Everything starts NOW.  The key to succeeding this holiday season is to start planning, preparing, and marketing NOW.  Remember, the customers you service well in December will come back throughout the next year.

Put up specials, ads, features, pricing, shelf talkers, etc... Use signs to sell silently, inform, and entice your customers.  Consider special 'Tobacconist Recommendations' or 'Tobacconist Gift Pack' signs.  And, if you're Certified, put up 'Certified Tobacconist Recommendations' and 'Certified Tobacconist Gift Pack' signs.  Also, put signs in your front windows and by the register that promote custom gift packaging, corporate gifts, special orders, etc... 

 

First, you can't sell what you don't have on hand.  Inventory fuels sales so having ample inventory for the holidays is requisite.

 

Next, knowing the wholesale value of your inventory is critical to knowing the health and potential of your business.  After all, inventory is usually a Tobacconist's biggest asset.  This is particularly important during the holidays and preparing for the winter ahead.  Retail Tobacconists need to know their inventory value on Dec. 1 and Dec. 31*.  While counting cigars and products is a Tobacconist's least favorite task, it must be done. 

 

*Inventory values are especially important if your fiscal year ends on Dec. 31; since higher inventory values can lead to cash flow problems and tax implications.

 

Shoplifting is one of the greatest threats to retail Tobacconist existence.  The customers in the video pictured here stole hundreds of dollars of Padrón cigars in less than two minutes. 

 

Tobacconists Beware: watching this video may make you sick to your stomach.  Please stay vigilant and remember that 'anyone' can steal; including middle aged couples, regular customers, and sweet looking little old ladies.

Now is a good time to check your lighting in the store.  Adjust your lamps and displays so they sparkle.  Take the time to improve and bulk up your displays.  Remember, people 'eat with their eyes'.   

While it sounds simple, Cleaning & Organizing are critical before, during, and after the holidays.  Good reasons to Clean & Organize are:

The alternative to Cleaning & Organizing is a store which becomes a dust factory, with stale and inefficient products, and customers to match.  Tobacconists should always be cleaning, when they are not educating or selling.

 

 

Hot Tip:  Put Gift Certificates in a cigar box and you have instantaneous and free gift packaging. 

Put Products & Customers first.  Remember, we are in a service business and walking into a retail Tobacconists can be intimidating to many people!  Practice 'Aggressive Hospitality'.  Make your customers comfortable and take the time to listen.  Enjoy yourself while working because you have the privilege of working with products you love.

 

Lastly, the greatest service you offer is education.  Teaching your customers about the traditions, skills, and artistry involved in cigar and/or pipe making will enhance their appreciation and loyalty.  If you can do that, you will have lifelong customers. 

There are no 'magic bullets' to fix our problems or kill what ails us; only focus, commitment, and hard work will do that.  In particular, the economy has a lot of Tobacconists worried; but not me.  I believe people need their Tobacconists more now than ever before.  I have seen hard times before and always made money.  In fact, there is no other business I would rather be in right now - I see lots of old and new customers coming in seeking refuge.  So, our services are desperately needed.

 

In my retail stores, I will be doing all of the above and then some.  In particular, I will be creating a special 'Wish List' email which customers can print out for their spouses to use when shopping with us - we may even give a small incentive or discount if they bring the Wish List email into the store.  The Wish List email will include product pictures which we will pull from the TU website: I encourage all Tobacconists to copy/paste and use TU product images!  That's what we are here for.

 

*Ironically, Accoutrements College is undergoing extensive development right now, so our next generation images are not on the website.  If you want TU to send you product category images (i.e. cutters, humidors, cases) then just send us an email. 

 

In closing... one word... HUSTLE!

This special newsletter was made possible because of Tobacconist and cigar maker contributions.  We would like to thank several extraordinary individuals who took the time to help us help Tobacconists:  Ron Carroll, CRT Apprentice - Iwan Ries & Co., Jeff Brown, CRT Apprentice - Famous Smoke Shop, Ira Weil, CRT Apprentice - Old Virginia Tobacco Co., Phil Ledbetter, CRT Apprentice - Up Down Cigar, Rene Castaňeda, CST - Miami Cigar & Co., Jorge Padrón, CHT - Padrón Cigars, and Kurt Van Keppel - Xikar.