Manizesto

Tim Hanni is one of the leading wine experts in the country, he’s one of the first two Americans to attain the status of Master of Wine, and he’s single-handedly changing the way people purchase and think about wine.

Oh, and did I mention Hanni hasn’t drunk wine for 14 years?

Hanni, a recovering alcoholic, has created a tool he calls the Budometer (try it), which helps the average Joe decide which wines will appeal to him most. The tool is a simple questionnaire that asks about your wine knowledge, your beer and coffee preferences, as well as your sensitivity to artificial sweetners. 

The Budometer told me I was “Sensitive” and recommended I try Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnays from U.S. & Australia, Merlots and Shiraz blends. Since I’ve never tried any of these, I can’t speak to the accuracy of the tool, but I can still say unoquivically that Hanni is one innovative man that small business marketers can learn from (Read the full WSJ article).

Hanni is influential despite his lack of drinking because: 

• He has so much knowledge of the industry that his influence is undeniable (despite not drinking the wine).
• He sees the growth potential for the wine industry and is going after an untapped market (the average American).
• He’s not afraid to be disruptive to an established, snobbish industry.
• He knows how to relate to and communicate with this new market.

And small businesses can increase their influence by mimicking these same attitudes. Though you may not have thought about it, your marketing program will be many times more successful if you become a leader in your industry, look for untapped areas in your market, aren’t afraid to do things differently- even if that means being drastically different- and by knowing how to communicate with that market. Try it.

Also, you can listen to the WSJ’s interesting podcast with Hanni here to learn more about Hanni.

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