We were lucky to catch up with Eric Burke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Eric thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

To be successful, I believe it takes determination, a willingness to learn your industry, and take every opportunity to get other people involved and excited and about your product as much as you are. The liquor industry is a heavily regulated industry with licenses/permits required at the federal, state, and local levels. While waiting for approval for the licenses, I utilized YouTube, Google, Instagram, and LinkedIn to learn everything I could about the spirits industry, attended industry conferences, and created a buzz around the initial launch of the vodka on social media. Starting out, I knew from my research that if I wanted the vodka to be in stores, I had to go out and get liquor store and restaurant owners to taste the vodka. I couldn’t rely solely on my distributor to do this. Even before the vodka was available in stores, I marketed the vodka to create brand awareness and build anticipation amongst followers of the launch of the vodka.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

One day, I was just sitting around drinking a vodka cocktail and thought about the numerous liquor stores I saw on my way home. I thought it would be a great idea to start my own vodka company and have my product on the shelves of those same stores. I then did research online to see if this venture would be doable and what did it take to get started, Once I realized it was something I had the means to start, I came up with a name and Black Onyx Vodka was born. Black Onyx Vodka is a 6 times distilled, 100% grain wheat vodka produced locally in Kennesaw, Georgia. The name is in celebration of the Black Onyx gemstone which has been known throughout history to bring positive energy and good fortune to whomever possesses it. I strongly believe in positive energy and good vibes so I know Black Onyx would be the product and company name. I offer an extra smooth vodka that once someone samples it, they are amazed at how smooth it is. Many of my customers love to drink Black Onyx Vodka straight due to it being so smooth. I truly enjoy providing the public with a quality vodka they enjoy. I want potential clients and followers to know we have a quality product, excellent customer service, and want them to be a part of this journey with us for years to come.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I believe the most effective strategy I used for growing my clientele is cultivating relationships by seeking out and attending many networking functions, sponsoring events, and hiring a few brand ambassadors who have a following to assist in raising brand awareness.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

To build my audience on social media, I used a combination of paid ad posts and organic posts that resonated with the users of that particular platform. Each social media platform has a different audience, and it is our job to know what would get the most engagement from that audience to be successful on social media. The advice I would give for those starting out is to be wary of paying for followers on social media. Those followers you receive are fake or non-engaging accounts. You will find yourself with thousands of new followers however when you post something, you only receive a handful of followers who engage with your post. Also, be aware of those followers whom you constantly see engaging with your posts. Those are your potential customers that are interested in your product or service. You may want to reach out to these followers individually and offer an exclusive promotion for them to purchase your product or service.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blackonyxvodka.com/where-to-buy
• Instagram: @blackonyxvodka
• Facebook: @blackonyxvodka
• Linkedin: @blackonyxvodka
• Twitter: @blackonyxvodka