More Revenue, Less Chaos.
Tactics to work smarter, not harder. This is the follow-along page for my talk — every number, link, and resource in one place. Bookmark it, scan it later, take what's useful.
Work smarter, not harder.
Small team, even smaller budget, doing the marketing on top of running the whole brewery? That's almost everyone I work with. Here's everything from today — the numbers worth tracking, where to point your marketing, the one thing only you can say, and how I actually use AI.
Track what actually matters.
Six numbers tell you almost everything about your brewery's health. Most owners aren't watching any of them — they're running on gut and vibes.
Point your marketing at what sells.
Busy isn't the same as effective. Own your channels, say what only you can say, and let AI handle the grunt work — not the strategy.
The numbers worth tracking.
You can't fix what you can't see. No fancy software — a Google Sheet and about an hour a week gets you started. Watch the trend over time, not the snapshot.
Tells you the quality of your visits — whether upselling and hospitality training would move the needle, or whether you've already got high-value guests.
The closest thing you've got to foot traffic — butts in seats. Tells you whether you need to pull more people through the door.
The dollars that actually hit your bank. Flags products that lose money to sell — the stuff gross margin alone hides from you.
Your efficiency number. It differs by channel — taproom is high, distro is lower margin — and tells you what's actually worth producing.
Your digital megaphone and a read on brand awareness. Don't chase benchmarks — just want your own trend heading up.
Tells you whether your content actually resonates and is building the kind of relationships that lead to sales.
Stop renting your audience. Own your channels and get found locally.
Google Business Profile
Free, and most are outdated. It's where locals and tourists actually find you. Check and update it weekly.
Email list
You own it — not your followers. Small and engaged beats 5,000 passive. Start now, even with 50 people.
Be findable in search
Site hygiene, local keywords, fresh content. "Best brewery near me" should turn you up. That's a business decision.
Social = rented land
Great for discovery, not for closing. You don't own the platform or the followers — don't build your house on it.
Say what only you can say.
Quality marketing only works if you've got something real to say — and right now everyone sounds the same. These are table stakes, not a position:
- "Local"
- "Craft"
- "Something for everyone"
- "Approachable"
- "Quality ingredients"
The real question: what's one thing a macro brewery could never honestly say? Not quality, not passion — your story, your people, your place. Put that on your site and your emails, and lead with it.
How I actually use AI.
Start with your data
- Use the paid version, not the free one — and set the account to private to protect your data
- Build one dashboard with all your KPIs and check it weekly
- Have it make charts and graphs over time so you can spot trends fast
Where it helps
- First drafts — events, emails, captions, review replies. You edit and post.
- Brainstorming — beer names, themes, promos. You still decide.
- Summarizing — meeting notes and sales data into something readable.
- Customer questions — build an FAQ (dog friendly? food trucks?).
Where it bites
- Robot voice — always edit it to sound like you
- Compliance — call your attorney or the guild, not AI
- Judgment — you know your regulars and your town; it doesn't
Not sure what makes you, you?
Start with my free Brand Identity Quiz — the easiest first step to figuring out what only you can say.
Take the Free QuizYour story. Your people. Your place.
Hey, I'm Julie.
I help small craft beverage brands sell more, market smarter, and stop confusing being busy with making progress. Tough love, straight talk, no jargon. If you have customers, you have a business — not a hobby.
I founded Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions in 2019 to give small operators the kind of strategic help that bigger brands take for granted: real sales planning, real distribution strategy, real marketing that connects to revenue. I work with brands on consulting, education, digital marketing, and data analytics.
I'm also the COO of Kick Fizz, a craft beverage brand I helped build from zero with a team of two and practically no budget. So when I talk about scrappy, resource-strapped, doing-everything-yourself marketing — I'm not just consulting on it. I'm living it.
I host the This Is Not Your Hobby podcast, run a group coaching program, write a weekly email community called The Bottleneck, teach at the university level, and speak at industry conferences. The work is the same everywhere: help small brands work smarter, not harder.
Real strategy for real small brands.
I help small craft beverage brands sell more and market smarter — without the big-brand budget. If you want a hand putting any of today's session to work, here's how I can help.
Who I work with
Consulting
Fractional COO, CMO, and CSO services — full-time, part-time, or project-based. Senior strategic help without the senior salary.
Liquid Insight Audits
A flat-rate digital marketing audit — full analysis of your website, SEO, social, and email with actionable recommendations.
Barrel 2 Business Collective
Monthly group coaching — a streaming service for craft beverage business education. Sales, marketing, distribution, and data, all year round.
Join the CollectiveWant to work together?
Book a free discovery call. We'll talk through what's on your plate, where you're stuck, and whether I'm the right person to help you move forward. No pressure, no pitch — just a conversation.
Join The Bottleneck
Weekly emails. Strategic insight, tough love, free tools. No fluff. Built for small brand operators who want to work smarter.
This Is Not Your Hobby
For people who run small brands and treat them like the businesses they are.
Conversations with operators, makers, and industry pros about what actually works in craft beverage and small business — sales, marketing, distribution, and the unsexy work nobody wants to talk about. Plus the bottleneck moments that real brands hit, and how they break through them.
Listen Now
Kick Fizz
The hemp-infused craft beverage I co-built from zero — low-dose Delta 9 THC and CBD, bright flavors, big personality. It's where I get to test everything I teach, in real time.
Visit KickFizz.com