The Summer of 2024 has arrived. The last time we entered June through September without a PCA trade show the following events were happening:
Belarusians Protest for Fair and Free Elections – On August 9, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, a man known as “Europe’s last dictator,” claimed he had won 80 percent of the vote in the country’s presidential election, thereby entitling him to a sixth term in office. Thousands immediately took to the streets to protest what they saw as a stolen election—and continued to do so through the fall and into winter.
Oil Prices Tank – The COVID-19 outbreak sent economies around the world into a tailspin, depressing the demand for oil. In March, Saudi Arabia proposed that OPEC cut joint oil production. Russia rejects the plan. April 20, 2020, represented the lowest US oil price since 1986 (10.01/barrel). US gas prices hit an average of $2.19/gallon in July.
Uncle COVID Visited the World – 10 percent of the world had contracted the disease by October. By year’s end, 1.7 million had died from it … or so the media reports (that is for another article in a much less interesting publication).
We all collectively battled through these challenges and longed for a return to normalcy. In 2024, we elected to have our annual trade show in March (huge success) and freed ourselves to do what we do best during the summer: provide an undisrupted opportunity for tobacco patronage for four months during beautiful weather, summer vacationing, golfing, fishing, hiking, camping and every other activity made better with a premium cigar in hand. I am delighted to have my big buying done and be able to focus on making tons of revenue when the harvest is prime for reaping.
What is a retailer to do when there are no trade show distractions to navigate? We don’t have to plan for big buys. We don’t have to scramble for event windows with our favorite brands that are making their show plans and scrambling to ship products for weeks after the show. We don’t have to sweat anything but selling. In the words of Mel Gibson (in a marginal Scottish accent), “FREEDOM!” Here are three ideas to consider when planning your summer:
- Load your calendar with manufacturer events that are targeted at rich experiences and revenues. Here is a little secret. The manufacturers are looking for wins this summer. They crushed their Q1 and are worried about a huge drop in summer revenues. Take advantage of that. Hit up your reps and book some events. They have nothing else to do this summer (I am joking, Steve Saka), so put them to work for your bottom line. I am sure you will find much more freedom and generosity from the folks who rely on our buying. They are looking for wins, just like you, and are NOT navigating a midsummer trade show, just like you. You should make it a date.
- Find a creative way to make a midweek trip to your location a required journey for your customers. What do I mean? Pick a day, midweek, that you are going to own in your community. For our lounge, it is Wednesdays. We call it wooden nickel Wednesday. Every cigar (selected by us) our customers buy on Wednesdays, they get a free wooden nickel that is worth $1 any other day of the week toward their purchase. So simple and yet so effective. Our folks think they are getting gold and show up in droves to claim their small chips of pine. The truth is that they rarely bring them back the rest of the week. They are littered in our parking lot. They are left on floorboards of vehicles. They are filling drawers in their nightstands. I own Wednesdays and it costs me next to nothing. 4Imprint.com offers these custom-printed bits of gold for less than a dime. You’re welcome.
- Pick a business improvement book that you will read with your staff during the summer. The horror! Summer homework for the team? Trust me. This is the big idea that will change the trajectory of your business. We spend month after month trying to figure out how to grow our business when there has been a plethora of books published on a myriad of business improvement topics. All we must do is pick one up, read it, and apply a few ideas to our operations. Bingo. Make it fun with your staff and share what you are learning and taking away each week. I recommend reading Secret Service: Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service by John R. DiJulius III, published in 2003. This book is a straight banger. I have read all his books and heard Mr. DiJulius speak on the topic. He is well worth the time. The book (paperback) is $10 on Amazon. You will not regret this investment of capital and time spent.
I know what you did last summer. We all did it. We organized our largest selling window around a trade show and the manufacturer nuances created by it. What are you going to do this summer? That is something you must answer for yourself. If you decide to do the same old thing, you are missing out on the possible. Take a chance and mix it up. You might be surprised how ready your customers are for a “Summer of George.” If you got that Seinfeldian reference, you probably already called a rep, sent Mr. Bezos a Hamilton and are well on your way to retail dominance.
– Article contributed by Josh Evarts, a tobacconist at Vault Cigar Lounge, Meridian, Idaho. Photo: Adobe Stock.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 2, 2024. To receive a copy of this magazine you must be a current member of PCA. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.