PCA Magazine Show Issue 2021

PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG SHOW 2021 | PCA The Magazine 31 they can then plan their visits for the show. “We start by making a list, so we’ll plan to add new lines from companies that we already carry, because those reps know us and we trust their advice,” says Hutson. “We’ll also always have a list of companies that we’ve gotten to know, we’ve smoked and liked their cigars but we simply haven’t had room for in the past. And usually we’ll bring in two new lines and have about 10 or 20 potentials.” HAVE A PLAN Randy Silverman, owner of Klafter’s Inc., a retail outlet and national distributor business, finds his preparation prior to the show has made all the difference over the past 15 years. Initially, he had more of a “wing it” attitude, but he eventually realized, if he’s going to maximize the benefits for his business, he has to be ready before he even arrives at the Sands. First, he pays attention to manufacturer emails prior to the show as they start to announce their special deals. “Especially with my regular items, if I can get ahold of the deals before the show, I’ll prepare the order ahead of time,” he says. “Now that doesn’t mean I’m going to get the deal before the show, but at least I have my order and it’s ready to go.” Silverman also emphasizes the importance of appointments. “I used to be anti-appointment. I hated doing them,” he says, “but now the first thing I do when preparing for the show is try to make appointments with all my biggest suppliers. I typically allocate about an hour and half for each and I’m careful not to book anything else too close for a few reasons: You never know if you’re going to start the appointment on time, the distance between appointments can take some time, and you never know who you’re going to come across along the way to stop and talk with.” Setting up appointments gives your trade show days some structure and takes some stress out of the experience, because you’re assured all your major suppliers will be covered when you stagger onto your return flight three or four days later. BUDGET CONSCIOUS No two cigar stores are alike, so what works for one shop owner may not work for another. For a smaller shop, a conscientious owner will have a clear idea of howmuch to spend without too much analysis. David Macejko, owner of Over the Rhine in Cincinnati, falls into this category. With a 225-square-foot store, he’s able to keep inventory needs mostly in his head. He knows howmuch he can spend and where best to spend it. “It’s not like I have a spreadsheet that says we can only spend this much this day, this month,” he says. “I know what I can turn and what I can reasonably do and I’m amazed at howmuch money I’m spending, being in business two years. I never thought I’d be spending this kind of money, but the only reason I can spend this kind of money is I’m selling a lot of cigars.” The same goes for Owens. T h e S H O W Maximizing Your Time “I used to be anti- appointment. I hated doing them, but now the first thing I do when preparing for the show is try to make appointments with all my biggest suppliers.” N A V I G A T I N G T H E S H O W