Wine Road Board Office Update, via ZOOM – June 11, 2025

Wine Road Board of Directors

ZOOM Office Update – June 11, 2025 – 9:00am

Members Online: Mari, Julie, Janae, Helen, Harry, Danny, Aaron, Tom

Members Absent: Katie, Alexis, Lana

Treasurer’s Report: Checking $19,956.33 and Savings 102,408.46 and CD $52,000

Assessments – moving forward with Square – other subscription platforms were too robust for what we need and the cost did not make sense.

Square members can select making 5 months – July-Nov, 3 months, 2 months, or one month.

Also – pay early – $900 in JULY and receive 2 dedicated social media posts on our Instagram, one in July one in August – your choice of what we promote.

Or pay two years in advance and pay $800 per year, savings of $100 per year!

I plan to send out these assessment options next week.  I will work with Julie to have her write a letter that goes out with a printed invoice. We will make it look more like an invoice, instead of an assessment notice, which everyone does not seem to understand. We usually send this out July 1, but for these “early pay” and payment plans, they need to have this info sooner.  Members can pay the mailed invoice or pay via square.

There does not seem to be a way to have the customer pay the with credit card fee via Square. Do we just absorb that or do we write it up at $900 + $31 fee = $931, and break that down for each payment plan. Only a check does not include that.  If 100 wineries pay via Square and we absorb the fee, it’s a total of $3100.

Board agreed Wine Road would absorb CC fees for those making the full $900 payment, but pass along the fee for those making monthly payments.

Wine Trail

Working on artwork for ALL 5 of them, same design idea, different colors and theme for tool kits. Requiring wineries to make 2 social posts for these events.

Working with CellarPass on the idea of a “season Pass” for the Wine Trails, not sure yet how to make it work.  Ideally we will have this worked out by December. We can launch it as a gift for the 2026 series.

Wine & Food Affair

Working on a younger layout for the artwork, more “movie poster” idea, not grapes and wine glasses.

Working on various ticket levels, having lodging included and transportation with Pure Lux.

Possibly 3 options.  Sign up will begin in a couple of weeks.

Member Benefits – new outline of highlights of benefits, going to our website today, made a few more edits.  Janae has this as she reaches out to prior members.

TEXTING

RedChirp =  building consumer list.

Do we wait or send without their opting in?

According to Red Chirp this is legal, as long as there is an Opt Out in the text.

So far we have just over 100 that have signed up . We will continue to hit it hard through Aug and see where we stand before launching Wine & Food Affair tickets. If we have less than 1000 signed up, we will send to all of our contacts with the Opt Out option.

Web chat – comes to my phone.

LOTS of questions about Local Only and Wine & Food Affair. – Both encouraging.

Just printed more Locals signs, we have about 8 more wineries on board for that program.

Mysty has an influencer on board to start promoting both Locals Only next week. We developed a contact, using what SoCo Tourism does as far as requested posts and the timeline.

Sheila Jane, Sonoma County Favs – $1200, Locals Only

Mysty also has Wine Country Moms on board for Locals AND Summer Wine Trail – $325

Ollyverthewino – Olivia is on board for Summer Wine Trail also, promoting the last week of June, first week of July $500.

July 9^th does that date work – Lana and Helen would be gone.

Board agreed to stick with the 2^nd Wed of every month, as there will always be someone unable to attend

Need date for Julie, Mari, Helen, Katie to meet at the Healdsburg Exchange Bank to sign new form as check signers.

Getting stickers for our map holders, to place in coffee shops, bookstores etc.

Map Your Day along the Wine Road

Sticker inside the holder, when we’re out –

Did you miss getting the last map.

Scan the code, to see where the closet winery is.

Making signs for locations that can’t take the map holder –

Your Wine Adventure Awaits!

SCAN the code for the closest wineries.

Lastly – I had mentioned in the email about our July meeting we need to have some ideas for our 50^th.  Do all of our event glasses for 2026 have a 50^th Logo?  If so, we need to make that call before we order glasses for WFA.

Beth will come up with a budget proposal for our next meeting and we can begin to brainstorm ideas.

Manhattan Beach Wine & Food – bring wines from each AVA to pour. I am taking Mysty to connect with press. What is our messaging – WFA, 50^th Anniversary, Harvest in Wine Country, STS and wine flies FREE.  Should narrow that down.  What do we want to give away?

Pour 6 wines, 2 from each AVA

Have ticket give-away for email and text messaging sign-ups

Create Itineraries people can grab and go: girlfriends get-away, romantic weekend, bubbles etc.

Mysty – press release out for new Board Elections

Working on press release for Insiders and Ambassadors

Notes respectfully submitted by Beth Costa

Posted by Beth Costa

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