Mistakes to Avoid In Your Cannabis Marketing Strategy
Even though the cannabis industry is the least taboo it’s ever been, it still lives in somewhat uncharted territory. In this brief experimental period of cannabis marketing, many companies learned the hard lessons of what not to do. Fortunately, new and future cannabis companies can benefit from these hard-learned lessons to create a more detailed road map for their personal marketing strategies ahead. Before developing your cannabis company’s marketing plan, here are some important guidelines to follow.
Most social media platforms don’t welcome you, be careful what you post on your company pages. Specific guidelines for each social media platform censor the extent of cannabis related content allowed. The censorship of these social platforms reflects the reputation of these sites, therefore these guidelines tend to be strict and regularly monitored. It’s your duty to memorize the rules and craft your marketing strategy accordingly. These platforms will notice if you try to cut corners and the penalizations could be detrimental to your marketing efforts.
Always avoid the use of inappropriate terminology. Maintaining professionalism in your marketing effort is critical. The language must appeal to this new age of cannabis use and neglect past terminology around the subject. Old street terms like “weed,” “bud,” and “pot” are out of the question. Stick to the term cannabis and other appropriate professional related terms. Your company is helping set the standards for the cannabis industry and how you communicate with consumers.
Don’t post visual or written content before considering the consequences. Certain visual content may be great for engagement with your target market, but unfortunately, it’s not just about the consumers. Refrain from posting photos of oils, plants, and other cannabis products in your marketing efforts. Social media platforms will detect them eventually and the punishments could be detrimental to your marketing efforts.
Minors are looking- so don’t be “that” guy. Culturally, the adaptation of legal marijuana is still brand new which makes it especially sensitive for some viewers. Any current cannabis store plays a role in the overall development of this industry’s public perception. Even though you’re not targeting minors, it’s inevitable some will see your content. Think as a parent and thoroughly question what you’re posting. Prioritize high marketing standards for your company and you just might become the example for exceptional cannabis marketing.
Keep the hashtags to a minimum. Like we stated previously, professionalism is imperative here. Along with that, overloading posts with hashtags tends to decrease engagement on social media. Limit your hashtag use to just a few and only what is relevant to the individual post.
Generalizing your audience won’t help your cause. Don’t assume the demographics or psychographics of your target market. The image of the lazy cannabis smoker is not accurate or progressive for the industry. Know your audience to properly engage them. This starts by knowing your brand to understand what type of consumer you attract. Once your audience is identified, discover how to personally engage them by appealing to their specific needs
Since the views on legalization of marijuana are still split, it’s a good idea for cannabis stores to fully understand their marketing rights and restrictions. Strategic and transparent are to keywords you should keep in mind throughout your strategy development. Now that you know what marketing methods to avoid, you can learn to market your brand more effectively. If you can’t seem to grow your brand and navigate the cannabis industry’s marketing standards, contact the professionals at Herban Creative.
