THE ART OF SCHMOOZING
Essentials in the PR/Mediaverse
By Alan Goldfarb
Dec. 19, 2022
Schmooze. A Yiddish word meaning a good talker, a tummler, a kibitzer. Any way you use it, being a good schmoozer is the stock and trade of the best PR flacks; and a way to ingratiate oneself with the folks a publicist wants to target in order to get “ink” for one’s client.
With Covid, the art of the schmooze has all but vanished like an ice carving at a bar mitzvah. But you know who would keep the fires burning and melt the hearts and minds of wine writers everywhere? Grizzled guys like Harvey Posert, Bob Mondavi’s longtime publicist. Or Dan Solomon, Gallo’s flackery wizard. Now those publicists knew how to schmooze. When they talked to you, you asked them, “So, when can I write about your guy?” or “What do I have to do to taste your boys’ wines?”
PR REQUIRES ONE TO BE NIMBLE
One Consultant’s Case Study of Agility
By Alan Goldfarb
Nov. 28, 2022
As I understand it, to be nimble is to be able to think swiftly, to change on a dime, and to be flexible to circumstance. As a media relations consultant, I was challenged to act adroitly and to be as quick as Jack in order to meet those actionable demands. When I simultaneously had three winery clients to which conditions dictated that I put all my PR and journalistic instincts and experience into action, I was forced to perform nimbly. I believe I did, which resulted in stories and podcast interviews that came to fruition for all of those clients.
DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENCE!?
Have I Got an Experience for You
By Alan Goldfarb
Nov. 11, 2022
Recently, I’ve been seeing a spate of winery job listings, such as this one: “DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENCE”. I’ve got experience. I think I qualify for this job.
I got my first experience when I took the subway – by myself as a 14-year-old – to Ebbets Field where I paid 3 ½ bucks for a box seat and watched them raise the only World Series flag in the history of Brooklyn.
I received my next great experience when, as a freshman in college, I used to hang out at a roadhouse, which was located nearby in a small rural town, listening to blues. I paid eight bucks to be with a woman, who said afterward, “Boy, you’re like a rabbit”.
And I honed my listening skills after listening to Jimi, in which I got experienced.
MONOPOLY IS ONLY A GAME
Napa Plays for Keeps
By Alan Goldfarb
Oct. 24, 2022
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- Visceral thoughts about the new Monopoly, Napa Valley edition:
- Perfect: For good or not, Napa Valley holds the monopoly on American wine.
- Does the Napa Valley Wine Train take the place of the Reading and Pennsylvania lines?
- Paul Pelosi sure could’ve used the Get Out of Jail Free card
- What’s the cheapest property on the new Monopoly board? Which streets supplant Baltic and Mediterranean? The American Canyon corridor at rush hour?
- Visceral thoughts about the new Monopoly, Napa Valley edition:
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GOTTA HAVE THE FUNK
By Alan Goldfarb
Oct. 9, 2022
We want the funk. We need the funk. We gotta have the funk. Parliament Funkadelic knew all about the funk, and so did Ben Harper when he gave us everybody’s got ‘em, the funk that is. So, what’s the problem funky natural wine people? You don’t like funky? Be careful what you wish for. When you began hyping hands-off wine, you shoulda known there was gonna be funk. And to me, that’s a good thing.
Consider: kimchee, cabbage rolls, Gorgonzola, fermented black beans, fermented anything, then throw in some garlic full sour pickles and durian and then some Dylan vocals, and Dirty Al Hrabosky and whatta ya got?