74 TOBACCO BUSINESS | MARCH / APRIL | 22 They’ve got your back 100 percent. They give you the support you need for your business to grow. Not only do they advise you, but they’ve got the best product in the market. Howhas being apartnerwithDavidoffhelpedyour store? Cafagno: I am a huge believer in relationships. I value each and every relationship I have because there was some form of attention I paid to each relationship I have that helps me grow as a business person each day. Davidoff has been an intricate part of our successes. Theoretically, when Jimmy passed away in 2011, our Appointed Merchant license died with him, but I had formed enough of a special relationship within the company that they had faith in what I was doing and understood that I “got it.” I was 24 years old when Jimmy died. I’d bet I was the youngest Appointed Merchant by a lot, but Davidoff was my partner. They were then, and they are today, and they will continue to be as long as I am in the cigar business. Khalil: Our annual Davidoff dinner is a customer favorite and one of most successful events each year. Being able to showcase the brand and bring limited edition items to our customers is a valuable asset. Barboza: As you know, my store is inside a mall, and the rent is up there. When you have this type of business at a mall, you can no longer sell $3 sticks because you will never pay the rent, and at the end of the day you want to be profitable. So being a partner of Davidoff gives you exclusivity; it gives you the right kind of customer that can spend more money on a cigar on a regular basis. Only 200 retailers carry Davidoff’s White Label products nationwide, so with the exclusivity, the margins are good. That’s the type of business you want to do because at the end of the day, everybody wants to be profitable. TB Sam Khalil of Casa de Montecristo focuses on providing his customers with memorable experiences, such as his store’s annual Davidoff dinner. We asked three of Davidoff’s best retailers for their best tips for other retailers looking to deliver award-winning service and in-store experiences to their customers: 1. Deliver on your promises. “Do what you say, follow through and take chances,” advises Michael Cafagno, owner of The Tobacconist of Greenwich. “What has proven to be the most valuable asset in my business is that I am honest, I don’t take advantage of people, and I don’t upsell just because I can. I always have a ‘long-term’ outlook on life and my business decisions. For me, having a client for 10 years is far more valuable than having one for 10 minutes.” 2. Create connoisseurs. Sam Khalil of Casa de Montecristo advises retailers to consider the experience they are selling rather than a specific product. “When you educate your customer on the intricacies of tobacco and the technique that goes into creating each cigar, you open a door to turning that customer into a connoisseur who will always have your trust,” Khalil says. 3. Invest in inventory. Your store has to have something in stock that will appeal to different types of customers and budgets. “If you really want to bring the sales, you need to have the inventory,” Juan Barboza, owner of Cigar Box explains. “To the very rich guy that wants to overimpress his partner to the wife that wants to celebrate her husband’s birthday, you need to have something for everyone. You need to have the right product in order to sell it.” Retail Tips fromDavidoff’s Best
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgzMDM=