CASC medals aren’t awarded for our glory at Artisan Distillers Canada: they’re for you. An award win can be one of the best forms of marketing that exists for small distilleries—just ask some of your colleagues, who have previously shared their lessons and tips resulting from big awards wins.
Consider these factors now, less than a month before results are announced, if you have big expectations for your CASC medal-winning spirit:
Production: Do you have the flexibility to ramp up production, if a medal win creates increased demand for your products? If not, can you take low-risk steps to create the potential? And now is a good time to ensure you have a tight signature serve or cocktail (and photo) for each of your spirits.
Materials: If you’re working on a new website, fresh business cards, display and event signage or other material, consider holding off—you may want to add an award logo soon.
Intel: Hopefully you’ve been gathering customer emails; to that, add assembling a list of local media and influencers in your community that can be used not just for awards news, but year-round new product releases and events.
Consider these strategies if you celebrate a CASC medal win when results are announced in our next issue:
Release the Press: ADC does a national blitz that hits every region, but your own press release can target food and drink, entertainment, small business, community and alternative news outlets and reporters right in your community.
Bragging Right: Take medal images for your social media posts, and while you’re at it tag us (@dstillersca on Twitter and Instagram or Artisan Distillers Canada on Facebook) so we can help amplify those posts to our following.
Stick It: Order CASC bottle stickers to continue the medal glow for months to come at retail level.
Rinse and Repeat: Mention the medal results on your product spec sheets and shelf-talkers, on distillery or tasting-room signage plus on your website and staff email signatures and business cards.
Get Professional Help: Big wins can mean many public and media requests for your time, right when production has to ramp up to meet demand. Consider engaging a PR firm, even temporarily or on an hourly or weekly basis, to help handle basic requests (such as images, quotes and recipes).
Before the results are announced will be updating our Winner’s Resources page – be sure to check it out!