WINE AND "SOCIAL NETWORK": HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INTERNET TO IMPROVE SALES. “WORD OF MOUTH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SALES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARE THE DIGITAL AGE’S MOUTH,” SAYS KAREN RICE OF CONSTANT CONTACT

The thread that links the world is the “net” of Internet, and social networks strengthen the threads of this net that put all its users in close contact. How, though, can a wine company use these tools to improve business? Karen Rice, the development director of Constant Contact, the popular email marketing service used by many U.S. small businesses, including many wineries, answered this question.

“Email marketing, ” says Rice, “is a vital way to sell. People always check their e-mail. But it is also important not to believe that the only people who use social media are young people with no money. Almost 40% of Facebook users, for example, are 35 and older. "Winemakers know that word of mouth is one of the most important factors for sales and "social media is the digital age word of mouth,” says Rice.

"A few tips to follow,” she concludes, “you can multiply your sales by sending a newsletter, linking it to the social media site and posting comments and questions from one social media site to another. But be careful: once you start, you have to continue”.