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country,” he explains. “Lots of people moved here because of
the nearby Saturn [Parkway General Motors Manufacturing]
Plant, so that’s who I keep in mind when I market my store and
my cigars. I’m selling to blue-collar workers.There just aren’t a
lot of white-collar workers here, so it doesn’t make much sense
to have $25 sticks on shelf; that’s not what they’re looking for.
“They’re middle-class people; their focus is on taking care
of their family,” he adds, “but they still want to enjoy the good
things in life so I keep my sticks in the $7 to $8 range, which
is very affordable for them. I do have higher-end stuff because
my customers do at times celebrate special events in their lives,
and when they do they’ll venture out and buy higher-end sticks,
but I try to keep pricing down for them. In this business, it’s all
about selling sticks.”
Use Amenities and Events
to Support Your Value Proposition
In addition to products and pricing, Horvath is savvy about
appealing to customers through his store’s design. There are
four distinct areas of the store itself: the front deck with high-
top tables and chairs, the inside seating “lounge” area, and two
outside decks (one enclosed and one heated). “Our lounge has
four big leather chairs, a three-position couch, a high-top table
with chairs around it, a 52-inch TV and state-of-the-art air
filtration and ventilation,” he says. “Plus we’ve got 25 humidor
lockers that we rent out to customers. It’s comfortable, it’s
convenient, and it’s high quality without being snooty, just like
our products.”
While Horvath acknowledges that trendy products can
attract attention, he sees his customers as more interested in
brands they know and in getting a solid value. “For the most
part, the manufacturers in my store deliver good products, and
that’s what my customers want,” he offers. “They don’t want
trends, they want good product. When a manufacturer comes
out with something new and innovative, that’s great, but I’m
not looking for it. My customers are not true aficionados,
they’re just looking for good quality and something that tastes
good. They’re not opposed to trying something that may be
slightly different or new, and for that I rely on my vendors and
IPCPR to educate me about what new stuff my customers
trench marketing