Customer Spotlight: Flavorman

[RJ_M.]

A recent email sent by Flavorman. Click to view full version!

Founded in 1992 by “super taster” and 2023 SBA Small Business Person of the Year award winner David Dafoe, Flavorman is a beverage development company that works with their customers to build the flavor profiles that power your favorite beverages. On top of Flavorman’s flavor consulting work, David had also been sharing his flavor knowledge at conferences across the country, teaching craft distillers about flavored vodkas and gins. But it was a special request by the mayor of Louisville that spurred the idea to provide his teachings with members of the hospitality industry.

So by the mid-2010’s, Flavorman expanded and added two additional brands: Moonshine University and Stave and Thief Society, all of which now employ over 60 people and operate a multi-building campus in Louisville, Kentucky. 

New brands, new challenges

​​It takes a lot of work to keep order for one brand, let alone multiple. The addition of two new brands came with its own set of challenges and according to David, their previous method of marketing organization was not helping matters.  

“[Our previous method of marketing] was more random, less thought-out, very time-consuming and inefficient ways in which we would get content out to folks … I would say if I had to sum it up in one word it would be spreadsheets.”  

The company was managing 3 separate brands, each with its own audience that had specific wants and needs, in spreadsheets. This method was not only time-consuming but extremely error-prone. 

That is when they decided to enlist the help of Constant Contact. 

Jordan Plappert, marketing manager for Flavorman, uses the software to craft and send internal and external newsletters, as well as create and maintain separate email lists the company uses to organize their multi-brand communications. 

"Constant Contact helps us deliver effective communication to several segmented audiences across our network of brands. These campaigns build meaningful touchpoints and educational opportunities for our clients".

Between Flavorman, Moonshine University, and Stave and Thief Society, David and his staff have 29,000 contacts (which include students, vendors, clients, consultants, and leads) to inform and manage. With the help of segmented lists, they can now send targeted emails catered to specific brand and audience needs. This allows them to keep their subscribers informed and easily upsell course offerings and services.  Then, thanks to detailed reporting features, they can adjust their messaging based on the data provided by Constant Contact to ensure their campaigns are successful. 

“We get to the right people. Before, when we were sending out emails, we’d miss people,” David said. “...Constant Contact has absolutely, from our perspective, revolutionized how we send things out because we can be very specific on who gets what and how they get the content.” 

David and his team work hard everyday to produce flavors that will make your taste buds sing. While their team is off doing science, they use Constant Contact to take care of their email marketing. With carefully curated lists, beautifully designed emails, and detailed reporting, David and his team send the essence of Flavorman directly to the inboxes of intrigued vendors, interested clients, and eager students. 

Flavorman’s recipe for success

1. Primary email marketing goal: Class signups, sales, communication with clients and vendors
2. Types of emails they send: Newsletters, class announcements, event reminders
3. Marketing Channels: Email, events, social media
4. Feature they can’t live without: List segmentation
5. Key analytics: Clickthrough rates and open rates

Impact: “Constant Contact allows us to have elevated communication with our clients.”