Tobacconist Traffic

While Tobacconist University uses the internet to broadcast our academic curriculum and other services (for free), we are not an 'internet company'. We do not sell our traffic (clicks) or allow advertisements, and we go to great lengths to distinguish our educational platforms from simple information and infotainment. As a University it is our mandate to research, learn, and teach. In that process, we certify and promote the credibility of our retail Tobacconists.

As we ask potential sponsors to help fund certifications and academic development, we make it a point to de-emphasize our internet traffic, since we are not 'that kind' of company. In reality, we do not measure our success in quantity, but quality - like education vs. information. With that said, our internet statistics do offer some amazing and unparallelled facts: our average visitor views 8 pages while more than 40% view more than 3 pages; 11% of our daily visitors spend more than 40 minutes on the site while 60% spend more than 3 minutes.

I think the daily traffic picture above says it all (red dots represent 5 or more pageviews): serious people from all over the world spend significant amounts of time learning about luxury tobacco - through Tobacconist University. I know the internet site looks 'different' as there are no frames, advertisements, or constantly changing headlines with sensationalized information. We don't report on current events or host chat groups or product sales techniques. The uniqueness of our website occasionally leaves people confused since we are used to being bombarded with marketing messages. But in this case, different is good: we are sharing substance and quality, for free.

If It Saves One Life....

"If It Saves One Life, It's Worth It" - this is a quote from a 15 year old high school student in California whose class was notified by state troopers and the administration that several students were killed in drunk driving accidents (Allison Hoffman, AP). Apparently, most of the children were crying, screaming and understandably traumatized. Several hours after being told this the officials notified them it was not true: they were just trying to teach them a lesson! What a sick, sick world we are living in now. And I am not surprised that this is happening in California, land of usurped freedoms, health zealots, and all-knowing government.

Abraham Lincoln said "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves". Thank you Mr. Lincoln, but what in the world are our small-minded leaders doing?

The notion of "If it saves one life..." is the most intellectually bankrupt idea of our modern age. Aged cheese, meat, peanuts, driving, and life in general can be deadly. Human life is cheap and priceless all at once. In places like Darfur it seems like people have no value, yet we all know life is precious. But the value of one life cannot be exchanged for another's. Preserving freedom and the right to pursue happiness is what makes life precious; without that, we are all just someone else's sheep. Government should focus on empowering our lives, not saving, shaping, limiting, or scaring us into submission. Empower us through Education....

* The painting shown here is insane, just like the "if it saves one life" notion.

Tobacconists - Human Assets: content preview

"The first sign of decline of an industry is loss of appeal to able people."
- The Daily Drucker (Harper Collins 2004)

Ultimately, a business is only as good as its people. The success of luxury tobacco retailers is limited by how many good Tobacconists they have - I know this because I live it.

The Human Assets of a company are the most valuable because you can always borrow money or lease a space, but great people are hard to come by: that is the essence of Tobacconist University. That is why we are not a retailer organization, trade group, or consumer magazine. We are focused and committed to educating, training, and developing the greatest resource in our industry: Tobacconists.

If you ask 100 people "who are the most important people in our industry (not including consumers)?", 99% will answer 'Cigar Makers'. But, they are wrong. Tobacconists are the most important people in our industry because they consummate the relationship between cigar makers and customers; they bridge the gap between producers and consumers. Where would the Fuentes and Padrons be without Tobacconists? They would be lining the shelves of supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores. I will live [ and die ] knowing that retail Tobacconists make this industry great. That is where I fell in love with luxury tobacco, and that is where consumers do too. You can't get to know real products through the pages of a magazine or on the internet.

If you own a retail shop you already know the greatest challenge is finding and retaining good people. Tobacconist University EDUCATES, TRAINS, PROMOTES, DEVELOPS, & INVIGORATES our industry's greatest assets - a historical first! All of these benefits increase employee Value, Commitment, & Retention, improving your business and competitiveness all at once. Leverage these resources to your advantage and you will succeed. Invest in your people and the long-term rewards will be exponential! Put people first and the profits will follow.

Hiring Tip: Hire Passion & Smiles. All Great Tobacconists are naturally endowed with a passion for the products and a genuine desire to share that.

Looking Forward

I have been thinking about those heady days in the 90's after Cigar Aficionado (CA) was released, the cigar boom, cigar dinners all the time, and a seemingly endless stream of sophisticated new customers. I remember when big fancy corporations and executives would come in and buy oodles of gifts for their clients and co-workers: they were conspicuous and passionate cigar smokers. I remember black-tie dinners, events at restaurants, and hotels between NYC and Philly; all the time! It was busy and fun.

Honestly though, I did not appreciate it enough. I was young and capricious... and resentful of the trendy and superficial smokers; customers which do not exist today. But a mere 10 years later we are living in the opposite world. Politicians use all smoke issues to placate their constituents, the captains of industry still come in but they are now on the 'down-low', and the customers that remain are persecuted everywhere they go. What the F&^%$ happened?!? (sorry for the language) The world, science, facts, and people have not changed; politics have!

Perhaps my thoughts are prompted by the recent announcement that the CA Big Smoke has been cancelled in Chicago, due to the new anti-smoking laws. Obviously this is another preposterous defeat. But I do not hear about any lawsuits, protest campaigns, or marching in the streets. I feel like we continue to lay down and take the beating while the world goes up in smoke.

But there is an ebb and flow to everything, yin and yang, two sides to every coin, ... and TU is working diligently towards improving our world. Currently there are almost 20 new CST Apprenticing and on their way to being Certified. Those CST will be out Certifying Retail Tobacconists who will in turn Certify Consumers; by this summer. We are building Credibility one Tobacconist, one person, at a time. While I like to take the long-term view, things are starting to change positively now.

I know this century will see more:

• empowered, educated, & credible Tobacconists


• passionate, committed, & substantive Consumers


• proactive & enlightened Cigar & Pipe makers

... because we are starting to value and prioritize Education.

Obviously, I believe we can build a better industry. By investing in people (i.e. Tobacconists & Consumers), using technology in a proactive way, and embracing change, we absolutely can make a healthful place for luxury tobacco and Tobacconists in our modern age.

LEVERAGE

Leverage, Leverage, Leverage: of all the words in the English language, this one best describes Tobacconist University. While we create NEW VALUE & OPPORTUNITIES, we provide LEVERAGE.

Leveraging is the act of using something to gain an advantage. You can use words, relationships, knowledge, experience, body language, humor, or just about anything to leverage your relationships, income, and quality of life.

TU exists, above all, for Retailers to leverage. Retail Tobacconists can educate, certify, and/or promote themselves [for free] through TU. In addition, they can co-brand our website, use our videos, and contribute! All of this [and more] because we believe Retail Tobacconists are the key to Preserving Luxury Tobacco for Generations to Come. In addition, Consumers and Salesforces can leverage TU as an educational, certification, and social tool as well.

Imagine trying to move a large boulder with a long stick; your success will depend on the strength of the stick. Achieving optimal leverage requires a strong and credible 'instrument'. Consequently, TU aims to be the most credible, honorable, and un-biased educational institution in the luxury tobacco industry. We are defined by the quality of our education, Code of Ethics & Standards, and [above all] by our students and Certified Tobacconists. - Leverage That.

1950s: Wine & Cigars Diverge

The Sommelier Society of America opened its doors in this country in 1954. This educational and certification institution has helped create the public perception that wine is a sophisticated and enlightened human pleasure which enhances one's quality of life. And it is precisely that "Public Perception" which protects the wine industry from the type of hysterical crusading that is hurting the luxury tobacco industry today. In our society, luxury tobacco is perceived no differently than "Big Tobacco". And this is our single greatest challenge! Because the reality of our industry is far more positive than the public perception.

It was also during the 1950s that Homogenized Tobacco Leaf (HTL) was developed and commercialized. This non-premium amalgam of tobacco leaf, chemicals, stems, and other additives allowed for the homogenization and mass commercialization of non-premium cigars. Today, more than 90% of cigars sold in this country are non-premium products and use some form of HTL. This has made the cigar industry much more similar to the cigarette industry than wine. From a purely capitalistic perspective, this business model makes perfect sense: cigar companies were looking for growth, economies of scale, mass distribution, and more profit, so they followed the lead of the cigarette industry. Sadly, we have spent the last 50 years paying the price for our industries' similarities.

The last decade has truly been the most difficult and destructive time for the luxury tobacco industry, with one odd exception. Just before the spread of anti-smoking laws and the rise of draconian tobacco taxation, there was the release of Cigar Aficionado (CA) in the early 1990s. CA helped position the cigar industry in a completely new light with class and sophistication, as a luxurious pursuit and savoring of time. But this shift was more of a trend than a substantive change. And the reality of anti-tobacco crusading completely overshadows any of these positive facts. Any Tobacconist can tell you that the "boom" years were filled with "image smokers" who wanted to smoke cigars to look like the fancy and cool people on the pages of CA. But those customers are long gone now.

The effect of CA on our industry has been extraordinarily positive and dramatic, but it is far from being enough. To project culture and sophistication is not the same as having it, or earning it, or being accepted and embraced. So here we are.... still fighting S-CHIP, anti-smoking laws and absurd taxes.

"Nobody can give you Freedom. Nobody can give you Equality or Justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." - Malcom X

By "take it" I mean: We must EARN it. We must educate ourselves on our products, history, traditions, and enlighten those around us. To change our reality, we must first change ourselves and then the world around us. The fight for our survival is about educating our society and carving out a viable place for us to thrive and contribute. If you believe any of this, then you must get Certified to help us take back our dignity and preserve the luxury tobacco industry for generations to come. Certification is just the beginning of a Foundation of Credibility. Just like Sommeliers prance around as the darlings of our modern society, perhaps Tobacconists will one day get their deserved respect.

Education vs. Information

I have been wanting to write this particular blog for years and now the thoughts seem to be percolating, so the time is right. The differences between Information and Education are at the heart of Tobacconist University values and our vision/mission.

Distinguishing between the two can be the difference between just living and a life well-lived.

Information is typically what you get when you watch the evening news and hear sensational sound bites about Britney Spears, obese Americans, or when you hear politicians spinning their language about S-CHIP, anti-smoking statistics, and a myriad of other things. Information is data, often sensationalized for our limited attention spans. And it is indisputable that we live in the Age of Information. Between the internet, cell phones, tv, print and broadcast media, we are always being bombarded with information. Information is the nutritional equivalent of a twinkie; it may taste good but there is relatively little substance or value in it.

Information is about Quantity, while Education is about Quality.

Education is Information put into context with a perspective grounded in values and principles: and that is what Tobacconist University is about.

This topic is resonating with me right now because we are making a big push to enhance our already unparalleled glossary and turn it into a multi-media encyclopedia. We have endeavoured to find every tobacco glossary (in the English language) and make sure we don't miss a thing. In that process, we have discovered an overwhelming amount of Information, opinion, and/or subjective interpretation. When we find words worthy of the TU glossary, we go through our library of books, cross-reference (3x), call experts, and then re-create the most valuable definition possible: after all, we are trying to create a timeless educational curriculum.

But, I am astounded at the amount of crap/information in the marketplace. There is very little content created with a long-term vision and an eye towards Quality. Much like the world we live in, Quantity often trumps Quality, so people don't even attempt to create accurate and compelling content. Fortunately, you can rest assured that TU will never take this easy way out. Sadly, this trend carries through most of the Information we find on the internet. Even emails/newsletters I receive through the industry are full of erroneous or absurd information. I get a handful of so-called "expert" emails on a regular basis and they are always filled with incorrect information. Many of these so-called "experts" (I will call them "Fakeperts") are merely pontificators trying to position themselves as thought-leaders in an effort to sell you products: that is one of the reasons TU does not sell any products or advertisements. And ultimately, these Fakeperts are doing harm to our industry and consumers while they try to make a quick buck.

Education requires research, perspective, and context. Consequently, Education requires vision, commitment, and integrity. These are the values that will help "Preserve Luxury Tobacco for Generations to Come". Since we are an open-source Academic Curriculum, we encourage credible Tobacconists to contribute their knowledge to our institution. In that process we can help aggregate, promote, and strengthen the foundation upon which this industry is built: which is great Tobacconists! Without great, credible, and professional Tobacconists, our precious industry will die.

So, Educate yourselves!!! And help us Educate!!!

TU vs. CCU

Internet traffic is a funny thing. Today I woke up to see that we got hundreds of visits from Sweden. Some days we are big in Europe, Asia, Latin America, but mostly our visitors come from the north eastern part of the United States. Since we haven't really marketed TU, we rely on word of mouth and passionate individuals to spread the word. But there is always a bit of mystery when people in the middle east or far off countries find TU. Fortunately, once they find us, they are hooked and we see them coming back regularly.

Between Sweden and the cigarfamily website today, I noticed we get lots of hits/links to Cuban Cigar University (CCU). Frankly, I'm just glad people visit, but I thought this would be a good time and place to clarify the relationship and differences between TU and CCU.

I started CCU as the in-house training college for my retail Tobacconists, following a research and educational trip to Cuba in 1996. It became so popular that we started giving public courses and Certifications to consumers as well as Tobacconists. By 2003, we incorporated CCU into TU and the TU website. CCU was cigar focused. TU is a much broader and more ambitious project intended to benefit ALL retail Tobacconists, consumers, and the industry. Ultimately, it just seemed selfish to hoard all of the CCU work just for ourselves, so the concept of TU emerged. Today there is a CCU website (address) and people all over the world find it and use it on a regular basis: I think the word "Cuba" carries a lot of weight in consumers' minds. But that site is really just the Tobacconist University site. So, in case you are wondering why the content is the same, that is because Tobacconist University emerged from Cuban Cigar University. And hopefully, one day, the word TOBACCONIST will carry as much weight as Cuba...

TU SPONSORS

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Sponsors which have made the free educational, certification, and professional services of Tobacconist University (TU) possible. Our efforts to "Preserve Luxury Tobacco for Generations to Come" would not be possible without the intellectual and monetary contributions of our Sponsors. We are particularly proud of our no-advertising policy and open-source Academic Curriculum which ensures an unbiased, thorough, dynamic, and democratic learning institution.

Ironically, I am the only Tobacconist University Sponsor at the moment. Ironically, I have been sooooo busy over the last 4 years of development that I have barely leveraged TU assets for my retail company A Little Taste of Cuba (ALTOC); except for Certifying every Tobacconist. In the future ALTOC will have the entire TU website co-branded with our logo at the top left hand corner of every TU page. TU will be hot-linked to the ALTOC website (http://www.cubacigar.com/ , which I have also neglected) with quick-links to the FAQ, HOW-TO, Glossary, and Campus pages. All of this in an effort to provide our retail customers with the most value-added services possible. And always striving to enhance customers' product, industry, and Tobacconist appreciation.

But as they say, that is neither here nor there.... I really just wanted an excuse to show off the new Sponsor Logo. I will not use this for ALTOC because we are currently putting together our family of Founding Sponsors; they will be a distinguished group of vertically integrated companies. This is a slow process and we are at various stages with several extraordinary companies. Over the next two weeks the final batch of Sponsor Proposals will go out and then we will wait and see what the future holds.

Ultimately, this Sponsor Logo will be a Badge of Honor for those companies extraordinary enough to use it. The TU Sponsor Logo will be absolute proof that these companies are committed to Brick & Mortar Tobacconists, consumers, and our precious industry. Fortunately, we can accomplish a lot with very little; annual Sponsorship will cost less than a one page ad in Cigar Aficionado. By providing the free educational services and committing to higher standards we will usher in a new age of Credibility for this besmirched and maligned industry. Cigar & Pipe makers deserve a great deal more respect than they are currently getting; as do retail Tobacconists, since we are their ambassadors and the final point of contact for passionate consumers.

I hope you like the Sponsor Logo: it is a symbol for companies who 'walk the talk'. In the future, if you see a company using it to show their pride, you will know they are truly committed to their consumers and Tobacconists!

The Future

Here is a glimpse of the future... a sample of the hundreds of videos to come for the Tobacconist University website. This video was a mock-up we used to work on the graphics so it is not a "finished" product.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ELrT4bxRf20

Over two dozen videos will go up in the next month... so stay tuned. Check out the Academic Curriculum on Cigars to view the enhanced content that will compliment the videos.

http://www.tobacconistuniversity.org/tobacco-college/index.asp

TU Email News: 6/4/2007

Dear Friends & Fellow Tobacconists;

“Houston, we have lift-off”

It is my great pleasure to announce that Tobacconist University will give its first RTDA Seminar for Retail Tobacconists at this year’s 75th Anniversary show in Houston. On Saturday, August 4, it will be our privilege to address an audience of esteemed Retail Tobacconists between 4pm and 5pm: just one hour before the 75th Anniversary Celebration!

This historic Seminar will punctuate Tobacconist University’s debut year with a lecture on the importance and value of Tobacconists. In addition we will show our fellow Retail Tobacconists how to leverage education as a Promotional and Sales Tool as well as increase customer loyalty, service, credibility, and overall success.

Space is limited, so please sign up for the Seminar through the RTDA website at http://www.rtda.org/.

And visit http://tobacconistu.blogspot.com/ or http://www.tobacconistuniversity.org/ for updates and an enhanced perspective.

My Best Wishes;

TU RTDA SEMINAR

It's official! The RTDA has announced that Tobacconist University will be giving the final Seminar at the 75th Anniversary show in Houston. The opportunity to introduce TU to RTDA's Retail Tobacconists will prove to be a historic event. A University for Tobacconists, by Tobacconists, is long overdue for this venerable industry. And it is an honor and privilege to unveil Tobacconist University to such an esteemed group of professionals. Ultimately, as TU advocates, Retail Tobacconists are the cornerstone of this industry.... the absolute key to preserving our health, wealth, and survival. Retail Tobacconists are an essential and extraordinary part of our culture which must be preserved for generations to come. On Saturday August 4th at 4pm, Tobacconist University will address the best of the best and drive our mission forward: "To set the highest standards of excellence in Product Knowledge, Appreciation, and Professionalism in the luxury tobacco industry."

While we cannot teach all of TU during a one hour seminar, we will use our web site and other educational materials to teach Tobacconists how Education can be leveraged as a Sales and Promotional tool. TU will illustrate exactly how Retail Tobacconists can strengthen relationships and add value to consumers, increase loyalty and sales, reduce turnover, and increase their competitive advantages!


RTDA RELEASE:

RTDA Seminar in Houston
Saturday August 4: 4:00 PM - 5:00PM
Seminar 3 - The Value of Retailer Product Knowledge and the Importance of Today's Tobacconists
Presented by Jorge Luis Armenteros, CMT, President and founder in 1996 of Tobacconist University and owner of Little Taste of Cuba retail stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Jorge puts into context the importance of what we do and illustrates how valuable we really are ways to get more societal acceptance in today's environment. TU's introductory curriculum is an in-depth academic study of tobacco, its history, agriculture, processing, manufacturing, and marketing.

The FOURTH-Sector

The NY Times published a great article entitled Businesses Try to Make Money and Save the World on May 6th. I just got around to reading it and I am glad I did. We have some big Tobacconist University announcements coming up in the next few days, weeks, and months so this is an exciting time. With all of this activity, it can be difficult to get perspective on things. After ten years in development, we are now in the debut year for TU. I have no idea what I am doing, yet I know exactly what I have to do: or maybe it's the other way around. It sounds funny, but it feels true. To quote the article: "Companies like us have no conventional road map to follow in building our businesses and thus are greeted with a lot of skepticism".

The Fourth-Sector is "composed of organizations driven by both social purpose and financial promise that fall somewhere between traditional companies and charities. The term 'fourth sector' derives from the fact that participants are creating hybrid organizations distinct from those operating in the government, business and nonprofit sectors." In a sense, the Fourth-Sector is private companies with nonprofit missions! In my opinion, this is one of the most exciting socioeconomic opportunities of modern times. It is the highest form of capitalism because ideas and values carry more weight than money!!!

I am excited to see that we are part of a bigger trend. And frankly, I feel validated to not be the only one believing that viable companies can create social change and put principles before profits.

some other good quotes ...

"The social benefits that fourth-sector firms seek to unlock are not easily quantified and often take decades, not quarters, to attain."

"Investors, customers and consumers are developing a more holistic approach and focusing on the longer term..."

"Companies themselves are beginning to understand that what appears to be an expense today may in fact produce lucrative long-term benefits..."

"...business relationships between for-profit and nonprofit players are increasing..."

THE LITTLE PIN THAT COULD

In almost a decade we have certified dozens of Tobacconists in Princeton, NJ and in Pennsylvania. By the end of this year we will complete the first generation of our four college Academic Curriculum. In addition we will, in all probability, have over one hundred Certified Retail Tobacconist individuals (CRT) throughout the country by the end of 2008. This is a small, but historic step, in a long and uphill journey. This generation of Certified Tobacconists will wear the first ever Tobacconist University Certified pins (see Certified logo in sidebar). These are the same antique brass type pins that U.S. Senators and Congressman wear on their lapels, and to me they are equally special.

I am writing today because I just approved the proof for the pin and it prompted me to think a little about its significance. I know that the pin is a reflection of academic achievement, our adherence to the Code of Ethics & Standards, and also a symbol of pride, sacrifice, and accomplishment. We are proud because we work in an industry filled with generous and extraordinary people (both producers and consumers) as well as with special products. We sacrifice income, honor, and public credibility every day because tobacco has become ‘anathema to our modern society’. Now, through our bona fide accomplishments, luxury Tobacconists can take back their integrity and place in society as esteemed professionals; no less than sommeliers and chefs. Above all, we are individuals who have chosen to work at what we love and to follow our passions.

This brings me back to the pin. The pin is for Retail Tobacconists; those who serve their customers in ‘Brick and Mortar’ tobacco shops. Frankly, we may be a dying breed. Over the last decade we have seen the proliferation of Internet mail order and anti-smoking laws: both of these are formidable forces. As if the anti-smoking laws weren’t enough, the Internet threatens to commoditize the products we sell, and Retailers are challenged to provide increasing value to our customers: a challenge we can live up to. When a customer sees the pin, they will learn that their Tobacconist goes to great lengths to serve them. Customers will then realize the same educational resources their Tobacconist used are freely available to them. If we can educate and enhance appreciation then we can change the culture we live in: one Tobacconist at a time, one Customer at a time.

Soooo…. Look for the Pin.