Canada and the U.S. account for more than 40% of global digital marketing spending. With a statistic like that, it’s pretty clear that digital marketing is huge, and it’s going nowhere. It’s no different for the wide world of marijuana, which is now free to roam thanks to Canada’s legalization. Cannabis dispensaries everywhere are trying to get their foot in the door and stand out from the crowd. And if you don’t have the right marketing approach, you’ll quickly fall behind.

You can’t ignore the blatant effects that digital marketing have on the success of businesses everywhere, no matter if you’re a big or small business, and no matter what you’re selling. In fact, over 63% of small businesses have implemented digital marketing strategies to keep up with trends and stay relevant.

While word-of-mouth is still a handy tool, it’s no match to the power that digital marketing has over business success. Once you know how to utilize the online world to your advantage, you’ll be able to get noticed and attract more traffic to your website, ultimately leading to more sales.

After all, you’ve only got less than a couple of seconds to grab the attention of potential customers, before they turn away. And on top of that, you’ve got Instagram and Facebook on your back with strict regulations stopping you from promoting anything cannabis-related. (There are ways around it, but it’s not easy unless you have the right tips and tricks.)

To give you the best chance at standing out and getting ahead of the competition, we’ve created 8 of the best marketing tips for marijuana dispensaries. Let’s get started!

1.    Get Listed on Third-Party Cannabis Websites

Although you know that your business is legitimate, many people lack trust if they aren’t reassured by other people’s opinions. One of the best ways to give potential customers that element of trust is by getting yourself on third-party cannabis websites or directories.

Doing this helps build your local (and eventually national) presence, which means that your business is showing up when people hit that search button.

Some of the best directories include:

  • Leafly
  • co
  • Weedmaps
  • The Cannabis Industry
  • Merry Jane
  • Wiki Leaf
  • net

As well as third-party websites, you should also try and get yourself promoted by popular marijuana magazines, social media accounts, or influencers. Reach out to them and explain who you are and what makes you unique from other dispensaries. Tell your story and state the facts.

When people see that you’re endorsed by someone they trust, they’ll be more likely to check out what you’re all about. And if they like what they see, well then, you’ve got yourself another sale.

2.    Get Customer Opinions & Feedback

Much like the idea behind getting listed on third-party sites, receiving customer feedback is crucial to helping potential customers decide if they want to shop with you or not.

When they see other people loving your products, they’ll want to find out what all the hype is about, leading them to buy from you. In recent studies, it was found that 90% of people who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influence their buying decisions.

Think about it: If someone searches, “best weed in [insert your city here]”, in Google, you and your competitor pop up, but your competitor has tons of positive Google reviews. They’ll notice that you don’t have that same kind of feedback, and therefore will most likely avoid your store in fear of purchasing something they won’t enjoy.

Get around this by encouraging your customers to leave reviews. Don’t be pushy when asking them, as this can come across as desperate. Here are some ways you can ask for customer reviews without scaring them off:

  • Post on your social media accounts encouraging people to leave a review, as it will help out your small business.
  • Leverage automations to reach out with a follow-up email or SMS after they’ve purchased and ask them for their feedback. You can leave an incentive, like a 10% off voucher for their next purchase as a thank-you for leaving a review. There’s a link you can generate that will lead customers straight to your Google Business Profile review page.
  • If you notice some regular customers, reach out with a personalized email.

3.    Learn How to Use SEO for Your Local Business

You presence on a local level is a major factor in deciding who can find your business. Most of the time, people are searching for a marijuana dispensary near them, so that they don’t have to travel far to get what they want. That’s why important that your dispensary shows up for common search keywords on Google such as “dispensary near me” or “weed store near me”.

For best and quickest results, you need to make sure you have an optimized Google My Business (GMB) account setup, which is a free tool you can set up for your business. GMB increases your visibility across Google services, such as Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.

Follow these tips to get the most out of your GMB profile:

  • Keep your business address, contact details and website up-to-date so that consumers can always find and contact you.
  • Select the correct category when signing up to make sure your business appears in the right place when someone makes a search relevant to you.
  • When you create a description about your business, follow Google’s procedures to ensure you don’t get banned or suspended.

4.    Display Clear Images of Your Products

The concept of “try before you buy” heavily influences a customer’s purchase decisions – most times, they aren’t going to buy something they can’t properly see. Same goes for online shopping. Even though you can’t physically see or touch the product, it’s vital to have clear pictures or even videos to accurately depict what the customer is receiving.

In the end, the proof is in the pudding – according to 90% of online purchasers, photo quality is the most essential aspect of an online purchase.

Your website isn’t just there for your customers to click the “Add to Cart” button. Use it as a tool to truly showcase what you’ve got to offer. Provide high-def photos and videos, and they’ll be more inclined to get involved.

5.    Provide Incentives to Gain Loyal Customers

Gaining traffic is obviously a huge part of marketing, but don’t forget about gaining those loyal customers. You know, the ones the keep coming back time after time, because they know and love what you offer.

Email marketing is an important tool for dispensaries to use, as it doesn’t involve the same restrictions that social media does. (Double check that, though, because some email platforms do have policies against marijuana.)

Try building your email list to get people coming back for more with the following incentives:

  • A contest to win a gift card
  • Fun facts
  • Special offers
  • New blog posts
  • Customer reviews
  • Exclusive videos

6.    Invest in Beautiful Web Design

Web design isn’t just there to look pretty. It also plays an important role in how consumers interact with your business, and therefore a deciding factor in whether they make a purchase.

Conversion-focused web design drives sales by using certain design principles to encourage people to take action. Essentially, it’s about persuading them to go through with your CTA (call-to-action) which can include to read a blog, click on products, or contact your team.

The best conversion-focused web design is consistent, makes the most out of every bit of space, makes your CTAs stand out, and puts use experience first (more on that below).

7.    Think About User Experience

User experience (UX) in the online space refers to how someone interacts and experiences your website. This includes things like page speed, keywords, accessibility, popups, and overall design.

At its core, people won’t use your website if they can’t navigate it properly. They should be able to comfortably and confidently move through your website, finding what they need, as well as discovering new things along the way. To give you a better idea, 88% of online shoppers say they won’t return to a website after having a bad user experience.

Check out these UX tips:

  • Keep your content relevant by updating keywords based on research.
  • Ensure navigation is easy by using clear labels.
  • Optimize your website’s speed. If it doesn’t load within just a few seconds, users will usually just click away.
  • Don’t bombard your visitors with heaps of popups. Keep it to a minimum.

8.    Utilize Google Analytics

So you’ve set up your site, it’s optimized, clean, and working beautifully. But after a few months, how are you supposed to know if what you’re doing is right? That’s where Google Analytics comes in. It’s a free service that tracks and gives you reports on website traffic, letting you measure your advertising ROI.

Through understanding how your website is performing, you can then make better decisions about how you’re presenting your business. Perhaps you need to change up the keywords, or use more images, or improve your page speed.

You Can’t Do It All Yourself

No one expects you to do it all yourself, and your business is only as good as you are. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by marketing, you won’t be able to focus on other important aspects of your business. We’re always here to help, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to find out how we can help you grow.