Omaha Wine Company Web Site Re-Design and Brand Extension for a Wine Retailer December 2005   Background Omaha Wine Company (OWC) is a small but successful wine retailer, serving local and national consumers. For many years, the company has led a comfortable existence through the development and maintenance of a loyal customer base. But, in January 2005, OWC realized that they were in danger of losing some longtime customers to increased Internet competitionand potentially to an influx of nearly a dozen new area wine retailers.   OWC called on Granger Group to develop a phased strategy for 2005 and 2006 that would help stem the flow of customers to other wine outlets, raise its profile among local and national retailers, and create a way to grow their customer base.   Challenge Competitive challenges in the national wine market have had a tremendous impact on wine retailers. With big-box retailers such as Sam's Club and Costco able to dramatically cut margins because of bulk purchasing power, many smaller shops found themselves losing out.   To achieve their financial objectives, OWC needed a marketing solution that would reduce current costs, leverage the power of their one-on-one relationships with current clients, and cost effectively reach prospective customers.   Granger Group's Solution Granger Group proposed an updated way to communicate with clients by using the Internet. The new strategy focused on an updated Web site and an electronic version of their newsletter.    Over the years, OWC has become known for a quarterly printed newsletter that talked to readers as if they had dropped by the store to browsewith humor and without pretension. Admittedly a little provocative, the newsletter is one of the things that keeps customers talking, and keeps them coming back. Granger Group aimed to replicate the same feeling online, while reaching a broader audience.   The second part of the strategy involved creating a hardworking Web site that would provide an easy-to-navigate venue for wine lovers looking for information about vintners, varietals and picks of the month. A sign-up form for customers interested in specific wines, as well as a contact form, provides an interactive conduit between OWC and their customers.   Because OWC aimed to increase the likelihood that those searching for wine information and news attention would find their site at the top of the list, Granger Group incorporated two key tools in the site development: Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Submission Results Since debuting the site in March of 2005, OWC has seen a 1,500 percent increase in total Web hits from the previous year. The company has doubled its customer database and maintained its local sales numbers, even in the face of a burgeoning retail market.   Since introducing the more sophisticated Web presence, national sales are up overall. And, in 2005, OWC received their first-ever international salean $8,000 order from a customer in Australia.