The Wine Industry Sales Education Academy (WISE) is about to land in New Zealand. Based in Napa, California, the academy is the only wine industry education, training and certification program specifically focused on direct-to-customer sales and marketing.
The organisation will be launched in Cromwell, Central Otago, at the end of the month, with an inaugural 3-day Cellar Door Professional course starting on 25 November and a DTC Metric Intensive course to be held the following week. Both will be instructed by WISE co-founder and chairman Lesley Burgland. From next year, Central Otago businessman Bruce McGechan will run the New Zealand organisation, offering training courses in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago.
According to McGechan, the NZ wine industry urgently needs to improve its direct marketing standards. “A WISE-trained California cellar door makes many times the revenue of its New Zealand equivalent,” said McGechan.
