Ecig Businesses–we want you to thrive as we vape :)
So we are still in the infancy stages of electronic cigarettes and the risky market of uncertainty. There’s a chance of prohibition on the horizon, as well as the possibility of only the large corporations being able to handle any regulation mandates, if we don’t have complete prohibition. These are scary times for those that not only want or did quit smoking, but for those that want to continue vaping. Let’s face it, these are just as frightening times for those brave souls that ventured or want to venture into being entrepreneurs and helping the rest of us have access to equipment and ejuice [and INFORMATION].
So this post [and several other’s coming your way] is actually dedicated to the small businesses and to every Do-It-Yourself/your juice rawks my sawks hobbyist that thinks you gots the goods to start your own business. During hard economic times, people must take control of their destinies and dare to dream and make things happen. During hard economic times when people are losing their paychecks and often, their unemployment checks and stipends [if they were fortunate enough to have them]—people are breaking out of their boxes and trying something new. This also rings true for those that still have their current positions, but are so aware that tomorrow may change their fate that they wake, walk and sleep with their teeth on edge and dread opening up their mail boxes for the onslaught of bills—- except for those times that they are expecting vape mail, of course.
Why read what I have to say? At the end of the day, dear smart business person hoping to make a dream happen, I’m one of the hundreds, thousands and millions of customers that you want to attract to your company. While I may have moments of splurging and binge hobby buying [which is a huge bonus week for you –woohoo!] more often than not, I’m going to be the one sticking to a budget during these hard economic times and I’m going to spend my allotted funds on the companies that have a good product, a good website, a good vibe, and good customer service [and that I can tell are working their way up to “great” in all categories]. When I slate your company as one of the company that I want to do [repeated] business with —-I know that you have pleased my senses on many levels. You’ve supplied me with a good product that not only functions as it should, but it was aesthetically pleasing to my taste buds, my wallet and my feel good sensors. In return, I’ve become brand loyal to you and your business—I’m your rent, your electric bill, your overhead costs and I’m your advocating referral source. Essentially, I am [and others like me] your foundation to make your dreams a reality—and I am the flakey chick that believes in taking that fluffy stuff our dreams are made from and working towards it being our reality.
Wtf? Why would anyone want to start a business in this field during all of these uncertain times and why are others continuing to have a business that they fear will be folded soon? That’s a huge gamble—a larger gamble than starting other types of companies that doesn’t have their primary goods in jeopardy. You people are NUTS! !!!But before I watch them drag you away to the funny farm, I’d like to take a moment to say thank you for your courage and your spirit. But talk is cheap, so to put forward the worth of my thanks, I’m going to have some sit down at the kitchen table talks with you and we are going to see what we can make happen to lift up your business and marketing skills. *places seasonings on the table* Feel free to take from these ramblings whatever your heart and business desires —but don’t forget to have a grain of salt with it—and to toss a pinch over your shoulder if you spill it. Knocking on wood never hurts, either.
But you don’t know me and you know everything there is to know about your business, why sit at the kitchen table with me? First let me spell something out very clear for you—I am not here to sell you a damn thing. I want to be healthy and I want to stay off of analogs. I’m grateful to the Ecig Advanced, not only for their fantastic community that is continually growing, but for the opportunities to help those that struggle [emotionally and financially] to earn the opportunities to try out products to help them become healthy. This is my “Pay it Forward” contribution and I hope that some of you will join me and with all sincerity, I hope that some of the things that I have to say will help you with your businesses. I’d like to see the small business thrive so that no matter what happens with the legal situation of ecigs, that you are OK in the end and not financially devastated. If the big companies take over, then your product and business should be strong enough to sell to the big companies. When the big boy players enter the scene then you should be ready to hand them their tab. Absolutely no legal advice during these conversations, though there will be times that I’ll point out when you should need to consult professionals in specific fields.
So come on, have a seat at my kitchen table. Let me show you how to sell to me. I’d love to be dominated by your branding.
Forthcoming topics include:
- Your brand
- Your website
- Communication
- What makes us tick
- What turns us off
- Attracting traffic
- You got me here—now how are you going to keep me?
If you have something that you would like to have discussed or shared, let me know—we can slate it for a future post. Until then, we have some passionate work ahead of us.
Happy mail is vape mail—will it be coming from your company? 
Great bolg! I’m looking forward to this series!
*blog
I want to have a seat at your kitchen table while you show them how to sell to you, and me, for that matter.
Oh, and ecig business?? I’d ALSO love to be dominated by your branding.
Great Blog.
Excellent blog, we should have vaping seminars to include insights like this
Great write up. I would like to thank all of them as well. Lately, I have been finding some of my best products, from small businesses.
It all begins with the little guy. And most of them are the little guys. The bigger they become, the more they need to be recognized and loved for those who they love… the consumers. It is us who makes them who they are.
Well written.
i really appreciate everyone’s responses and i hope that this little series will have some value to the businesses that allow us the opportunity to have such great ejuices and gear. i view this as a symbiotic relationship and with the huge growth in the market place, no one has a monopoly. we have more and more choices, every day. let’s help the cream of the crop to rise and we will all benefit
Nice write-up! I might could use your skills when i start up my radio consultancy bidniz.
Excellent write up and great concept dandelion. I can’t wait to see your future blogs. I would like to add that if you have a brick and mortar in your area fellow vapers and if this B&M has fair pricing, let’s you taste flavors, has good customer service and is a nice place to hang out, you should consider giving that vendor at least some of your business. They are offering a service that the online vendors don’t, the ability to run out and grab some vaping gear instead of waiting the 3 or so shipping days from online vendors.
good morning guys—thanks for bringing that up mrs. casey—actually, as long as the prices aren’t outrageous–i think that it is VERY IMPORTANT for us to support our B&M shops! their overhead costs are substantially more than a strictly online retailer, so they need us AND we need their conveniences!
I agree totally in supporting the B&M shops. My experience would have been much easier if I’d simply been able to talk to someone face to face and try a few juices and see a few products.
The real hardship in quitting smoking is how easy it is to get cigarettes, and how simple it is to light one and smoke it.
More B&M shops and more market presence in the real world will surely help vaping.
Great blog,,Idea! A group of us woouldlove nothing mire then vape shop in our area….
This could be very informative
I think I’ll start by whipping out some reviews of the B&M stores in the Orlando area; there are a couple or three dedicated shops, one of which will not likely wish to see my review. The others probably would be pleased as they are doing it right with knowledgeable staff, very good prices, and a friendly atmosphere.
sounds like a great idea and thanks for doing so! i’ve never been into a b&m that caters to vapers—just gas stations and the occasional tobacco shop that doesn’t have a clue about their kit.
I’ve never been into a B&M vape shop, I think there might be one that’s about 40 minutes away from me, but I’m not sure. However, I would like to state that even if one happens to pop up, I’m not sure I would enjoy it now…I’ve been vaping for 2 months and I’ve gotten set in my ways with the brands/online stores that I know are always going to have what I want/need. I wish I had the capitol to open one, because while I know many vapers are just as set in there ways as I am, Now that I know a bit about it (and I’m learning more daily), I know what works best, what I personally think tastes best (not flavors, but vendor wise in general), and what is going to get a smoker on the way to becoming a vaper, I think I could probably sell it. I’m a homemaker that used to be an lpn, but I am first a foremost a salesperson!!! I was exceptionally good at my marketing job, but switched because I thought nursing would provide better cash flow (it won’t) and the company I worked for as a representative isn’t currently hiring, but if I get that call, I will accept!! But I digress….. While a local vape shop would be GREAT, I will continue to support my favorite vendors with absolute unyielded loyalty!!! My particular favorite juice vendor has provided me with more than 25 bottles of juice in 2 months (most of which still have juice in them because all the flavors are so amazing I just keep switching around day to day, week to week) and I’m sure they have a LOT more business coming their way from me!!! Lets support our Vendors, not feed our fear and just buy up DIY supplies on the off-chance…..
i really appreciate your thoughts and sentiments and your loyalty to vendors that you appreciate.
i’m saddened by the per-conceived notion that you may not like a physical shop—-these guys need us, too. actually, they need us just as much if not more—but that’s all relative.
diy is awesome, for those interested. after all, that’s how we got the great vendors that we do have
i think many vapers are set in their ways on their basics—if it’s not broke don’t fix it. at the same time, i find that many vapers are all about the learning something new and venturing to explore the uncharted
I’ve been ordering vape stuff online for damn near two years now, but when the first full-bore REAL B&M vape shop opened up here, I was all over it like white on rice. It helps that it’s only 20 minutes from home…I can go there anytime to try juices, talk to the staff, meet up with other vapers and share war stories….
I still order some stuff online, but it’s becoming only the stuff I cannot get locally now, like certain e-juices (or stuff on crazy sales).
Thanks for taking the time for this write up.
B&M stores offer much more than just new equipment, juice and clearomizers. Like Slap said you get the opportunity to talk to fellow Vapers, whether they are employees or customers, and they may be able to teach you things or vice versa. Also, some of the Vapers who go into the B&M stores may have no idea what is going on with the FDA, may have no idea who CASAA is and they are shocked that the FDA would want to ban or control ecigs. This is a good opportunity for you to nudge them toward being active in the fight!
Agree!
interested in reading more!!!
Needs to be a blog
Thrive to the 2nd power. Yeahhhhh
Lets just hope they don’t try to take Ecigs away. I just now started so that would be terrible for everyone.
Nice
Thrive baby thrive to the 3rd power