Selling cigars - all smoke and mirrors? (cont.)

Chapter 4 Why education is the key -

and how to do it so it doesn't cost you a cent

I was at a businessman's lunch a few months back. I was running late by 10-15 minutes and took the last seat at the table. Everyone else was already seated and sitting there a bit uncomfortably.

As usual, I decided to eat something straight away to soak up all the booze I'd be pouring down my throat later! I reached over, grabbed a bread roll and put it on the plate to my left. Tore it opened, tossed some butter on broke a bit off to eat.

As soon as I did that all the rest of the guys at the table grabbed a roll and followed my lead.

You see, they were all sitting there uncomfortably because they didn't know which bread plate was theirs! Left or right?? Right or left? Oooooooooh, they were so confused!

When people aren't sure on what to do, they'll often do nothing. It's human nature. We don't want to seem foolish. We want to look smart.

Who do you think is more likely to smoke a cigar when one is offered?

1. A man who has a good general knowledge of cigar smoking. He knows how to cut a cigar, he knows how to light it and he knows how to smoke it.

2. A man who has never learnt anything at all about cigars.

Of course the first guy is the one who'll try a cigar (notice how I never said either of them had ever smoked a cigar.)

Us guys are pretty dopey. You know that and I know that. But we don't want everyone else to know that.

So one of my main marketing strategies as the owner of "Bren's Cigar Store" will be to educate my target market about cigars. Because when I do that, I'll grow my market.

An educated market is a market that is far more likely to buy. Show us how to do it without us making a fool of ourselves and we'll give it a go. That's the key.

From knowledge comes understanding. With understanding comes acceptance.

What education based marketing would do for the Cigar Store

• Raise profile
• Build credibility
• Position Bren's Cigar Store as expert and informative
• Demonstrate the expertise and quality of the store
• Enables cost effective, long term and consistent strategy

And Here's How We'll Educate The Market

• Public Relations - free
• Seminars & Programs - free
• Articles distribute to local magazines - free
• Newsletters - free (or get a related company to take an ad to pay for the printing)
• Surveys - free
• White Papers on "How to smoke a Cigar" - free
• Public Speaking - free

An education based strategy is usually slower at working - building brand/store awareness than traditional means - i.e. advertising - but far more effective at demonstrating the true positioning of the business. it's better quality marketing.

The essence is this:

Keep providing something that is of value (i.e. informative) and position the Cigar Store as expert, committed and approachable.

Importantly, all information and systems developed are reusable - critical for expansion. If you develop the education material once you'll always have it.

Read on for...

Encouraging word of mouth - a key to success

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Brendon Sinclair