<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Buy My Wine!</title>
	<atom:link href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com</link>
	<description>Thoughts on selling wine for independent family wineries...</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 12 Jun 2018 16:39:57 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.com/</generator>
<site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">31806069</site><cloud domain='merrittolson.wordpress.com' port='80' path='/?rsscloud=notify' registerProcedure='' protocol='http-post' />
<image>
		<url>https://s2.wp.com/i/webclip.png</url>
		<title>Buy My Wine!</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com</link>
	</image>
	<atom:link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/osd.xml" title="Buy My Wine!" />
	<atom:link rel='hub' href='https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?pushpress=hub'/>
	<item>
		<title>&#8220;Will You Accept this Rosé&#8221; : How to Write a Blind Query Email to A Potential Wholesale Partner</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/will-you-accept-this-rose-how-to-write-a-blind-query-email-to-a-potential-wholesale-partner/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/will-you-accept-this-rose-how-to-write-a-blind-query-email-to-a-potential-wholesale-partner/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jun 2018 16:39:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=608</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[I have been on maternity leave for the last seven weeks, and for the duration (including the day I got home from the hospital), I’ve been getting terse voicemails on my cellphone from a winery representative (one who my company &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/will-you-accept-this-rose-how-to-write-a-blind-query-email-to-a-potential-wholesale-partner/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2018/06/12/will-you-accept-this-rose-how-to-write-a-blind-query-email-to-a-potential-wholesale-partner/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">608</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://www.businessinsider.in/photo/48176719.cms" medium="image" />
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Wine Industry New Year&#8217;s Resolutions</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/wine-industry-new-years-resolutions/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/wine-industry-new-years-resolutions/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:29:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=606</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[New Year&#8217;s resolutions are usually about losing weight, eating better, drinking less and are often focused on health and fitness. But I like to use this time at the end of the year to take stock of my work habits, &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/wine-industry-new-years-resolutions/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/wine-industry-new-years-resolutions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">606</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>I Just Called to Say&#8230;[ ]</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/i-just-called-to-say/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/i-just-called-to-say/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Dec 2017 01:09:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Distributor Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[distributor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proactivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationsihps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales tools]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[setting expectations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine sales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=602</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[One of my old bosses used to call me up and ask me random questions, like what my brand manager&#8217;s children were named and how old they were, or what featured wineries were on the pre-recorded promo tape that played &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/i-just-called-to-say/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/i-just-called-to-say/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">602</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/screen_shot_2017-08-31_at_12_13_05_pm.png" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Screen_Shot_2017-08-31_at_12_13_05_PM</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Have a Successful Year End Planning Meeting</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/how-to-have-a-successful-year-end-planning-meeting/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/how-to-have-a-successful-year-end-planning-meeting/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Nov 2017 02:01:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Distributor Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[distributor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gross profit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[margin calculator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sales tools]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[setting expectations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine math]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine sales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=578</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[I have this really clear memory of a distributor review meeting, sometime in my mid-twenties, that makes me cringe every time I think about it. Not because of the ridiculous outfit I was wearing, though it was – I have &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/how-to-have-a-successful-year-end-planning-meeting/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/how-to-have-a-successful-year-end-planning-meeting/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">578</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/y-tho.jpg" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Y Tho</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who Buys My Wine, and Where Do They Buy It?</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/who-buys-my-wine-and-where-do-they-buy-it/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/who-buys-my-wine-and-where-do-they-buy-it/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Oct 2017 00:02:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Millenials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Boomers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emerging Markets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gen X]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Market Research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wine Sales Statistics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winery Sales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=546</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This past summer, I had the opportunity to attend Oregon Pinot Camp for the first time, and while I learned a lot about Oregon wine, I learned even more about what’s going on in the wine business around the country &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/who-buys-my-wine-and-where-do-they-buy-it/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/who-buys-my-wine-and-where-do-they-buy-it/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">546</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Everyone Hates Your Powerpoint Presentation</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/everyone-hates-your-powerpoint-presentation/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/everyone-hates-your-powerpoint-presentation/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:33:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=292</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[I took a bit of a hiatus the last couple of months because I started a new job, and then I got really sick (which sucked . It’s like, “Hey, I just started, and even though it’s less than a &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/everyone-hates-your-powerpoint-presentation/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/everyone-hates-your-powerpoint-presentation/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">292</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Franchise States Part Deux: Breaking up is REALLY Hard to Do</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/franchise-states-part-deux-breaking-up-is-really-hard-to-do/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/franchise-states-part-deux-breaking-up-is-really-hard-to-do/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:02:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Distributor Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Franchise States]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Costs of Doing Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[distributor network]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Firing Distributors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[franchise law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Franchise Laws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine sales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=287</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In the last couple of weeks, I have had a number of conversations with friends in the industry about dissolving relationships with distributors in franchise states. As I have written about before, franchise laws can be extremely tricky. I have &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/franchise-states-part-deux-breaking-up-is-really-hard-to-do/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/franchise-states-part-deux-breaking-up-is-really-hard-to-do/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">287</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Talking About and Selling Wine You Don&#8217;t Like</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/talking-about-and-selling-wine-you-dont-like/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/talking-about-and-selling-wine-you-dont-like/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:45:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=273</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[When I was in college, I worked part-time in a few tasting rooms in Walla Walla. One of the things that used to bother me was when customers would come in, taste the wines, and then, completely sh*t-talk the wines &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/talking-about-and-selling-wine-you-dont-like/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/talking-about-and-selling-wine-you-dont-like/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">273</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/badwine.jpeg?w=250" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Wow, this wine is really...dry!</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/shocked.jpeg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">shocked</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stock-footage-two-happy-female-friends-talking-on-cellphone-and-drinking-wine.jpeg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Dude! This wine is so oaky they might as well call it Chateau 2x4! And hellooooo powdered tannin. Malo anyone? Get out the movies, it&#039;s time to watch one with all this buttered popcorn!</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/pollyanna.jpeg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Yep--I am a bit of a Pollyanna about wine. </media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Breaking Up is Hard to Do</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:55:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Distributor Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[firing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leaving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[setting expectations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine sales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=264</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[I can remember the first time I ever had to “fire” a distributor—I was given the directive by my boss, and for a week, I sat and stewed about how I would do it. I finally wrote myself a little &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">264</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/barack_obama_phone2.jpeg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">barack_obama_phone</media:title>
		</media:content>

		<media:content url="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/friends-in-the-sunset1.jpeg?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Friends-in-the-Sunset1</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Saying Goodbye</title>
		<link>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/saying-goodbye/</link>
					<comments>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/saying-goodbye/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[merrittolson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://merrittolson.wordpress.com/?p=257</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A few months ago I rushed home from the airport after a long trip so that I could make it into Portland to have beers with a colleague of mine. He was in town on a supplier incentive trip—he and &#8230; <a href="https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/saying-goodbye/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
		
					<wfw:commentRss>https://merrittolson.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/saying-goodbye/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">257</post-id>
		<media:content url="https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/ee73666cb5f4c001ae63a7f69021eb01c77b81cba9a575dab8a45d03e8429dde?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">merrittolson</media:title>
		</media:content>
	</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
