Networking lunch at Tucks Ridge

The event, hosted by Olivia Barrie from Mornington Peninsula Wine saw close to 80 local businesspeople from various industries come together to connect and learn. Guests were treated to lunch in the all-weather marquee at Tucks Ridge, enjoying spectacular views over Red Hill South.

After time to network with the local Business Community, a panel of experienced vignerons and business people was on hand to share stories and delve into key themes relevant to today’s business landscape including Sustainability, Marketing and Branding. The guest speakers and panelists for the day included:

• John Mitchell Montalto / Tucks – Guest Speaker

Panel Members

• Rollo Crittenden – Crittenden Wines
• Aaron Drummond – Stonier Wines
• Heidi Williams – Montalto / Tucks

John Mitchell, the visionary behind Montalto and Tucks Ridge, treated attendees to the Montalto story and how he embarked on a journey to create a successful winery experience. Recognising the region’s ‘extraordinary’ beauty and ‘magnificent’ land he spoke about capturing the essence of the area and sharing it with visitors, through a unique ‘tourism approach to marketing’. Understanding that marketing goes beyond bottles and labels, John spoke about his passion to provide an immersive experience that resonates with guests long after their visit.

By curating special events like ‘books and ideas’ and introducing their love of art to the venue through sculptures, they have been able to add layers of interest and sophistication into the fabric of Montalto over the years.  This commitment to creating a sense of place and fostering lasting connections has been instrumental in Montalto’s success, as it continues to captivate and inspire visitors.

Rollo Crittenden, a second-generation winemaker spoke about the history of his family’s business and was asked about the importance of sustainability to consumers and how their business markets its sustainability initiatives to customers. In response, Rollo spoke of the growing importance of sustainability as a consumer expectation and how it is

not an edge these days, it is simply bringing you up to par…sustainability initiatives must be woven into your business model

Furthermore, sharing insights on effectively communicating and marketing sustainability initiatives authentically to consumers, highlighting the need to transparently showcase the commitments to these initiatives throughout every part of your narrative.

Second panellist Aaron Drummond from Stonier Wines addressed the importance of brand development and a collaborative approach to marketing. Stressing that a brand cannot exist without a clear purpose. You must identify the What and Why, define your focus and align it with your brand identity. By getting this right, businesses lay a strong foundation for their brand development, enabling it to resonate with customers and drive success.

Our final panellist for the day was John’s daughter from Montalto, Heidi Williams, who spoke on her experience with marketing initiatives and measuring their success. Heidi emphasized the importance of aligning marketing efforts with the brand and target audience. Marketing and branding are about

creating awareness and building trust [you should] never underestimate the importance of getting your brand right.

Highlighting that businesses

Should not attempt to serve everyone, because you will end up serving no one.

Heidi explored the importance of measurable direct marketing using data-driven approaches and KPI’s to track and evaluate the impact of campaigns. Having constant social media content available and the importance of scheduling new content for businesses to remain competitive as you remain on show 24/7. Businesses can even explore the idea of sponsorship as a marketing initiative.

All in all, a successful event, thank you to everyone who attended and all the speakers who took the time to share their stories, knowledge and insights with other Mornington Peninsula Businesses.

Our business networking events are the perfect opportunity to expand your network, all in a relaxed and informal setting.

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