Selling cigars - all smoke and mirrors?
Selling cigars - all smoke and mirrors?As regular readers might know, I like the occasional cigar. The last batch I had were Montecristo No 4 - a box of them provided by a friend who should know better than to bet against me!
I was in a shopping centre in a major city today and happened to wander past a cigar shop. They had the full range of cigars - a great selection. They also sold a large number of cigar smoking accessories. It was a well stocked shop.
In I went for a look. After having a look around I bought a lovely cigar.
That 1 cigar cost me $39 ($28 US).
And here's the reason why I love having this web site and writing articles like this one. It goes something like this:
Mel (that's my lovely wife) is going through the accounts:
"What's this? One cigar for $39??!!!"
Me, sitting back in my chair, feet up on the desk, cigar smoke slowly rising from my mouth, lit cigar in my left hand:"Research.... darling. Research," say I.
Mel: "And this.....$245 for a restaurant meal???"
Me: "More research. Gee I work hard."
Mel: "$345 for hookers, booze and use of the hotel jacuzzi...."
Me: "Um, errrr, ahhhh....oh yes, that was research. And lots of it...."
You see, easy!
Anyway, where was I? Okay, back on track....
I bought the cigar for $39 and the latest copy of Cigar Aficionado (another $12.95). Paid my money and left the shop.
The owner of that business could do a better job at marketing his business.
...click here to read the rest of the article
Regards
Brendon
[ comments ]
Big fan of all of your stuff, but I think I've got to call you on something.
I read your blog often, and often I hear you talking about missed opportunities from business owners. You talk about things they could be doing better to not only get more business, but to keep it.
My question to you is, why are you not pursuing them? Surely since you're already talking about it on your blog you'd be able to pass the information over to them? To me it seems like you're telling them ways to increase their business, but you're missing ways to increase your own.
Was just wondering, keep up the great work..I love reading your stuff.
- Brad Jasper
It's a great question.
It's a matter of priorities and resources. A major part of any business is ensuring profitable clients. That's what we have and try hard to maintain.
I did some work for my brother a few years back - part of his review was looking at his advertising. He had a huge ad in the Yellow Pages (Businesws directory).
He used to received heaps of calls from people requesting quotes as a direct result of that ad - he was delighted with it.
That ad cost him something like $15,000 for the year (I can't remember the exact figure, but it was a lot).
100 people would call.
He drive for an hour and and meet 100 prospects.
He would spend an hour assessing each of those 100 jobs.
He would give away 100 business cards to those 100 prospects.
He'd make 300 phone calls getting prices for those 100 quotes.
He would head home and spend 300 hours writing up those 100 quotes.
He would drive for 100 hours and meet those 100 prospects again.
He'd spend 1/2 hour with each of those 100 prospects and provide 100 pitches for the business.
Of those 100 prospects, just 1 had him do the work.
Not because he was a terrible landscaper (he's not, he's excellent), not because he was too expensive (he's very reasonably priced) and not because he was inexperienced (he's one of the best qualified and experienced in the industry).
It was because people who find a landscaper through a Yellow Pages ad are almost always just checking prices. They're not serious. They aren't actually a prospect. (90% of landscapers are found via word of mouth.)
That Yellow Pages ad almost cost him his business.
By some direct mail and networking with Project Managers from major construction firms he was able to grow his business hugely.
(Here's the bigger version of my brother's story: http://www.tailored.com.au/landscaper-case-study.htm)
Our business is rocking along. We are growning rapidly (on track for over 100% growth in revenue for the year).......
Geez Brad, I go on! Mate, this is an article length now. I need to write another article, then I'll make finish off this response into an article and put it on the site.
Thanks again for a great question.
Cheers
Brendon