Marketing is a key component of any business, and it’s important to get it right from the start. Although digital marketing has taken the world by storm, print marketing is still a powerful and valuable tool - especially for newer businesses. Print marketing is an invaluable tool for creating brand awareness. Businesses such as new cannabis dispensaries need to develop a lot of brand awareness to get off the ground, and print marketing can be beneficial. But make sure you comply with all the cannabis marketing and advertising regulations in your state or province before you create your dispensary print marketing strategy.
What Print Marketing Materials Should I Invest In for My Cannabis Dispensary?
Exactly what print marketing should you be investing in? There are loads of options to choose from. The key is finding what works best for your dispensary brand, business, location, etc. Looking at the pros and cons of each type of print marketing is an excellent place to start.
Benefits of Print Marketing
Before we dive into the different types of print marketing, let’s look at the whole pie. First and foremost, as mentioned above, print marketing is very effective when it comes to increasing brand recognition and generating leads for your cannabis dispensary startup.
While digital marketing can prove challenging to capture your audience’s attention - many people click away before reading a word - print marketing is different. Print marketing keeps your audience’s interest for a longer time, giving you more opportunities to create content that leaves a lasting first impression. Print advertising in public can be a point of interest rather than something to skip to get to the next post, story, video, etc. Therefore, investing in print marketing will also afford your brand extra credibility, especially when paired with digital marketing cohesively and consistently.
An effective print campaign can draw attention to your company. Print helps you build credibility with your audience. Once that trust has been built, you can use it as a platform to use QR codes to direct people to your cannabis website and social media channels. Directing your audience directly to your online cannabis store or website can improve sales and leads.
Additionally, if you use QR codes that direct your audience to particular landing pages, you may follow the progress of your campaigns. If consumers scan the QR codes to browse your web channels, you can use data analytics to determine the effectiveness of your campaign.
Types of Print Marketing
Now that we understand the value of the print marketing pie, let’s divide it into its slices and see which types of physical advertising campaigns will provide your cannabis dispensary with the best return on investment.
Word of mouth has been, and will likely continue to be, one of the most trustworthy sources of information for many people. Suppose your trusted friend, colleague, family member, or anyone else you know personally recommends something to you. You're certain to trust it more than a recommendation in an email or online post. Investing in a business card with your cannabis dispensary name, logo, and contact information is a great way to advertise your new business. Not only will you be able to place these cards in prime locations to reach your target audience, but you can keep them with you and hand them out to those in your circle of friends and acquaintances to get the word out about your new cannabis dispensary - via word of mouth.
Brochures are another tried-and-true kind of print advertising that can aid in expanding your clientele. They can include more detailed information, such as cannabis product photos, information, or client reviews because they have a longer format than flyers. Brochures can also be used to educate the community about cannabis, its use, and its benefits, and work very well with older clientele. As an alternative, you might utilize the extra room to repeat material in other languages, resulting in a text that various readers could understand.
Numerous magazines focus on particular niches, giving you access to a targeted market. Investing in a spot in a cannabis magazine is a great way to target a specific audience for a particular product - or simply to reach an audience that’s likely to be interested in your cannabis products.
Newsletters are periodicals that often focus on a single subject and may have subscribers, guaranteeing that readers are interested in the topic. They can serve as a resource for information about your cannabis dispensary opening, sales, or products. This affordable kind of print advertising gives you a natural opportunity to connect with potential customers regularly.
Billboards, when used correctly, can be highly effective marketing tools. Placing your advertisement in a busy area where people who suit your target market might notice it can maximize the benefit. Building anticipation among drivers as they approach your destination with a succession of billboards that indicate the distance there can increase their likelihood of stopping by your dispensary. Make sure your state allows the use of billboards for cannabis marketing.
Direct mail pieces are another dependable option to invest in as a cannabis dispensary. These could feature your company name, details about your product, a special offer or coupon, and a call to action. They might be a good approach to connect with existing or new clients in a particular region. This is a fantastic approach to let the locals know that your cannabis retail shop is now open, nearby, and prepared for customers.
Large, eye-catching signage like posters and banners can be put up in strategic locations or on important occasions. They typically only offer a few key details about your cannabis product to help people remember the message. This kind of print advertising can be used, for example, at a cannabis expo, to spread the news about your new dispensary and its opening day.
Be Creative with Print Marketing
A great modern alternative to business cards is stickers. The great thing with a custom business sticker is that they have a use. Design yours interestingly and authentically, and people will naturally want to hold on to them and possibly stick them on their laptop, car, bag, or some other item that gets looked at by others. This is a simple way to generate brand awareness.
Invest in a custom sticker with your company logo and a QR code that goes to your website or social media platforms. These can be handed out the same way business cards are - or placed somewhere for people to grab one themselves. Not only will it increase brand awareness, but it could generate leads with the QR code.
Locational signs, such as decals, can also be a very effective print marketing tool. Consider how often you’ve been in an area you didn’t know - maybe you’re traveling or perhaps you’ve moved - and you head out for a walk. Next thing you know, you’re hungry (or keen to find your local dispensary), and your phone has died. In this case, signs indicating the closest restaurant (or cannabis dispensary) would be super valuable in getting people into your store.
Cannabis Dispensary Design
Now, for a bonus round, let’s look at how you can use print marketing specifically within your cannabis dispensary to improve the aesthetics of your in-store location and help drive sales.
Let’s face it: your dispensary is no exception to the rule that people do tend to “judge books by their covers.” A beautifully designed, well-constructed dispensary will leave a fantastic first impression. Additionally, you can use creative print marketing tools to incorporate your brand throughout your store. It’s all you, from wall and floor decals to customized labels and branded packaging. This increases revenue by increasing brand recognition.
There are many forms of print marketing you may wish to employ to build your brand awareness and begin building a relationship with customers and potential customers to ultimately grow your business. Sign up for our blog to receive more cannabis retail marketing tips from Cova.