72
TOBACCO BUSINESS
JULY/AUGUST 2013
trench marketing
most won’t go over $20 for a single cigar.”
Like many cigar shops in New Jersey, Southbound Cigar
applied for and won an exemption to the state’s smoking ban
so its customers are free to light up in the store. The shop’s
comfortable lounge area features plush seating, a large-screen
television and a juke box, as well as chairs outside. “If tobacco
products are 51 percent or more of your inventory, you can
get an exemption,” reports Purser, who feels that the ability for
customers to smoke in the store is critical.
Word-of-mouth and the shop’s location account for much
of Southbound’s customer base, but
the store also promotes itself through
a web site and on Facebook. “We
haven’t done as much as we probably
should have with promotion, but we
did make the investment in having an
online presence,” says Purser. “And
one of the main ways we reach out
to customers is through our email list,
which is how we distribute invitations
to our events.”
BuilDing loyalty
The store holds events fairly
regularly—usually featuring food and beverages and
showcasing a particular manufacturer—that can draw as many
as 85 attendees. “We usually put a tent outside and offer lots of
prizes, including humidors and six-packs of cigars that retail for
around $8 each,” explains Purser. “The events do well enough
but we look at it more as a way to thank our regulars and give
them a reason to connect with the store. It’s a fun night for
everyone and it builds customer loyalty for us.”
Last year, Southbound attracted a large crowd with a pig
roast evening. “We gave away three humidors, some really nice
“One of the main ways we reach out
to customers is through our email list,
which is how we distribute invitations
to our events.”
