Elizabeth Dames, Wine Director at The Perlant, Marietta, Georgia, United States:

They can come in to the restaurant to do staff training with sample bottles, the more tools we give the staff to sell wine, the more sales will increase. Many times, suppliers have visited the wineries they represent so getting first-hand accounts of walking the vineyards and talking with the winemakers is extra valuable information to have when talking about the wine tableside. They also many times have communication access to the winemakers/winery team so they are a crucial piece of the puzzle when trying to plan events to be able to have the winemakers come visit. Sales will certainly take an increase of a particular wine or winery after guest are able to have an interaction with the person who made it. Suppliers can also help drive sales by doing consumer tastings. The more opportunities to have consumers taste and learn about specific wines, the savvier they become and hopefully the more wine they will choose to buy.

Jon McDaniel, Director of Product, Education + Subscriptions at Scout & Cellar, Chicago, IL:

First, suppliers must realize that relationships that last take a while.  Dropping a 10 case deal on an account doesn't mean that account is your forever.  It means they will take the best deal every time.  My role in the wine world is to connect consumers directly to the source and the supplier can be a partner in that facility. Sales are a long game - if you are into quick liquidation, you will always be in that game

John Maraffa, Corporate Beverage Manager, Morton's The Steakhouse | Strip House Steakhouse & Cocktail Lounge | Morton's Grille, Greater Chicago, IL:

Embrace staff training. Not just handing out fact sheets, but consistent interaction with the 'boots on the ground.' Create a connection with the team and it will pay dividends.

Michael Robinson, Sommelier at Adalina Chicago:

Suppliers can give presentations and provide education to not only me but also my staff.  I like when they are present in the building. Coming in often and being seen by staff, as well as customers, creates an open dialog with our team and those that are directly purchasing products. When our suppliers take initiative in communication with the staff the benefits are unending. I enjoy when our supplier also chose to engage and present friendly competitions with our staff to promote new products as well as interesting or hard to find options that our customers may or may not be familiar with.  This not only supports education but also supplier relations with the entire company.  I find suppliers that take this approach motivate and energized us as a team which in turn quickly translates into more sales and happier customers.

Wayne Belding MS, Partner at Preferabli, Boulder Colorado:

Communication is important. Let suppliers know what types of wines work best for your restaurant. They should inform you about upcoming promotions for key wine styles so you can plan to incorporate them into your wine program. Offer extra training for your staff to give them the stories behind the wines as well as tastings.

Jeffrey Van Ham, Sommelier at Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, IL:

Staff trainings are very important. We spend so much of our time working the floor and administrative work that a helping had to educate and taste the staff goes a long way and provides a different point of view to them.

Christopher St. James, Assistant Sommelier & Supervisor at Esquire, Chicago:

By establishing strong and mutually beneficial relationships. Some examples I can think of are understanding the restaurant's concept and needs, tastings and samples, and regular communication.

Larissa C Dubose, National Director Beverages | Wine Enthusiast Magazine Future 40, Atlanta, Georgia: 

Wines that tell a story and have a sense of place. Hidden gems. Transparency on pricing and inventory. Actively working with the distributors to get ahead of any issues.

Lisa Selman, Alchemy Room Beverage Director, Chicago:

Finding gaps in your menu and propsing those solutions along with data

Brining in wine at a great price point that is not found on off-premise.

Sutton McElroy, Director of Staff Education, Bartender, Supervisor at Cadet, Napa, California:

Suppliers can work with Sommeliers to drive sales by creating thoughtful and intentional tastings on new wines, passionately delivering information/representation of their brands.

DJ Howard, Sommelier at City Winery, Chicago:

While I don’t do the buying at City Winery, I’ve definitely met with suppliers and sales reps. It always comes back to the story for me. What they know about the little female owned winery in California. A vineyard whose biodynamic winemaking invokes a moon magic ritual. I love overhearing these shared experiences and I think that really does drive up sales.

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Elizabeth Kowal, Sommelier at Geneva Wine Cellars, Chicago:

Working with us to do unique promotions and offering special pricing.

Tiffany Tobey, Wine Director at Tower Club of Dallas, Dallas:

The number one thing I can suggest is having an established relationship with your suppliers. It blows my mind how often I encounter people who have no idea who their rep is, let aloe who their supplier is. When you understand that bond you can work together to achieve goals. 

Jamie Harrison Rubin, Procurement & Placements at Culinary Conservatory, New York:

As stated above, education. Suppliers have better ties to producers than myself. The more my staff and I feel connected to the product we're selling, the better.

Header image - Elizabeth Dames