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Last week’s column talked about how the things that matter most to you as an insider may not matter to your customers at all. The example I used was wineries and how many wine buyers don’t know their bouquet from their depth and are OK with not learning it.

They’re buying wine by their own criteria. And it’s up to us as business owners to discover what actually does matter to them.

How do you do that? Staying with my wine example, you create a store environment that accommodates a variety of decision points. An example here in Des Moines (and throughout the country) is Wine Styles.

At Wine Styles, if you are a connoisseur, you’ll be right at home. The staff can talk about vineyard and soil conditions with you. But if you’re someone who wants to buy a good $15 bottle of wine, you’re going to be equally comfortable. Here’s how they make the casual wine buyers feel at home:

• Wines are not only labeled by their proper type but also rated on taste. Words like fruity, mellow, crisp and bold help non-expert buyers express their preferences.

• They always have a few bottles open for impromptu tastings and host a weekly tasting event.

• The store is organized for the uninformed. Signs are color-coded, and the language on the signs is simple and clear.

If the Wine Styles stores did all of the above but the store staff made you feel uncomfortable if you didn’t know which varietal you preferred … it wouldn’t work. But because they understand their brand is all about “demystifying and simplifying” the wine buying experience, they can not only orient their store but also hire and train to deliver on that promise.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2009 Drew McLellan