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36TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSNOVEMBERDECEMBER2011inandpurchasetheminthenext48hours.Itx19sallmeanttogetcustomersengagedonaregularbasiskeepingtheirexcitementandmomentumhighforcigars.Covetedcigareventsat9eOutlawarealsopostedonsocialmedia.9eremindersgooutthemorningofandphotosgooutactuallyduringtheevent.x1cEmailismoreofwhatx19shappeningthisweekthismonthbutFacebookandTwitterarewhatx19shappeningrightnowathis-minutetypeofcommunicationx1dCulbertsonexplains.9estorealsousesYouTubeanditswebsitetopostvideosfromitsparties.x1cOurvideosonYouTubearenear1millionviewsx14probablythemostintheindustryx1dCulbertsontellsTOB.Perhapsevenmorecutting-edge9eOutlawisusingQRcodesQuickResponsecodesareatypeofbarcodetolaunchitsvideosfromasmartphone.x1cWhenweadvertiseourstorewefocustheadonaQRcodethatlaunchesavideothathighlightsourstoreandeventsx1dsaysCulbertson.x1cInourcalendarthatweproduceforeachyearweimbedaQRcodeineachmonththatplaysthatmonthx19spartyvideofromyoursmartphone.x1dSomeThingForeveryoneBeyondthoseo6eredbymanufacturersandretailersmanycigargroupshaveformedonFacebookandothersocialmediasites.x1cChicksThatSmokeCigarsandGuysThatLoveThemx1disapopularcigarforumonFacebookcurrentlywithnearly1200membersatpresstime.x1cSocialCigarx1disanotheronealsowithawebsiteclaimingtobethex1cultimatesocialnetworkforcigarax1fcionadosandcigarenthusiastsfeaturingcigarforumsphotosvideolivechatgroupsetc.x1dForthosewhothinksocialmediaismostlyfortheyoungtheymightwanttoconsiderwhatDrewEstatex19sBrookeobservesx1c9isreallybridgestheentirespectrumofagejustlikecigarsmoking.Itx19ssurprisingreallybutitx19strue.Andolderadultswhomaynothavepaidmuchattentiontosocialmediainitiallyarejumpingonboardveryquicklynow.x1dItx19simportantforcigarretailerstounderstandwhotheircustomersarex1candwhatleveloftechnologytheyx19recomfortablewithandutilizeeverydayx1daccordingtoCulbertson.x1cEmailisabsolutelystilltheNo.1Internetcommunicationfortheoldercigarcustomersbutitx19sslowlychangingx1dhesays.x1cAlotofconsumersinthe40-to-70agerangestilldonx19tusesocialmediabutthenextthingyouknowtheyx19resigninguponitbecausetheywanttofollowyou.9eywanttoknowaboutthatnewcigaronthemarkettheywantthedealyoux19regivingoutonit.Igotguystextingwithusthatsworetheywouldnevertext.x1dFromBrookex19sstandpointx1ctherex19snoreasonnottogetintoitx1dforthoseinthecigarindustrywhereithastrulytakeno6.x1cIttakesx1fveminutesadayx1dtopostapictureandsomethoughtsx14x1candthatx19senoughtokeeppeopleinterested.x1dOnthe8ipsidehebelievestherex19snotmuchpointinhavingasocialmediaprox1fleifyoudonx19tupdateitatleastonceaday.AbreuofRubenx19sSmokeStackcertainlypostseverydayandhekeepsitfreshbymixingitupx14everythingfromnewcigarstosillypicturestoseriousthoughtsoftheday.Recentpostingsatpresstimeincludedamentionofx1c9enewCRASampler3fromCigarRightsofAmerica.10greatsmokesandayearx19smembershipfor100.Greatsmokesandgreatcausex1dJustforalaughapictureofadressed-upskeletonsmokingacigarwasalsopostedinthemonthofOctoberwiththecaptionx1cNewmemberBitetheDust.x1dAndshowingAbreux19sseriousandspiritualsidehewilloftenpostquotessuchasx1cWhenweadmitthatourliveshavebecomeunmanageablewedonx19thavetoargueourpointofview.Wenolongerhavetoberightallthetime.x1dx1c9einformationthat8owsbothwaysisinvaluablex1dsaysAbreu.x1cYoucanlearnandtalkaboutatopiconamomentx19snotice.Itx19salsogreattobeabletotellcustomerswhentheycallx18YoucanfollowusonFacebook.x19Peopleputitalltogethertheylikemakinganewsocialmediaconnection.x1dAnditdidnx19ttakeanythingfancytogetstartedx14Abreubeganwithhisstorex19semailandcustomerdata.x1cIhaveaboxwherecustomersregisterwiththeirnameandemailtheygetweeklynewshappeningsofwhatx19sinmystorenewarrivalsx1dheexplains.x1cAboutayearagowelinkedallthattoFacebook.Weprobablyhadunder1000contactnamesx14nowwehave3000fans.x1dPerhapsthemostimportantpointregardingthebenex1ftsofsocialmediaforcigarretailersandmanufacturersx14andanycompanyutilizingittodayx14isthattheyarenotnecessarilytangibleresultsespeciallyatx1frst.x1cMostpeoplewanttox1fgureouttheROIontheirtimeandmoneyspentdoingthistypeofthingandwhenyoulookattheROIofbeingonFacebookorTwitteritdoesnotlookgoodwex19renotgettingordersthroughitx1do6ersCulbertson.x1cItx19smoreaboutanoverallimpressionconsumersgetfromyourcompanyfromdoingthisitx19saboutyourlevelofprofessionalismaswellashowtrendyandinnovativeyouare.x1dCulbertsonchallengesothercigarretailerstomakeadecisionaboutwhethertheywantagrowingbusinessx14orastagnantone.Hesaysitx19snotenoughtohaveniceinformativeemployeesagreatatmosphereandfreshproducts.x1c9atx19swhateverybodydoingbusinessincigarso6ersx1dhestates.x1cNowitx19saboutwhatareyoudoingaboveandbeyondthatx14andsocialmediaisabigpartofthat.x1dTOBconTinueDFrompage32