Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
30TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSMAYJUNE2010dix4erentcharitiesinthestorex19slocalareax14andthenthewomentookatriptotheRockyPatelcigaractoryinHonduras.x1cTewomentherehadarevelationtoraisemoneyandgettheCigarBabesintoanevenstrongerundraisingrolex1dexplainsKane.Sonowthegroupisbehindundingschoolshospitalsclinicsclothingdrivesprenatalcareooddrivesandotherwaysohelpingthepeoplewhomakecigars.x1cBecausetheCigarBabeshavevisitednumerouscigaractoriestheyunderstandwhatisneededtherex1dKanesays.x1cWomenareinspiredbythex18hearteltstux4.x19Teyseewhatisneededanddosomethingaboutit.Ourwomenareverydedicatedtothis.x1dIndeedLakeCountryx19sCigarBabesarededicatedtothetuneoraisingatotalo150000to350000ayearortheirvariouslocalandinternationalcharities.PRODUCTPERSUASIONBeyondundraisingtheCigarBabesalsohaveaninx2uenceinproductdevelopmentwithvariouscigarmanuacturers.x1cFouryearsagoourlittlegroupsaidx18Letx19strytox1gureoutwhythemanuacturershavenx19treallyaddressedthewomenx19smarketthewaywethinktheyshouldx19sowewereinvitedasguestsoPerdomoandtheyhostedusinNicaraguax1dKaneexplains.Teretheveryx1rstx1cWomenx19sCigarForumx1dwasheld.Othermanuacturersromallovertheworldwereinvitedandthewomenwereaskedtopresenttheirideas.x1cSomeothosewerebasedonasurveywetookacrossthenationx14allthemanuacturersreceivedadocumentromtheCigarBabesaboutwhywomenbuywhattheybuyhowmuchincometheycontrolintheamilyandwhatmotivatesthemtobuyx14asitrelatedtocigarsandmorex1dKanesays.Teladiesgottheirpointacrossthatx1cwomenwhosmokecigarsarearealmarketx1daccordingtoKane.Fromtheresearchitwasreportedthatx1cwomencontrolover85percentothehouseholdincome.Womenbuyorthemostpartbasedonbrandloyaltyx1dshemaintains.x1cWomenarealsoknowntopurchaseaccessoriesmoreotenthanmen.x1dEversincethePerdomoeventx1cmanuacturershavebeencallingupontheCigarBabestotest-marketproductsorthemx1dKanesays.x1cWex19velookedateverythingromdix4erentcigarblendstoChristmasandFatherx19sDayconcepts.x1cWex19rejusthavingtoodarnmuchunx1dsheadds.CigarBabesx19coregroupconsistsoabout35womenbutthetotalmembershipisnowx1cwellover120x1daccordingtoKane.AnditwouldbeevenhigheriLakeCountryCigarsrespondedtoalltheirmembershiprequests.x1cOurstoregetse-mailsallthetimeromsomanywomenacrossthecountrywantingtojoinusx1dKanesays.x1cAndthatx19swhywegotmoreseriouswiththeIWCSandencouragingafliateCigarBabestogetox4thegroundandjoinusthatway.x1dSixmonthsagoSmithsignedherstoreonandormedEdwardx19sCigarBabeswhichalreadyhascloseto60membersandx1cabsolutelymorewomencustomersbecauseoitx1dshesays.Italsohasthesupportothemajorcigarmanuacturers.x1cTeyareallhappytoparticipatex14CamachoRockyPatelCAOAltadisPerdomox14justtonameaewx1dSmithsays.x1cWhenwecallthemuporaneventtheytellusx18noproblemx19andprovideuswithanythingweneedx14cigarsshirtscutterslightersandmore.Teyarehappytodothisitx19sanewconceptbutitx19salongtimecomingandtheyknowitultimatelyincreasessalesorthemandus.x1dEdwardx19sdoeson-andox4-premiseeventswithitsCigarBabes.Withox4-premiseeventsSmithlikestogotox1clocalrestaurantswhoseownersandemployeespurchasecigarsromourshoptheysupportussowesupportthemx1dshesays.Otenthemeetingsarewomen-onlyeventsbutothertimesspousesboyriendsandmalecustomersarePatriciaSchwableftofSchwabx19sPipeNStuffinLexingtonKy.andSusanGriggsofCoffmanx19sTobaccoShopinStuartFla.PattiSmithpresidentoftheIWCSNancyBullockleftofRockyPatelCigarsandLindaKoebelofHavanaConnectionsinRichmondVa.BrendaRobertsownerofBakerStreetTobaccoinNapaCalif.