Cannabis advertising can jump-start your business, but only if you do it right. Besides the normal do’s and don’ts of advertising, advertising for cannabis, in particular, has a rather specific list of things you shouldn’t do. Read on to learn about common cannabis marketing mistakes.
Blending In
While blending in can sometimes be a good thing, in the case of businesses, it isn’t very good at all. More and more cannabis-related businesses are popping up, each with their own products, and are cornering their own markets. What makes your business special? Why should consumers go to you instead of the competition? These are questions you’re going to have to answer if you don’t want your competition to take over.
You can stand out by:
– Providing excellent customer service
– Having an inviting establishment
– Offering learning opportunities for beginners
– Having an outstanding cannabis website design
Stereotyping Your Audience
While the popular image of the stereotypical “stoner” may be partially true, not all your consumers will fall into this category. The current consumer group of those that take cannabis is much more diverse. Marketing to only the stereotypical stoner, or those that identify with that mindset, means you’re alienating all these other potential customers. That’s something you can’t afford to do if you want to grow your business.
The solution to this problem is to figure out exactly who you want to market to and what works on them. To do this, you need to do some research. Create customer profiles, find out who’s buying your products and why, then choose a marketing strategy that best takes advantage of all this knowledge.
Breaking Marketing Regulations
This one should be obvious, but it can still be hard to avoid since keeping up with the rules and regulations of the cannabis industry can be difficult. Don’t break any laws. For example, besides the regulations of owning a business, there are also strict laws that regulate cannabis advertising. Should you fail to follow any of these regulations, you may face a fine or, worse, termination of your license.
Lying About the Product
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits any false or misleading claims relating to cannabis products. Claims that your product can cure or treat any disease or illness can cause the termination of your license. Don’t just leave your products blank or with minimal description, though. But don’t say, for example, that the relaxing effects of one strain mean it can cure anxiety. Make sure you keep yourself up-to-date about FDA regulations.
Letting Education Fall to the Wayside
Don’t forget your roots in the cannabis industry. It’s only legal because of the information campaign, led by activists, that spread knowledge of how cannabis really worked. It is now your duty to help spread correct information about your product to everyone who uses it. Not only that, but it also benefits your company to be as informative as possible. By sharing all this information, you can make your business’s name synonymous with expertise in the cannabis field.
Conclusion
Remember, there are still a lot of ever-changing restrictions when it comes to cannabis advertising. You should do research early and do more research quite often. Don’t lie about your product, break market regulations, blend in too much with the others, or stereotype your audience.
Looking for a reliable cannabis digital marketing agency? Contact Cannabud Marketing today! We help cannabis dispensaries and other businesses with their digital marketing needs.
