If you are planning to open a cannabis retail shop or currently operating one, you would know that marketing your products can be a headache.
There are some good marketing ideas that could help you with retail cannabis sales.
1. Have different retail segments according to budget. For instance, offer budget, regular, premium and luxury products. There would be a lot of people who would want upscale cannabis experiences and they are willing to pay for it. These are the subset of customers who care for their health and are looking for organic options, highly educated and puts a premium on personal care. You should also offer products that are categorized by mood. For instance, you could introduce a range of anti-anxiety cannabis oils, or a package that is used just for fun.
2. Subscription boxes. Not everybody can go to your retail store or dispensary on a regular basis. So how about starting a subscription boxes services. Subscription boxes started in the crafting community, where every month, a subscriber would get the materials that he or she needs to finish one or two projects. There are also subscription boxes for book lovers, where every month, they get a new book or two in the mail. Continuting our suggestion on marketing your products based on mood, you could have a subscription boxes service where every month you send subscribers a new product sample every month, along with a product that they ordered. For instance, one could sign up for the a “fun” subscription box. Every month, you would send them a month’s supply of weed, a new bong or accessories, and a sample of a new cannabis cigarette that you just discovered. Subscribers pay a monthly fee for these products and the element of surprise as they open their boxes every month.
3. Allow your customers to consume your products on site. You may need a special license for this. But it would give you an edge over your competitors if you could allow your customers to eat the cannabis laden edibles or drink cannabis beer onsite. You will want to invest in a comfortable couch or have indoor café for this purpose. Or you might want to have a toke room where your customers could smoke. This would allow people who are curious to satisfy their curiosity without the hassles of carrying the marijuana home.
4. Always survey your customers. Taking a formal or informal survey of customers will help you know what they want and need. It could be as simple as asking them to fill up a questionnaire, or you could do it informally, such as talking with them while they are browsing. Or you could do it belatedly, looking at the sales for each month and seeing which of your products are selling briskly and which ones are not moving. Knowing your customers, what they are buying and why they are buying would allow you to know which products to stock more, and which ones to have a promotion for.
5. Do your branding right. The good news is that most retailers in the cannabis space are still new businesses. You do not have to worry too much about big brands with huge recall. Every brand right now is on the same footing. Make sure that you follow the local rules on branding and packaging. For instance, Canada require you to use the same logo for cannabis product, and the packaging has to be boring. It should also have warning labels. Further, take time to get both in-house and third party certification for your products, as well as making sure that the labels carry accurate amounts of THC, CBD, and other compounds found in your products.
6. Delivery service. If you have customers who use medical marijuana, it might be a good idea to add a delivery service for your products. This way, if they have mobility problems, debilitating pain, or suffers from anxiety, they can still get the relief that they need even if they do not go out of the house. Check your local laws to see what you need to do in order to be able to provide this service. There are areas where it might be illegal to take your product out and deliver it to your customers.