Here are a few tips to help you market your legal cannabis dispensary.
As the cannabis industry continues to grow, so does the competition among dispensaries. It’s no longer enough to just open up shop and expect customers to come in – you need to actively market your dispensary if you want to stand out from the crowd and attract new business.
Here are some tips on how to market your dispensary and make it a success:
1. Strong SEO
In a heavily restricted market such as cannabis, you are limited in where you can advertise. You cannot use Google, Facebook, Instagram, or most paid ad spaces. This is where organic SEO traffic comes into play. You want to be in front of your customers when they are searching for your product of service.
If you are a dispensary, your website should appear when someone in your area is searching for a product you carry. That easy.
2. Online Brand Presence
If the budget allows for it, we recommend being listed on all the online directories. This includes but not limited to:
The second best thing to being on the front page of Google for “(Insert city name) Dispensary”, is to be on the 1st page of a website that DOES appear on the 1st page. Most likely that will be weedmaps or leafly..etc.
3. Grow Your Marketing List
You should be actively growing either a SMS list, email list, OR both. This list should be used to push promotions or alerts of new products.
This could also be a loyalty system that provides customers with an incentive to be on the list and receive your notifications. Never over-use this list and make sure you are hitting people with REAL DEALS.
4. Exclusive Product Drops
If there is anything that drives hype, it’s new & exclusive product drops. Team up with a local vendor to provide a product that can only be found in a select few dispensaries.
Working with other brands not only provides an incentive for you to push their product but give them a reason to refer traffic to your shop.
5. Develop A Strong Brand Identity
Your dispensary’s name, logo and overall branding should be professional and align with the image you want to project. Make sure all of your marketing materials – from your website to your signage – are consistent with your brand identity.
6. Understand Your Target Market
Who are your customers? What do they want? What do they need? Do you specialize in cannabis flower, edibles, concentrates, all of them?
Keep in mind concentrate buyers are different than flower buyers. Are you the go-to place for those items?
7. Get Involved In Your Community
One of the best ways to market your dispensary is to get involved in the local community. Customers will appreciate your commitment to the community and you provide something back. This is always a positive way to impact the world in your business alike.
8. Have An Attractive Store Front
First impressions matter, so make sure your dispensary is clean, well–lit and welcoming. Customers should feel comfortable coming in and spending time in your store. Take time to plan out your buying experience. If your dispensary consists of a dark room, weed leaf poster, and a cheap counter, you probably won’t last long in this industry.
By following these tips, you can create a successful marketing strategy for your dispensary that will attract new customers and help you achieve success in the cannabis industry.
