The March meeting of the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Academy of Wine Communications will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, 5712 Route 414 in Hector, NY. A roundtable meeting will be held from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM with light breakfast provided by Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards followed by an Advanced Social Media Workshop from 12-2:30 PM (bring your laptops!). Seeking lunch sponsor. RSVP is greatly appreciated ASAP by responding here or to Melissa Dobson at (917) 816-5424 or melissa.dobson@avantguild.com. We have seating available for 14 max.

Meeting topics to include:

• Identifying wine influencers
• How to turn wine blog reviews into sales $$
• New York Cork Report: Mini-Rieslings: Hazlitt Hopes To Take a Major Step With Customers http://bit.ly/cm6Ydf, alternative packaging
• Viticulture 2010 takeaways: Erica Paolicelli of Three Brothers Wineries & Estates
• Our Press Release announcement
• Paid focus groups http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/299290/need-wine-drinkers-for-paid-focus-group-boston
• Putting “organic” on the label, how it affects consumer demand http://www.vinography.com/archives/2010/03/if_your_wine_is_organic_dont_t.html

Advanced Social Media Workshop:

• Contest opportunities on Facebook: increase fan engagement and grow your newsletter list
• Foursquare, GoWalla and how to create promotions and incentives for users
• Consumer Review Sites: Cork’d, Snooth, CellarTracker
• VinoVisit, CellarPass

If you haven’t joined us yet, check us out. Wineries and wine marketing groups that have attended include: Heron Hill Winery, Splash The Finger Lakes, Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, Damiani Wine Cellars, Ravines Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association, Billsboro Winery, Anthony Road Wine Company, Three Brothers Wineries & Estates, Sheldrake Point Vineyard and Cafe, Red Newt Cellars, Rooster Hill Vineyards, Shaw Vineyard and New York Wine & Culinary Center. Bring a favorite bottle and your notebook, it’s a great excuse to get out and talk wine marketing over a glass of vino with Finger Lakes winery owners and marketers. See you there!