1. Prepare For The Visit
- Hang a personalized welcome banner for your guest.
- Do a little spring cleaning to make sure your warehouse is in top form.
- Notify employees in advance so they can be prepared to talk about what they do.
- Consider planning a beer tasting to show a wide variety of brands.
- Do your homework: visit your guest’s website.
2. Introduce Your Guest to Employees
- Employees are constituents, too.
- Employees can talk about their quality jobs and benefits.
- Be sure to highlight those employees who have been with your company for 10, 15, 20 years and more!
3. Discuss Your Business
- Commercial Value – Describe how you help a variety of beer labels get to market and how you help craft brewers grow.
- Economic Value – Talk about the great jobs you provide and the tax revenue you help generate.
- Regulatory Value – Talk about your role in state-based alcohol regulation and how you sell products responsibly and only to licensed retailers. Share how the traceability and
accountability of the three-tier system helps ensure product safety and helps distributors quickly pull products during a recall.
4. Talk About Future Visits
- Tell members of Congress when you’ll be in Washington, D.C. Share the dates of NBWA’s Legislative Conference.
5. Share Details and Photos from the Visit
- Following a warehouse tour, use NBWA’s online feedback form to relay important information and upload high-resolution photos.
6. Follow Up with Your Guest
- Send a personal thank-you note.
- Thank your guest on social media and tag them in your post.
- Connect with the guest’s staff regarding outstanding issues or promises.
Please keep NBWA in the loop! For help scheduling a visit or updated legislative briefing materials, contact Federal Affairs Assistant Mary Beth Hervig at mbhervig@nbwa.org.