Save the Dates! April 17-19, 2012

License to Steal:
What: a gathering of winery owners and marketing directors, tourism specialists, ancillary businesses that benefit from wineries in their region, economic development people and all interested in the growth of the American grape and wine community.

Why: because years ago, there were few marketing-only conferences that helped keep wineries ahead of the marketing curve.

Who: everyone who is interested in the above.
Much of the 2012 focus will be on direct to consumer sales via identifying hot trends, determining ROI on various marketing channels, building on opportunities offered by wine clubs, utilizing wine competitions most effectively, identifying customer 'types' and matching sales techniques to their needs, and assessing and expanding entrepreneurial skill sets. We will also have presentations on the latest news from TTB as it potentially impacts our futures.

Featured speakers confirmed to date:

Tim Hanni: MW and instructor at Sonoma State University Tim will present a 2 hour workshop: MyVinotype so wineries will sell more wine by understanding the factors that influence our unique personal preferences. This revolutionary, consumer-centric selling system is based on years of high-level sensory and consumer research. Your tasting room management and staff will learn how to engage with customers on a whole new level and then zero in on the wines they will love the most. Your team will also learn how to recommend simple and proven wine and food balancing principles in a way that will send your customers on their way with more bottles of wines and the confidence to enjoy those wines more frequently.
Learn how our unique Vinotype affects the styles of wines we love the most and how to turn this knowledge into: More Sales and Sales for Life.



Mike Michalowicz: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.
MIKE MICHALOWICZ (pronounced mi-CAL-o-wits) started his first business at the age of 24, moving his young family to the only safe place he could afford – a retirement village. With no experience, no contacts and no savings he systematically bootstrapped a multi-million dollar business. Then he did it again. And again.
His experience building three multi-million dollar companies fostered a philosophy rarely taught to entrepreneurs: the lack of money, experience and resources is, in fact, your greatest asset.
Mike is the president of a behavioral web optimization firm, Obsidian Launch; is the small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal; is a frequent television guest; is a keynote speaker on entrepreneurship; and is the author of cult classic book, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. He is currently writing his second book, to be released in 2012 by Portfolio, an imprint of the Penguin Group.
His Topic will be
"8 Ways To... More Customers, Buying More Things, More Often"


Fred Parry: President and publisher of Inside Columbia magazine, PRIME magazine and CEO magazine. The founder of several mid-Missouri publications including the Columbia Business Time, Columbia Home and Lifestyle magazines as well as the Jefferson City Business Times and Jefferson City Home magazines.
Fred opened Culinary Adventures in 2011 which is a state of the art instructional facility where class participants receive hands-on instruction from resident and city wide restaurant chefs. The classes allow participants to see, touch and taste, to ask questions along the way, and to follow every detail of the preparation thanks to video cameras that zoom in on the work surface as the chef demonstrates, giving students an up-close view on crystal-clear, high-definition video monitors.
Fred was elected in April 2003 to a 5-year term and reelected in 2008 on the Boone Hospital Board of Trustees. He was elected as Chairman of the Board of Trustees in April 2011. He served for eight years as a commissioner for the Columbia Housing Authority and continues to serve on a number boards and commissions throughout the community of Columbia Missouri. Fred is the past president of Columbia's Northwest Rotary Club. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce named Fred the 2006 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
He has been recognized for his entrepreneurial pursuits by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Centers, the United States Chamber of Commerce and by Nation’s Business magazine. Fred has been quoted on small business issues by the Wall Street Journal and featured in London's Financial Times. In 2010, Fred was named by Folio magazine as one of the top 40 individuals to watch in the publishing industry. He currently serves as the president of the Missouri Association of Publications and is on the board of the National City and Regional Magazine Association.


LTS Tentative Agenda April 17 from 10 a.m. on April 17, closing at noon on April 19
Times and topics are very tentative. The focus will be on generating a larger return on investment for wineries without tackling new projects that require time and financial resources. The emphasis will include increasing expanding tasting room sales, building opportunities in wine tourism and marketing to various audience segments.

Trade show set up anytime during day in halls
State display tables in conference room(s)

Registration beginning at 9 am

9:30 am: Meet and Greet

10:00 - 11:30 am: Steal Session Number one: coordinating states will share the 'best, brightest and most successful new project' from the prior year.

11:30 - noon - TBD

12:00 - 1:15pm: Informal Lunch and networking

1:15 - 2:15pm: Michael Michaelwicz, (mi-CAL-o-wits) the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur on building sales from an entrepreneurial perspective

2:15: - 2:45pm: Building your annual tasting room gross income by $100,000 or more - a simple formula for success

2:45 - 3:15pm: Break mid afternoon tasting of wine and cheese in the Trade Show area

3:15 - 4:00pm: Wine Country tourism: A report from the National Wine Tourism Conference: Morgan McLaughlin of the Finger Lakes Travel Association

4:00 - 5:00pm: Meet the Editors - an afternoon with wine, food, travel and consumer media

6:30 - 9:00pm Grazing reception and no host wine tasting - by regions and states - each attendee/organization to bring up to 3 bottles to share

Wednesday April 18

8:30 - 9:00am: Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 11:00am: Tim Hanni, VinoTyping to increase sales in your tasting rooms

11:00 - 11:15am: Break

11:15 - noon: Second steal session - updates on new ideas for wine trails, flash sales, other social networking

12:00 - 1:15pm: Light Lunch and networking.
1:30 - 2:15pm: ????? topics TBD
2:15 - 3:00pm: ???? Topics TBD by
2:45 - 3:00pm: Break

3:00 - 4:30pm: Wine competitions from the perspective of the organizers, the judges and the opportunities presented for accelerated sales: a Panel discussion

4:30 - 5:00pm: ???? topics TBD

7:00pm: Banquet and informal tasting

Thursday April 19

8:30am: Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 9:45am: ???? Topics TBD
9:45 - 10:45am: ????? Topics TBD

10:45 - 11:30am ????? Topics TBD

11:30 - 11:45am wrap up and ideas for 2013

Attached are the ideas addressed in our last call which are not yet part of the agenda- pls review and 'claim' any that fit into your realm of expertise