Welcome to Episode 2119 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode of Masterclass US Wine Market, host Barbara Fitzgerald interviews Ben Salisbury, a consultant, coach, content creator, public speaker, thought leader and subject matter expert for the wine & spirits industry.  In this episode they discuss how wine producers can stay afloat and even thrive in an industry with too little distributors compared to increasing number of producers, through tactics such as   email marketing and lead generation.    More about today’s guest: Ben Salisbury Ben Salisbury is a consultant, coach, content creator, public speaker, thought leader, subject matter expert, and entrepreneur for the wine and spirits industry. His expertise in sales and marketing strategy accumulated over four decades working with some of the largest adult beverage companies in the world including Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands. His approach is to disrupt the status quo of how wines and spirits are marketed and sold, to challenge outdated practices, and to provide innovative solutions to help wineries and distilleries sell more products. Ben is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, creates original content on his blog and YouTube channel, and has contributed articles to the Wine Business Monthly.    Connect:   Website: https://salisburycreative.com/  Insta: https://www.instagram.com/winesalesstimulator/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-salisbury-7660511/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salisburycreative  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5forests      More about today’s host: Barbara Fitzgerald With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries. As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.   Connect: Instagram www.instagram.com/aprilabottiglia   LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/ Website www.aprilacreative.com _______________________________ Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels: Instagram www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ Facebook www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast Twitter www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast Tiktok www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/   Until next time, Cin Cin!   Tune-in and hit the like! - Business, US Market advice, importing, exporting, business, personal stories and advice, plus she is very fun to listen to!