Free Video Lessons for Beverage Entrepreneurs, Salespeople, and Marketers

Six experts on crushing it in the drinks biz

Starting a beverage brand requires constant learning, but paying for every piece of advice isn’t realistic. 

I’ve compiled the best of Park Street University’s video resources so you can start learning without spending a dime. 📺

Below, you’ll find the best quotes and most actionable tips from six industry experts on everything from pitching off-premise sales to trade marketing.

1. What Investors Look For In Beverage Alcohol Startups
   Even those this presentation is from 2022, it' still holds up. In it, Jeff Menashe of Demeter Advisory Group discusses the buyer mindset for beverage-alcohol acquisitions.

   💬 Best Quote: [On knowing your consumer] “I want to know where am I sourcing them from? What are they drinking? How often are they drinking? Whom are they drinking with? What are they willing to pay? What resonates with them in terms of visual cues, brand story, flavor profile? Who do they trust and what do they need to see from those people in order to feel that they’re like really leaning in?”

   💡Best Tip: Your brand is that much more attractive if you can achieve a gross margin of over 60%. This allows for the significant reinvestment needed in advertising and promotion (A&P) to build an innovative brand or even develop a new category.

2. Trade Marketing Strategies for Spirits Brands

   Lindsey Johnson of Lush Life offers trade marketing tips for spirits brands working with bars. 

   💬 Best Quote: “Engaged audiences are more important than large audiences.”

   💡Best Tip: Always “add 30% to whatever you think it’s going to cost” to account for forgotten items and inflation, especially in projects with long lead times.

3. How to Help Your Distributor Create Retail Sales

   To boost retail sales amidst market saturation, Chris Maffeo of Maffeo Drinks details how brands must understand distributor and trade needs. 

   💬 Best Quote: [On your brand] “You need to be emotionally relevant, strategically relevant, and financially relevant.”

   💡Best Tip: Focus on selling “one case into one bar” over “one bottle in twelve bars.” Early on, identify 5-10 bars where your product has the most potential. Then, double down on securing full case sales and repeat orders in those high-potential accounts. Repeat purchases are far more valuable than broad, shallow distribution.

4. What to Know Before Choosing a Beverage Alcohol Distributor

   John Palatella of JP Brand Advisors shares what beverage-alcohol brand owners need to know before choosing a distributor. He specifically addresses the unique makeup of the U.S. market and how it affects distributor selection.

   💬 Best Quotes: “A distributor might have 16 salespeople and two trucks for an entire state. How can you hit 1,000 on-premise distribution points? It’s impossible.”

   💡Best Tip: Leverage your distributor’s rich data, including sales and market insights. A quality distributor should possess “unbelievable data” that provides detailed understanding of your competition, helping you strategically position your brand and identify growth opportunities within the market. Make sure they’re willing and able to share it.

5. Prepping to Pitch an Off-Premise Buyer

   Brett Pontoni, the Specialty Spirits Buyer for Binny’s Beverage Depot (a 40+ store chain in Illinois), offers brand owners universal advice on how to effectively prepare for meetings with an off-premise beverage buyer.

   💬 Best Quote: “Your first focus should be dominating your home market. And if you can’t dominate your home market, make sure you’re a very important part of your home market. You need to have that as your base and your comfort zone before you’re going to start to branch out into other markets.”

   💡Best Tip: For any chain retailer, visit 2-3 of their stores to analyze shelf arrangement, pricing, sales, and displays for your product category.

6. Key Pillars of E-commerce Strategy

   Andrea Sengara of Campari America discusses how up to 50% of retail sales are influenced by the consumer’s online experience. She shares insights on choosing the right digital platforms, improving performance, and driving online conversions.

   💬 Best Quote: “The concept of ‘build it and they will come’—I don’t think anyone… subscribes to that anymore. You really need to know where your consumer is and drive them to where they can convert to purchase.”

   💡Best Tip: Make it as easy and with as few clicks as possible for consumers to purchase your products when they encounter your brand online. Ensure every digital touchpoint clearly guides the customer towards conversion, rather than leaving them unsure of how to buy.