winehound projects
Here are some examples of past marketing projects and testimonials from recent marketing and management consultancy clients
Winehound marketing and management guarantees privacy to our clients therefore names and actual locations are not publiished unless the client gives specific permission to do so. The following scenarios are based on the experience of real clients and are listed to give future clients an insight into the diversity of the services we offer.
Testimonial : November 2005
As a newcomer to the world of small business I knew I needed some clear direction for planning my business. Karen spent several hours with me and helped me develop a comprehensive business plan. This process made me think clearly about what I wanted for my business and exactly what I had to do to achieve my goals. Six months later I am well on my way to achieving my major goal, opening my own chocolate cafe. The structure of the plan allows me to go back to it regularly and check my progress and direction, and tweak it where necessary, whilst still keeping a clear picture of where I want to be and how to get there.
Karen's approach to the development of this plan was practical and supportive. She took us through a process that was logical and easy to understand. The marketing plan formed the main basis of the business plan we just needed to plug in our financial aspects which we developed with our accountant. We have been able to use this plan at all stages of our ventures and I will be consulting Karen again to review our marketing/business plan as we progress
I would highly recommend anyone who needs a business/marketing plan to have Karen work with them and incidentally her fees are extremely affordable and her unique approach offers the best value for money available in this specialist field.
Lindy Butcher All Things Chocolate 5.11.05
Client 2: A Tourism Outlet in Victoria.
This outlet is a bed and breakfast with a produce store attached.
They felt that they were not getting their share of B&B bookings and that the turnover was not adequate to sustain the stockholding in the produce store.
During the briefing and site inspection my gut feeling was that they did not have a great deal of involvement in the local tourism organisations but expected that paying membership should bring them business. They were advertising in journals that were not focussed on their particular target market and that the product range did not have enough regional focus, therefore providing a reason for visitors to impulse buy whilst in the area.
Following the site visit I spent the rest of the day facilitating an analysis of their market after which both they and I went away to do some desk research.
We then got together again and I facilitated the development of a marketing plan to move them forward. We developed strategies and tactics that they put into place over the next year. I revisited 6 months into the plan and we reviewed results, revamped strategies and changed some tactics slightly.
After one year turnover at the produce store – which gradually changed over to more and more local and specialist products- used in the B & B - increased by 68% and is still rising. The B & B has increased bookings by 47% and with some new strategies in place aims to increase these during off peak times with events and special offers.
Client 3: A Winery in Tasmania
This winery had been producing top quality wine for about 5 years but did not have a cellar door. They decided to open one and asked me to advise them on setting it up. They were looking at building a purpose build structure.
We looked at
- The possibilities of utilising current buildings on the property vs new and if new what style it should be.
- What infrastructure they needed such as storage space hygiene facilities, displays areas etc.
- Promotional strategies and tactics to get people to cellar door
- Product range and value added goods to increase turnover during visitation
- Staff training
- Special attractions functions and events
Having facilitated the decision making process with the client I put together a basic marketing plan for the new cellar door, from the launch through to suggested opening times and other product, price and promotional tactics. I also continue to help them with writing copy for press releases, briefing graphic designers etc. on an on-going basis and also help them look at ways to increase their database and use it to stimulate sales.
The cellar door is now open and running and the client has contacted me recently to talk about developing a full marketing plan for the brand, so that the cellar door, database and property can be used to its best advantage as part of the future brand development.
Testimonial November 2004
Dear Ms Goldspink,
Regarding your recent request for a reference, I am indeed pleased to furnish you with same.
After our first trading year, following implementation of the planning you carried out for us during your consulting last year, we are very pleased that we have not only lifted our turnover by a quite unexpected level, just from concentrating on the three sales area targets you assisted us to establish and the strategies you devised to attain them, but that secondly this enabled our return to profit, establishing an increase of 45% over our previous best of ten years.
This has simply amazed our shareholders almost more than it has our bankers. Our sincere thanks for your insightful study and the many careful ways you brought the staff into participating. The fact that our commercial area and marketplace was unlike any you had previously dealt with, served to emphasize that basic principles apply universally, and this was a source of great surprise to the sceptics as well as our delight, when the results were reviewed.
We look forward to early 2005 when we have requested you to advise us on the structuring and staffing of branch operations in other states, to be operable by the third quarter next year, which will require several days of interstate visits at times acceptable to you. We look forward to commencing this activity in February.
Considering the techniques you created for us I feel your consultancy could benefit greatly from their wider use. When sharing your methodology, with your other clients, please feel free to share information about the outcomes we experienced although we would appreciate it if you would respect our privacy by refraining from referring to our organisation by name.
Yours sincerely
Sam Maabarack
Managing Director.
training testimonials
“Karen’s friendly and direct manner calls on years of experience delivering service and solutions to business. She has a valuable ability to place material in a broader organizational context. Karen is refreshingly sensitive to the balance required between best practice and what’s achievable in real life. Participants leave with a sense that they can manage projects with an appropriate level of oversight – not overkill.”
Michele Kennedy –Canberra Institute of Technology
The Hellenic club engages Karen Goldspink for an increasingly wide range of training activities as her presentations are professional, informative and enjoyable, she makes the effort to understand and relate directly to our staff through the use of real life examples and the feedback is always excellent
George Kazias Beverage Manager
