The wine business could learn a lot about business through Hip-Hop.
1. Get Shot or Shoot Your Winemaker (a lot)
50 Cent Was Shot 9 times before Get Rich or Die Tryin' Hit the Streets... Millions of copies were sold for the sheer fact that we all know he got shot...like all over the place.
How much would your business grow if we knew either you or your winemaker were not only a bad-ass, but bullet ridden and virtually indestructible? Screw three tier-- that's how direct to consumer legends are made!
2. Have a primary revenue stream that is not your wine.
Record sales are probably as deep in the shi**er as wine sales- But the real peeps in hip-hop get their stacks from clothing, energy drinks, events, perfume, franchised dojo's, etc... just anything that can be rooted back to their music or your wine-- Still, a hip-hop hero needs to keep churning out massive street anthems to keep their other biz ventures alive, and you need to be bottling thunder that will help market the real stuff you can actually make money on.
But- Don't think that the answer is your standard junk-ass, winery gift shop. Sell things that you love-- Like stuff for bow-hunting, competition chainsaws, or accessories for dog wool enthusiasts.
3. Get Busted
Every time TI got busted, he sold a couple million copies. Make your winery the spot that the local police hate to love. The place that had the donkey in the swimming pool and who vocally believes that "rules are for the ruled." Screw that their winery was in the movie Sideways, yours was featured on an episode of COPS-- Beat that!
3a. Do A Little Time
If you came to party. You should really fn' party. Come out of the big house a bad ass with a couple vintages of Pruno / prison wine under your belt and consumers will be begging for the product of a bad man's hands.
4. You Need A Twerk Team
5. Or, I need you to have a Twerk Team.
First winery to do this wins. End of game.
Something beyond the standard BS of luxe lifestyle, your love for wine inspired by Tuscany, your life long dream, etc. What really makes you rattle your gawt-danged cage and who is ultimately going to have to pay?
7. Be Unique
Another pretty spot on the road where everyone seems to be producing county-fair award winning wines just doesn't cut it. Who are you? No, really-- who are you?
8. Have Beef
As happy go lucky as you are- You've gotta have some public beef w/ someone else in the industry- Be it a critic, another winemaker that's been trying to rip off your shit, the people in that other effen' county over the hills, or someone way more specific than "the man"- You really need a Ja Rule to diss.
9. Do what you love and make sure people see it.
If you don't have a good time with what you are doing, no one else will.
10. Be Real
If you are going by the name Snasty Rottweiler and your real name is Lil' Marty from Corte Madera, someone is going to shoot you-- a lot. If you survive, go back to #1 and make this shiz happen!
