Smart Spending for Small Wineries: Why Contractors and Agencies Are Better Than a Full-Time Hire

For small wineries, managing marketing, sales, and customer engagement effectively is critical — but finding the right talent to handle it all can be challenging. Many wineries try to hire a full-time employee to manage their marketing and DTC systems. However, that decision may not be the most cost-effective — or the most successful — way to get results.

The Hidden Costs of a Full-Time Marketing and Systems Hire

Hiring a full-time employee to manage your winery’s digital tools and marketing efforts can easily cost $75,000 to $100,000 per year in salary alone — not including benefits, training, or software costs. Even with that investment, it’s unlikely you’ll find one person who’s an expert in every area you need.

A single employee may excel at social media, email marketing, or wine sales but struggle with the technical aspects of POS/club systems, customer data analysis or eCommerce. As a result, wineries often end up paying for additional outside help anyway.

Why Contractors and Agencies Make More Sense

Instead of relying on one employee to manage multiple specialties, wineries can get better results by allocating that budget to hire contractors and agencies that specialize in key areas. Instead of an employee salary, you would have a marketing and technical assistance budget of $6250 or $8333 per month. This approach offers several advantages:

1. Access to Specialized Expertise

   • Digital marketing requires diverse skills — graphic design, copywriting, social media management, email marketing, SEO, and technical support. Instead of expecting one person to master all of these, contractors offer deep expertise in their individual fields.

   • For example, you might hire a web developer for your e-commerce setup, a marketing agency for campaign strategy and execution, and a POS/Club management expert for sales and wine club assistance.

2. Flexibility to Scale Up or Down

   • Hiring contractors allows you to scale your spending based on your winery’s seasonal needs. For example, you may need extensive marketing support leading up to a wine club shipment or a new vintage release — but far less during slower months.

3. Cost Control and Budget Efficiency

   • With contractors and agencies, you can spread your budget strategically. Instead of committing to a high annual salary, you can allocate funds where they’ll have the biggest impact — like hiring a social media specialist for a launch campaign or a CRM expert to streamline your wine club.

4. Faster Results with Less Training

   • Full-time employees often need time to get up to speed. Specialized contractors can jump in quickly and bring proven processes with them.

5. Better Tools and Resources

   • Agencies often provide access to premium marketing tools, analytics software, and creative resources that would be expensive for a small winery to purchase on its own.

How to Build Your Contractor Strategy

To maximize your budget and avoid gaps in expertise, consider this strategic approach:

• Start by identifying your top needs. Is your biggest challenge email marketing, social media content, or improving your POS system? Pinpoint the most critical tasks.

• Create a budget plan. Instead of committing to one large salary, divide your budget by need. For example, dedicate $1,500 per month for email marketing, $2,000 for a website refresh, and $500 for ongoing tech support.

• Find specialists with wine industry experience. Agencies, consultants or freelancers who understand DTC wine sales, wine club management, and tasting room operations can save you time and frustration.

• Build a network of trusted partners. Over time, having a roster of reliable experts will ensure you have support when unexpected issues arise.

The Bottom Line

Instead of sinking $75,000 to $100,000 per year into a full-time employee who may not excel in every area, wineries can use that same budget to hire skilled specialists across multiple fields. This flexible, targeted approach allows small wineries to improve their marketing, streamline operations, and focus on what they do best — creating unforgettable wine experiences.

If you’re ready to rethink your marketing and tech strategy, investing in expert contractors could be the smartest move your winery makes this year.