Wineries across Oregon have been contacted and invited to participate in the research described below. If you have not been contacted but would like to participate in the study, please contact James Sterns at OSU.
Dear friends,
During the past year, Oregon State University business and economics faculty conducted a listening tour around the state to identify opportunities to conduct new research addressing challenges facing Oregon’s wine businesses. One area where many expressed a desire for deeper understanding involved wine clubs – specifically, what features and benefits attract and retain profitable wine club members, and what best practices can be identified for maximizing the long-term value of a club.
Based on this industry input, OSU has decided to fund a new research project to answer the Oregon wine industry’s most pressing questions around wine clubs. No wine grape tax money is invested in this project.
The study has the potential to provide important new insights to wineries across the state, but it relies on your involvement. Your confidential responses are greatly appreciated and the information you provide will not be shared with the Oregon Wine Board or anyone outside of OSU.
We recognize that a survey during this busy time of year presents challenges. However, recent data confirming the vital importance of direct-to-consumer sales for Oregon wineries, and your demand for timely business intelligence, is leading OSU to launch this project without further delay.
Below is a more detailed description of the study, its process and OSU’s plans for reporting results. You can expect to receive a message from OSU with an invitation to participate in the coming days. If you receive a request from the research team, we hope you will help be a part of improving your own business while elevating Oregon’s overall wine club performance.
Thank you,
Tom Danowski
President
Oregon Wine Board
Introduction
Business & Economics researchers at Oregon State University, working in collaboration with the Oregon Wine Board, are seeking your help with a study on wine club members and club management strategies. Based on industry input provided during listening sessions held around the state, the team has identified wine clubs as a critical element of the marketing plan for many Oregon wineries, and this research will provide useful insights for wine club managers.
Methodology
OSU researchers will be conducting this study in two phases. First, they will ask wineries to complete a confidential questionnaire regarding their wine clubs. Second, they will ask wineries to help distribute emails to wine club members.
These emails will invite club members to complete a brief on-line questionnaire about their motivations for joining and participating in wine clubs, as well as their preferences for wine club offerings and services. Recognizing that wine club member lists are proprietary and private, the researchers will be relying on Oregon wineries to pass along information about the study to their club members.
Results and Reporting
Publicly reported results from this research will be based on aggregating data from all respondents. Data specific to your business and input from your wine club members is CONFIDENTIAL and will not be shared outside of the University research team. Results are expected to be ready to share at the Oregon Wine Symposium in February.
Wineries with enough participating club members may request survey results specific to their own wine clubs. These results will be provided privately and may involve a modest fee structure for customized reports.
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