In the niche tobacco industry, success hinges on your expertise and memorable customer service. Your customers trust you to provide their favorite tobacco products, make expert recommendations, and share valuable information each time they visit your shop.
Branding yourself as a tobacconist and sharing your passion for tobacco with your customers will build your tobacco shop’s reputation as the place to go for premier products and expert recommendations that they can trust.
In this blog, we’ll talk through our tobacconist definition, how a reputation as a tobacconist can grow your business, and how you can get started on your journey to becoming your neighborhood’s tobacconist.
Tobacconist Definition: What Is a Tobacconist?
Traditionally, a tobacconist was a craftsman of tobacco products, offering clients bespoke solutions for all their smoking needs like intricate pipes, cigar cutters, and humidors.
Today, tobacconists are highly-respected specialists, providing customers with a customized experience and the finest tobacco products. They cater to discerning customers looking for the best of the best and are known in their communities for their superior customer service and ability to provide excellent guidance.
Enriching your knowledge about the tobacco products you offer in your smoke shop and ensuring that the items you carry are of the highest quality can help you solidify your reputation as a tobacconist, bringing your area’s tobacco aficionados right to you.
Crafting Curated Customer Experiences as a Tobacconist
Now that we’ve covered our tobacconist definition, we can dive into why being a tobacconist benefits your customers and the health of your small business.
With an overwhelming amount of information instantly available at your customers’ fingertips, they’re looking for a guided, personalized experience when they walk into your tobacco shop. They trust you to educate and advise them on their journey to find the perfect cigar.
Many customers are even willing to pay more for your expertise and will come back time and time again to get your latest recommendations!
Sharing your expertise with customers not only builds your small business’ reputation, but it can also increase your average sale, with your guests paying a little extra for the products you trust and recommend.
Offering Unique, Tobacconist-Approved Selections
The products available in your smoke shop are a direct testament to your refined taste as a tobacconist. Striking the right balance between carrying your customers’ long-time favorites and new, exciting products for them to try is essential for creating a noteworthy experience for them every time they visit.
A well-stocked, high-quality selection is one of the best ways to set your small business apart from the competition, ensuring that your customers can find exactly what they’re looking for, as well as premier products that they can’t find anywhere else.
Your Journey to Becoming a Tobacconist
As a tobacconist, your goal is to share valuable knowledge with your customers to guide their purchases and leave them feeling more informed, which means that you need to have a solid understanding of all things tobacco.
To grow your knowledge, you’ll want to stay up to date on relevant industry news and emerging products available on the market that your customers may be curious about. In addition, you’ll want to have a solid mental catalog of the products you offer and what makes them different, enabling you to make recommendations and answer questions on the fly.
You may also want to consider getting a certification in tobacco from an industry educator. Tobacconist University offers education for professional tobacconists seeking to become Certified Retail Tobacconists and Certified Master Tobacconists.
The Tools You Need To Become a Tobacconist
Even if you’ve mastered the knowledge you need to be a tobacconist, the information you’ve acquired is useless if you can’t put it to work in your tobacco shop using the right tools.
The perfect POS system can be your silent business partner, helping you keep the perfect balance of inventory, easily look up products for your customers, and see detailed reports on which items are selling the most.
Here are the top POS features you need as a tobacconist:
- Robust inventory management tools, including carton-pack inventory metrics, to make sure that your customers’ favorites are always waiting for them
- A built-in customer loyalty program that’s easy for you to manage and keeps your customers coming back
- Detailed reporting to give you valuable insights into how your business is performing
Cigars POS is an excellent option for tobacconists. Designed specifically with tobacco shop owners like you in mind, our point of sale system has all these features and more in a customizable, all-in-one solution.
Get in touch with one of our industry experts today to schedule a live, personalized demo to see the features of Cigars POS in action.
