Marketing your cannabis businesses is unlike most industries in the world of advertising. The various rules and restrictions across online platforms tend to take away your efforts to market freely. In this case, allowing a marketing agency to control your marketing agenda is the best way to ensure it’s done correctly.
But how do you find a good agency to meet the needs in this growing market, and your company in particular? The cannabis industry is an especially creative one, and differentiating your business is critical for standing out. To find the right match, it takes a lot of reflection and consideration. Ask yourself these five questions to bring you closer to discovering an ideal marketing partner.
To begin your agency search journey, define what you aspire to achieve through your marketing efforts. You can do so by identifying a brand personality and what must be accomplished in your strategy in order to achieve this. After you’ve identified your needs you’ll have a clearer idea on what qualities you may need from an agency.
Perhaps your main focus is out of the box creative visuals, so you’ll want an agency with a strong art department. Or rather, your main goal is to focus on developing a strong branding, so an agency with exceptional branding experience will be a priority.
Although it’s said you should never judge a book by it’s cover, you may want to judge an agency based off its personal branding. After all, branding, web, and logo design are likely ways the agency will assist your business. Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to see what type of work they’ve produced, especially for themselves. The language and design used on the website express the agency’s personal style and skills, and after identifying your brand personality and needs, this is a good way to test the waters. The cannabis industry is full of visually creative logos and strong branding which makes standing out crucial for attracting consumers.
To market well, you must know the ins and outs of the industry, which is why the wisest option is a cannabis specific agency. If you’re already involved in the industry, you should be aware of the heavy rules and regulations in place around cannabis marketing. With that being said, it should be a guarantee that your cannabis agency knows these rules well and stays up to date on any changes. By now, there are certain do’s and do not’s of cannabis marketing and there’s no need to repeat mistakes. If your agency is uninformed on the regulations, than you should definitely go back to the drawing board.
Another important ingredient is what the agency offers regarding marketing strategies. Make sure that the agency you choose is thorough from top to bottom in your marketing plan. Don’t settle for an agency that only offers vague or general descriptions of its strategies. Look for complete plans of execution and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Consider how comprehensive the plan is and reflect on its ability to address your needs.
Like any successful relationship, good communication is key. Begin evaluating this from your first verbal interaction. It’s presumed that whom you first talk business with will be one of your go-to representatives, and how they interact with you goes a long way. Were they vague in business answers? Were they knowledgeable? If they didn’t have the answer to a question, did they make an effort to find one?
You need your agency to understand your business objectives and marketing needs at the same level you do. This starts and ends with communication. Everything from how they speak, answer emails, to how long it takes to get back to you gives insight on what type of communicators they are. If they maintain good communication with your business, they’re likely a dependable agency.
Multiple factors play a role in the quest for a cannabis marketing agency. First things first, narrow your search down to cannabis specific agencies to reduce wasted time. You need to spend your time defining your business needs rather than worrying about your agency complying with industry rules. When you find a good agency it allows you to leave marketing to the experts and grants time to devote to other business endeavors.
Be patient in your decision. If an agency doesn’t check the necessary boxes, know there are others out there that will. If you’re looking for a well-informed cannabis specific agency, talk with the professionals at Herban Creative to discover how we can be your marketing match.
A fairly new outbreak in the cannabis related industry is cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD oil. This compound found in cannabis plants is rapidly gaining attention as a potential medication to relieve the effects of anxiety. CBD oil remains in the beginning stages of research for its effects on anxiety, but the potentiality is undeniably exciting and seemingly safe.
According to Apple Wellness 1,research suggests CBD oil could be a possible alternative to addictive anxiety meds, like Xanax and Prozac, but scientists still hesitate to confirm the benefits before long-term studies conclude. Still the interest in this possible anxiety treatment for those suffering persists. In reality, this is just the start for CBD.
Unlike the most popularly known cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), CBD does not produce a high after usage. In fact, CBD oil impacts the mind without putting the user in an altered state. However, it may be quite a bit of time before scientists reveal conclusive results on CBD’s effects on the brain. With extensive marijuana research still being new to the world, it’s difficult for scientists to predict long-term effects.
According to Leafly 2, www.leafly.com/news/health/cbd-for-treating-anxiety.
, some of the anxiety disorders scientists believe CBD oil may assist in helping include:
Beyond anxiety disorders, CBD oil could possibly help reduce anxiety-induced insomnia in the future. There’s even talk about CBD as a possible aid in the relief of mild to moderate depression, however there’s not enough research and it’s still somewhat inconclusive.
The alarming number of anxiety-ridden adults in the U.S. makes potential of natural alternative medication a radical discovery. Current medications treating anxiety disorders have risky side effects, such as addiction. The hope is that CBD oil shows low or no risks comparatively to other established medications. If so, CBD could help a slew of patients unable to take pre-existing anxiety meds.
To visualize the need for effective anxiety medication options, the chart below illustrates the millions of adults struggling with the anxiety disorders listed above.
*The following statistics are in accordance to information presented by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
The slow worldwide adaptation of recreational and medicinal marijuana products allows CBD oil a shot as a medicinal drug in the future. Last year, the CBD oil market hit a $202 million value and shows exponential estimated growth for years to come. Only time and additional extensive research will prove the positive benefits of this cannabis compound., and the results may be nearly revolutionary.
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.
