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MB Roland

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Everything posted by MB Roland

  1. My apologies for not responding sooner, we've been a bit busy and the reply I'm typing now is going to be a bit short due to time constrictions, but I'll respond further in depth as soon as I can. As far as the return on the radio, it's definitely hard to quantify due to our limited time in business, but I can say with certainty that we get at least one customers a week tell us they heard about us from the radio and decided to "come on by". The way I've always understood it, while one person will verbalize how they heard about us, there are 5 more that did the same but didn't tell us. So by that method, we're getting an average of five more new customers a week. Obviously that's going to fluctuate, and sometimes it'll take more time to get them to stop by, but the word is definitely getting out. The radio ads are produced at the station for no extra cost, and we change them up frequently. We also sponsor an hour of live DJ time that our business is promoted regularly during that "hot" hour. We have a billboard on the interstate, originally started with two, but have dropped to one. One is all that is necessary and we have our website, ability to taste & shop info, etc. You've only got about 3-4 seconds for them to actually "read" a billboard, so you've got to get the message to them quickly. Costs range dramatically, from $750 to $2,000 a month. Take a guess which end we're at. And you are correct, I didn't link to our FB, my direct e-mail, business (MB Roland Distillery, sorry I'm MB Roland, not to be confused with my husband Paul, so ironically it felt redundant, but I definitely get the point) etc. I definitely do on my e-mails and other contacts with customers, but failed to do so here. That will be corrected when I have time. Thanks! Got to run, my day job calls. Have a great day!
  2. Thanks to you both for sharing your valuable time & information. Some of them we've already put to use and some of them are works in progress. It all adds up, right? Thanks again, very much appreciated. If we find something special that works wonders, I'll post as well. But I will say that so far, besides the absolute best free advertising (word of mouth), has been radio. The cost hasn't been exponential, and since a large part of our target audience rotates out seasonally (we're in a military town), advertising on a station that caters to those folks has been great for us thus far. Obviously that's unique in our situation, but it's great for anyone advertising a new product or new event, and a heck of a lot cheaper than print (for us, anyway).
  3. As we work on a streamlined budget, and our marketing budget is not incredibly huge, we're always looking for ways to increase our visibility without overtaxing the money. Of course, we have a FB page that we update and interact with regularly, as well as a Twitter account, which honestly I don't find as engaging, but we do try to keep it updated. We use radio and billboards, rack cards at local hotels, businesses, and interstate rest stops. We also make sure to refer customers to other similar businesses, knowing they will return the favor. Needless to say we do have a website that we keep updated as well. We've also begun hosting monthly events at the distillery which seems to be going very well in increasing knowledge. However, we are always looking for more opportunity to "get the word out". Invariably, we always hear from new customers that they didn't know we were in the area. Or we hear of someone looking for a product that we make and they've driven miles to purchase it when it's produced in their own backyard, they simply weren't aware. Do any of you have any suggestions we haven't thought of, or something that works for you that you'd be willing to share? Thanks for any & all feedback! Merry Beth
  4. Since this was directed to my post, I do feel obligated to respond. Ironically, yet again, is the fact that you chose to take my post personally. When, in fact, I wasn't directly referencing you. If you notice, the sentence after that referenced numerous labels that have been approved in the past that do not directly follow the rules that everyone is subject to. Again, considering we have to work with multiple agencies & people that can make us have a good day or a bad day by their decisions, I chose to end my sentence at that instead of calling out folks that may read this forum. However, considering you did choose to take it personally, you bring up a good topic which needs to be addressed. No one is refuting your vast knowledge of bourbon, whiskey, and the distilling world in general. What we do take exception to is the fact that you brush off Paul's comments as mere "opinions" and "mistaken conclusions". This isn't a debate. This isn't his opinion or conclusion. It's a direct quote from the agency itself. Since you want people to respect your right to a voice and actually hear (not just read)what you're saying, take a little of your own advice and do the same.
  5. "This tendency of some people to over-complicate and misconstrue the rules must make it tough to be a TTB agent." Actually, I think it's ironic that the folks who are over-complicating and misconstruing the rules aren't the ones producing the product. We quite frequently get labels rejected with an explanation why we can't do "xyz" yet there are hundreds of labels out there that say exactly what we'd like to. And yes, we do follow the rules, read the rules, & understand the rules. Paul is simply posting what we've been told directly from the source. No hearsay, "we think", or supposition about it. Since he was trying to give others out there that might be in our situation a head's up so they have time to prepare, it was simply a courtesy to our fellow producers. Have a happy day, folks.
  6. No. According to them, EVERYONE that has "White Dog" or "White Whiskey" on their label is going to have to change the name/terminology.
  7. Obviously, we've already sent an invite to everyone on the forum, but we just want to remind you that it's an open party to those of us that work in the spirits industry. We hope you can attend, we've got a live band lined up, some great food and wonderful company. We've had a few of you respond that you are/would like to come, but we would like to get a more firm head count so we can be prepared. And yeah, I WILL be cooking breakfast for those of you that camp on our lawn. No comments from the peanut gallery, heck I do it all around here! Distillers\' Party.pdf
  8. It would be a topic of humor, would it not be for the fact that we already have a "White Dog" and a "Black Dog" currently already on our front label. We were simply redesigning our label, not attempting to "teach" them anything. We already had the darn thing approved, it was simply a redesign! So, trying to slide one under their nose wasn't our object, nor was it something we were trying to "school" them on. We are just letting those of you know that use the term "White Dog" on your front label, be prepared. You might have to rename your product.
  9. I'm going to chime in here, because my day job actually pertains to finance (I'm a banker). And no, ironically enough, our SBA loan didn't come from the bank I work at (conflict of interest as I'm an officer). And yes, drinking and banking go hand in hand..never say bankers can't party! If you choose to go to a bank, make sure you have realistic estimates. Bankers like to be at least 75% confident that they'll get reimbursed. And this type of business, especially in a market that has yet to be established in your area, is a risk. Involve your banker in your plans, your expectations, your excitement and obviously, your ability to repay. You can ask specifically for repayment at a later date. This was key to Paul's & my ability to finance. We asked to get a waiver for the first year or so, until cash started coming in, especially since the majority of our product wouldn't get sold for a bit. While we do sell out of our gift shop, we had to make sure there was enough time between production and people actually walking through the door. Just because you open the doors and say "hey, we're here" doesn't mean people are going to flock in and buy everything you have. You've also got a TON of other overhead you've got to worry about. If you explain to your banker how you expect to have cash flow, they will have a better understanding of how the business works. Just because you plop a business plan in front of them doesn't mean they will still get the entire picture. Walk them through it. Paul & I live in Kentucky, yet our banker still didn't "get it" until we went through the whole deal (though I admit Paul is verrrry persuasive). Contractors do this all the time. They will set up a loan to pull advances from and generally don't start repaying until 6-12 months down the road if the house doesn't sell. It's not something that's unheard of. It's a commercial loan, and while your banker would probably you rather start payments immediately, obviously it's not going to be something that makes your pocketbook happy. It never hurts to ask for other terms. Bankers are in it to make money, just like you. No one wants to take a hit, period. If you can make your banker comfortable, then you'll be able to get some help. One last thought, and one I'm sure you've already thought of. The less people (investors) you can have involved in your business, the more control (and less headache) you will have. Try to keep as much in house as possible. Good luck! And if we can be of any assistance, don't hesitate to contact us. As far as our situation, it's been one hell of a wild ride, but it's worth it. (Decided to add an edit as an afterthought). Not sure who you bank with, but I would suggest choosing a community bank that is preapproved to do SBA loans. If you go with a community bank, they have the ability to approve on the spot (with a little bit of decision time) vs. it having to go through a corporate, non-personal channel. National banks are great for some things, but on something like this, you need a personal touch. And just because one bank says no, doesn't mean the other one will. Oh yeah, and expect to sign a personal guarantee. The banker views it in two ways. Number one, if you aren't willing to sign a guarantee, that means you think it won't work. Number two, if you're willing to sign a guarantee, that means you're willing to pay it back in whatever means necessary, and that will hit your credit if you default. Notice I said I'm STILL a banker. Ideally, one day, I will be here everyday at the distillery with Paul. Until then, I'm still paying the bills on the homefront. Keep the faith!
  10. Paul & MB are thinking of hosting a distiller's party this year (jam session) around June/July timeframe. Considering we're located in the heartland (Pembroke, Kentucky) and moderately easy to find as well as being in the middle of 100 acres, we thought it would be a great idea for us to get together and kick back and have a good time without any business pressures whatsoever. We'll have a live band, great food, and good times with like-minded folks. Obviously we'll provide some drinks, and if anyone wants to share their own crazy inventions, please bring them along! If you'd like to toss a tent in the yard/fields, you're more than welcome, and there are some good hotels around as well. If you set up a tent, MB will cook breakfast. No complaining about the food service allowed! We feel we wouldn't be here without this forum. We are so very thankful to all of you for your insight and wisdom and would love a weekend for all of us to get together and let our hair down and have a great time. We'll treat you to a little Southern hospitality with a kick. We're trying to get an idea of anyone that might be interested. If so, you're welcome to reply to this thread or e-mail paul@mbrdistillery.com or mb@mbrdistillery.com. If not, then we hope to catch you another time.
  11. Unfortunately I don't know how to use multi quote, but the gist of the original post I wanted to respond to in conjunction with this was "judge the whiskey based on its own merits". I will agree with that. Judging a product that is new to the market and that is not mainstream compared to the products that have been produced for years and is "milk" to the palate isn't comparable. We're not saying you can't do it, we're simply saying it's comparing Granny Smith apples to Red Delicious apples. They're both apples, they're just different varieties. And the market will tell us whether it will support what we produce. No consumer is going to love every variety. But the consumer now has a choice to make, where before it was simply Red Delicious. Maybe we like being a little bit tart. I don't think anyone is asking for insulation from criticism. I do believe, however, that an honest critique (not to say anyone hasn't) based on our own merits is in order. I do, however, agree with Delaware Phoenix that not one person has tried every whiskey from every micro-distillery, and to lump each one of us in one huge barrel isn't something that should be done. I, personally, have some absolutely favorite well-known (big distillery) bourbons and whiskies that I enjoy quite frequently that I stock in my own cabinet. But I also have some wonderful, exciting, rare and top-shelf micro-distillery bourbons and whiskies that I only share with my closest friends. And they're not just our own products..many of those that post here we give our "gracias".
  12. Hello everyone, I personally have never posted, but my better (and more well known) half, Paul Tomaszewski, has made a few comments. I'm the namesake of our distillery, which doesn't make a whit of difference other than I like to joke that most women drive their husbands to drinking, I went a bit farther and drove mine to making it. I simply felt compelled to respond to this thread. I've been reading a lot of articles like this lately, and my own take on it is...so what? I really could care less what someone that has a blog or a write-up in a newspaper says [unless it's something that praises our distillery, of course ] . What our customers say means a heck of a lot more. Is our product being bought, do we get e-mails thanking us for a great product, do we get reorders from distributors; that is what means something to us. Of course we would love being recognized on a larger level or national scale, but the bottom line is what does the individual think that is buying our product? Gold/Silver/Bronze medals are great. They're spectacular bragging rights. But if the person(s) giving out the awards is the only one that thinks it's a gold medal, well, that doesn't pay our bills. So, fine, a few bloggers & newspaper reporters prefer big brand name commercial distilleries. It's understandable, the market has been driven for the past few decades by these folks, micro-distillieries are new and what they're putting out is different and unique, and quite possibly scary for those less adventurous. But we (as a whole) do have a following that is excited for our product(s) and looks forward to see what crafty, artisan, and totally one-of-a-kind things we might produce next. That is our target; those folks are the ones that will continue this new and exciting world that we live in. Bottom line; don't compare us to Maker's Mark or Jim Beam or Jack Daniels. We're not them, nor do we want to be. We enjoy our own brand of distilling, and it's all unique to each micro-distillery.
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