In the busy day-to-day of operations, it’s easy to put your cannabis marketing on the back burner. But if you don’t pay attention to it, you might not have a business to run, so let’s review some basics.
- Your website is your foundation – how strong is it? When was the last time you did an audit or read over the copy to ensure it’s still accurate and not dated? Does it correctly reflect your cannabis brand or is it tired? Fully optimized? Loads fast? Looks good on all mobile phones? Having keyword-laden cannabis content added regularly to keep you in a good position for search engines? If you answered “no” to one or more of these, you need to take action to improve your cannabis marketing.
- Map the customer journey. What happens when someone visits the website? Can they easily find the information they need or do they need to click several times to access it? Do you answer all their possible questions about your products and location (if applicable)? Do you provide an authentic origin story to help distinguish you from all your competitors? If you offer a newsletter, do you actually produce and send one or is it just sales emails? Are there testimonials? These are key to strong website cannabis marketing.
- Get your message out there. Where are your cannabis customers? They’re not just on your social media, but that’s a good start. Vetted email lists with a strategic marketing campaign can be very effective. Identifying the right influencers jumpstarts word-of-mouth. Co-promotions with non-profits or other businesses who are trying to reach the same audience can be effective as well to reach new cannabis prospects. Geofencing near your store and those of nearby competitors, as well as nearby neighborhoods or business areas allows you to serve up online ads to those who are in your geographic area to keep your cannabis marketing targeted and effective.
- Garner media coverage. Donate a percent of profits to a local non-profit as part of a campaign and let the local newspaper know. Offer to be a speaker or panelist for local groups like Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, etc. Serve on a board of directors for a local non-profit to help remove any remaining stigma and give something back to the community. If your building is suitable, consider hosting events. These are items that can easily be put on the back burner, but they are essential to long term branding and cannabis marketing success.
- Ensure your logo and all design and collateral pieces are professionally done. Unfortunately, the cannabis industry is still working to establish itself as a legitimate business for some, so the cannabis marketing you do is under extra scrutiny.
- Work to find your niche. How are you different from your competitors? Really different. Can that difference be amplified? Additional value? More educated staff? Nicer ambiance? More information/education available? Better, more active member of the community? All good questions to ask yourself in a focused session on your cannabis marketing.
Cannabis marketing – let’s get started! Nug knows how to navigate the marketing maze and can help you create a comprehensive business development plan that will integrate all the available elements and provide a strong return on investment.