Effectively marketing your cannabis brand with restrictive guidelines along with making sure you are cooperative with federal and state laws can be challenging. On top of that, cannabis companies are constantly on the defense against critics and other competitors in the industry. In order to thrive in a unique industry such as this, it is important to be creative and innovative with marketing campaigns while being on the competitive edge for potential customers. Let’s take a look at 5 ways you can strategically market your cannabis brand and overcome some of the hurdles that come along with this industry.
1. Post interesting and educational content
A downside to the cannabis industry is there is a lot of backlash from skeptics and opposing content available on the internet that is simply untrue. Because of this, not only should cannabis brands focus on marketing their smoke products, they should also make educating potential customers and the public about marijuana a priority as well. It is important to create a website with engaging content rather than passive information to keep customers coming back, including having a fun and creative blog with interesting topics that smokers and curious consumers would likely click into reading more. Use your content and marketing as a tool to gain the attention of even the worst skeptics. Having educational information to clear a lot of the misconceptions will not only help inform people, but it also helps prove legitimacy in the marijuana business as well.
Related: 8 Tips to Improve Customer Service at Your Dispensary
2. Use social media responsibly
All of the different businesses in the marijuana industry share the same headaches of marketing their products on social media platforms while abiding by all of the strict regulations tied to them. It can be very challenging staying within the rules to avoid getting your social media accounts taken down from the slightest mishaps, even with the best intentions. For example, Instagram recently has altered their rules for cannabis brands to restrict them from including the location for their products. In order to prevent your accounts from getting shut down, read and understand all of the policies you must follow, do the research, and master the language to avoid tripping the platform’s algorithms. It’s definitely not a good look to continuously get your cannabis brand’s social media account taken down, especially if a customer is checking the platform.
3. Be a reliable cannabis expert in the community
If you are posting accurate and useful information for your local community while utilizing your marketing strategy successfully, you will prove to be a reliable source for information on marijuana-related products and services for customers, and other important stakeholders to circle back to learn more. Make sure you network with other local legislators and cannabis businesses to make a positive impression, especially because you are working so closely in the industry. As your cannabis brand works hard to become established as the respected go-to expert, more and more traffic will be driven to your website and store as people trust in your knowledge and opinion on providing only the best quality cannabis products over other competitors.
4. Learn how to handle situations properly
In any industry (especially a heavily regulated industry), your cannabis brand may face challenges, including landing in possible murky waters for your marketing content. How your brand is able to handle the situation can make or break the future of your business. If you completely miss the mark on your marketing strategy, triggered a nerve from certain customers, or something more serious, the first step is to admit your faults. It’s easy to point fingers or try to ignore the underlying issue until you’re blue in the face, but unaddressed issues will most likely turn customers off and cause them to shop for their smoke products elsewhere.
If you made a marketing error, figure out the root of the problem, make notes and learn from it. If something directly affects someone in a negative way due to your company, alert your customers and inform them that corrective measures are underway and ensure this issue will not happen again. This seems simple, but being proactive and acknowledging mistakes to protect your company’s reputation and integrity will prevent losing customers or legislators from shutting down your establishment.
5. Explore nontraditional advertising methods
Advertising with high restrictions on where ads can be placed and specific content allowed in the ads, it can be very beneficial for your cannabis brand to turn to more creative methods of advertising that may be a little non-traditional to be able to reach and engage your customer. Finding an effective less explored method of advertising may take more work than simply paying for ad space, but the payoff will be well worth the hassle. Look into creating, advertising, or hosting special events for the cannabis community. Instead of just slipping business cards or brochures under the doors of medical doctors, have in-person meetings to market and sell how you can help them improve sales with their business by collaborating with you. Find opportunities to get on cannabis podcasts in your area to introduce your services and products, attend trade shows, health and wellness fairs, and every other venue you can think of that can attract potential clients.
Related: 8 Useful Advertising Tips to Market in the Cannabis Industry
Marketing in the cannabis industry can be challenging and may not always be a walk in the part, but it’s important to do the best we can as an industry to put out accurate and informative content to educate our customers on our smoke products.
Being honest, genuine, and knowledgeable with our products will gain respect and rapport as a reliable business customer can count on for quality products. On top of that, it will build your marketing as well through word-of-mouth, especially if customers have a memorable experience with your business, they will more likely refer friends and family to you. Perform your due diligence to create impeccable and informative content on social media platforms, establish an honest and reliable brand in the community, handle unfavorable situations with professionalism and attentiveness, and be creative in your marketing avenues.
These tips should help you survive the ever-growing competitive cannabis industry! We’re sure you’ll have some tips of your own as well as you gain experience in the business and share with other newbies in our community. Happy smoking!
