In addition to having to face challenges presented by a ever-evolving regulatory framework, retail owners still have to figure out ways to get customers through the door. This comes down to marketing, which means retailers must also be up to speed on what can and cannot be done to legally market their dispensaries.
In this post, we dig deeper into the cannabis advertising and marketing restrictions in California, and share 4 creative ways that retailers can market to their customers.
While California allows cannabis brands and dispensaries to advertise and market themselves, the law stipulates the following:
Considering that some legal markets don’t allow for any promotion of cannabis products at all, California dispensary owners do have the benefit of being able to participate in marketing and advertising activities as long as they stay compliant. Here are 4 ways cannabis retail owners can legally market their businesses:
Despite several incidents last year in which many cannabis companies had their accounts blocked or deleted, social media remains an effective tool for marketing and advertising cannabis dispensaries. Social media’s ability to help companies engage directly with fans goes a long way towards building brand loyalty, but because the competition is fierce and there are limitations to what can be done, cannabis retail owners will have to be intentional when marketing on social media platforms.
SEO is best optimized with a presence on Facebook and Twitter, but be selective about the outlets you choose to supplement your messaging – for example, the Instagram audience is very different from the LinkedIn audience, and it may not make sense to use both. Retailers should also deliver images and messaging that resonates with their target audience, and get in the habit of using tools to help them post, monitor and track their social media marketing. Most importantly of all, retail owners should brush up on each platform’s terms of use to ensure that they’re not sharing content that violates the rules.
Using your dispensary to host in-store events puts you face-to-face with customers. Hosting demo days gives brands the chance to interact with customers directly and talk about their products, and including same day promotional discounts or other special offers can help motivate customers to spend on the spot.
California’s transition from a medical to a recreational market means a lot of people are thinking about trying cannabis for the first time. Hosting a cannabis basics workshop can provide valuable education to that demographic. Reach out to churches and other community organizations to hold roundtable discussions that address people’s questions or concerns about cannabis. These and other similar events are great opportunities to build relationships with your local community.
Cannabis brands carry the heavy burden of having to gain consumer loyalty by building brand awareness. As more licenses are awarded and dispensaries continue to open, competition will just get tougher, so retailers will have to find ways to stand out.
Branded apparel, tote bags and other accessories can help build brand loyalty. Broadening your inventory to include branded pipes, rolling papers and lighters are easy upsell opportunities for your staff, with the added benefit that your retail shop will emerge as a fleshed out brand.
Providing stellar customer service in a clean, inviting environment will go a long way to market your shop through one channel you can count on: word of mouth. Everything from how your dispensary is merchandised, to how well your staff is trained, to the efficiency of your store cannabis POS system impacts the consumer experience.
Each customer represents a chance to demonstrate what your brand is all about, so make sure that every minute of the customer interaction is pleasant from the moment they show their IDs at the front door.
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