends this 6-Step Brand Execution Checklist.
2. Assess wine quality and portfolio fit. Conduct third party tastings within your competitive set to confirm your wine quality can exceed customer expectations. If your brand promise is not reflected in your product, you are probably already suffering attrition in this competitive environment.
3. Recalibrate portfolio profitability. Scrutinize all your wines to assess whether each is delivering minimum gross margins of 50%. Determine whether to re-price, shift channels, or jettison any that do not make the cut.
4. Challenge your channel strategy. Understand your customers' changing needs. Analyze your pricing by channel. Manage depletions account by account at least monthly. Keep your wine moving and don't wait to make adjustments. This is not the time to allow inventory to back up anywhere.
5. Hang out in the market. Brand image is often reinforced by the face behind the brand. Be relentless. Hang out in your top markets.

Scion's approach to developing market strategy can make it easy for your customers to choose your brand over anyone else in your category. A more profitable market strategy enables you to emerge a stronger, more resilient company.

Now is the time to take action and be fearless, focused and more disciplined.

Best regards,

Ellen Hunt, Partner
Scion Advisors®
Ellen@ScionAdvisors.com
503-989-2507