Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michele Margherita. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Michele, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Fear keeps a lot of people from taking risks which creates anxiety, stress and stops people from trying new things. From job changes to vacations, many people prefer staying in a safe, known space rather that be uncomfortable in a new one. Years ago I took a Dale Carnegie course based on his 1936 book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. one of many takeaway lessons taught me to ask, in any situation: What is the worst that could happen? You would be surprised how few scenarios have truly life altering downsides.
I have a degree in biochemistry but though I consider myself a science geek, I am passionate about meeting new people and learning their stories. After graduation from Rutgers University I landed my first job as chemical sales rep, which ended up being a great combination of utilizing my science acumen and building relationships. Armed with excellent sales training, I quickly learned that sales was less about listing the benefits of my products or having the lowest price and more about building trust with the people who made the purchasing decisions.
With every risk I took during my career, the answer to “What is the worst that can happen” was never a deterrent. From taking a promotion requiring a relocation from New Jersey to Illinois, to quitting my job to move to San Francisco (to escape the Chicago winters), to my biggest risk of a career switch to teach high school chemistry, I had no regrets, though the teaching move lasted only a year and did prove the most trying. By one lens it was a failure but I learned a lot about myself and if I hadn’t tried I would always have wondered if it was my calling.
Throughout my life changes and risks, my long time partner in life and husband John gave me the safety net to try and sometimes fail with full support and understanding,
My most recent risk which landed me in my current post pandemic career switch to wine tour guide was possible based on the many risks that came before. What was the worst that could happen? The business could fail to produce the income I needed, I could hate the work, COVID could again close tasting rooms, fortunately none of this happened and if it did, I was confident my people skills could translate to many other vocations.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have been married for John, my partner in Triangle Wine Country Tours, for 38 years. We have 2 amazing kids: Chloe and Steven. Chloe came to Portland to attend Reed College to study English and loved Portland so much she stayed, she is the reason we considered Oregon when we were ready to move from NJ. She is self employed as an astrologer. Steven is an urban planner at a civil engineering firm and lives in NJ. We still have lots of family in NJ and PA so return often to visit.
I am the proud owner of Triangle Wine Country Tours, located in Portland, OR, where we take guests on day trips of the Willamette Valley wine country for visits and tastings at wineries. I consider myself an ambassador for the amazing wineries here, helping to bring them potential customers and wine club members. All of our tours are customized around guests’ wine preferences, pick up location, group size and budget. Our niche is small educational tours for beginners through advanced wine enthusiasts interested in meeting owners/winemakers, increasing their wine knowledge and enjoyment of the wine they drink, We love to take guests to small wineries making great wines, those placed in scenic settings, and the wineries who are racking up international recognition.
In 2023 we got a Bernese Mountain Dog, Cassie, and she is available to join our tours, as guests and wineries allow. As many wineries are dog friendly, she is becoming a great asset and a draw for guests who miss their own pups!
In addition to our full-day trips, where guests visit three wineries, we are organizing a half-day Portland urban winery/brewery tour for visitors without a full day to spare.
We are currently entering our third touring season, which peaks in the summer months, and am pleased to have received the Trip Advisor Travelers Choice award in 2023, based on our many 5 star reviews.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Persistence: I learned from my many years in sales that showing up is more than half the battle. With one prospective customer I just kept up regular visits until one day his other supplier let him down. Who do you think he called? Don’t be afraid to keep trying, ask again, or send a follow-up email to anyone with whom you are looking to build a relationship. Everyone is busy and a lack of a response does not always mean a lack of interest, maybe just lack of time or something else took precedence. Priorities can change at any time, so don’t be afraid to advocate for your business! .
2. Communication: Over and over customers have complimented me on my follow-up skills. Thank everyone who helps you, summarize in writing a conversation requiring a response. Make it easy for someone to reach you by including your phone, email, links to your website and social media accounts when you contact someone to form a business relationship. Do what you promise to do, promptly. I am still surprised when I hear lack of follow-up cost someone a sale. It’s not complicated but it does take discipline
3. Listen more than you talk: People like to do business with people they like and people like to answer questions about things they are passionate about: their kids, hobbies, pets, vacations, education. Small talk isn’t a waste of time if you learn something, and are genuinely interested in the response. I have learned amazing things from customers on topics ranging from veterinary science to atmospheric mapping to online poker. Don’t have a good memory? Write it down. They’ll appreciate you remembering things about them the next time you meet.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
I have identified SEO (search engine optimization) as an area where I need professional help. We are known and respected among our first line of relationships: wineries we frequent, guests we have toured with, hotels. We are pleased to be receiving referrals and returning guests, but I am also looking to improve our placement on generic google searches for wine tours in Oregon. I have resisted paying for sponsored placement or paying commissions for online booking sites due to the high costs involved. I have been very active on Instagram and Facebook but know I need to create more video content, which I am also looking to improve
When I reached out to a wine industry colleague who does marketing for wineries, she referred me to another gal who specializes in SEO and website/social media tune ups. I have enlisted her to review our current online footprint and suggest ways to increase traffic to our website and social media posts.
I recently learned that updating photos, special offers, and blog posts on my website will signal a more active site and organically improve my SEO ranking. Doing so will help expand our reach and bring in even more customers who are aligned with our services.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trianglewinecountry.com
- Instagram: @trianglewinepdx
- Facebook: Triangle Wine Country
- Linkedin: Triangle Wine Country Tours
- Yelp: Triangle Wine Country Tours
- Other: Threads: @trianglewinepdx
Image Credits
Triangle Wine Country Tours
