In the unrelentingly regulated landscape of cannabis marketing, it’s not always as easy as posting on social media, running ads, or putting up billboards. It’s rarely easy. Scarce is a platform that allows the marketing of cannabis unrestricted and unmonitored. But the few that are, are where you can really see the returns that are well worth your efforts— newsletters being one of those avenues. Between its direct route to consumers, low cost, and minimal restrictions, email marketing tends to have a tremendous ROI.
Newsletters are a game-changer. With traditional marketing channels limited, a newsletter becomes a vital tool for cannabis dispensaries and product companies alike. It’s a direct line to your customers, especially the ones who matter most– your loyal fans. Newsletters allow for personalized communication— free from algorithms, banned words, and unnecessary filler.
After running email marketing campaigns and newsletters for several top cannabis brands and dispensaries, we’ve gathered reasons, insights, and tips to illustrate the benefits and reasons you should start one for your own business.
The Benefits of Email Marketing for Cannabis Brands & Dispensaries
Brand Visibility & Personalized Interactions
Newsletters are the ultimate channel for brand visibility. With the vast majority of Americans habitually checking their emails multiple times a day— many up to 20 times— newsletters offer an unmatched opportunity to showcase products and engage directly with consumers.
By leveraging personalization and segmentation techniques, brands can tailor their campaigns to individual preferences, creating a sense of exclusivity and connection. The ability to track analytics can provide valuable insight of subscriber behavior to be able to refine strategies and deliver content that resonates with each audience segment.
Through targeted promotions, exclusive offers, education, and timely updates on events and company news, brands can not only drive online and in-person sales but also cultivate long-term customer loyalty through email marketing.
Less Restrictions & More Autonomy
I don’t think anyone in the cannabis industry wants to hear the word “compliance” again. And email is one of the few places this word is not really of concern. Unlike social media platforms, email marketing offers a more lenient and autonomous environment, with little to no risk of getting shut down. With fewer restrictions on content and targeting, cannabis brands can effectively communicate with their audience without the fear of being censored or penalized. Further, emails go directly to subscribers’ inboxes, preventing the chance of getting lost because of an algorithm.
Not all, but many email marketing platforms allow cannabis brands to utilize their platform, for the most part, unrestricted (more on those platforms later). However, your subscribers must be 21 years of age or older. And depending on what state you’re in, you may also have to include a warning label that notifies recipients of the intoxicating effects of cannabis. Further, all information about your products and their effects must be accurate. It may not be advertised as a cure or replacement for other medications, nor should it encourage illicit activities.
You must also make sure you have permission to send emails to the people on your list. They must explicitly opt-in and have the option to unsubscribe.
Cost-Effective and High ROI
In comparison to social media, email marketing is a staggering 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers. It plays a pivotal role in customer acquisition and retention, with 81% of survey respondents attributing email marketing to customer acquisition and 80% to customer retention.
With such appealing statistics, it’s no surprise that email has reigned as one of the top-performing marketing channels in the past decade.
Various Avenues to Promote Your Cannabis Newsletter
There are many avenues to promote your cannabis newsletter, with ample opportunities to expand your subscriber base. One of the most effective methods is to incorporate a sign-up form directly on the company’s website. This can be as a pop-up upon entering the website, on a separate page, or somewhere in the checkout process.
Another effective route is in-store sign-ups, which can be encouraged by store employees or through signage. You can also incentivize customers to sign up by offering a discount or free product in exchange.
Social media platforms can also be leveraged. Alongside advertising that you have a newsletter, you can showcase the benefits of subscribing by offering exclusive content or promotions to entice followers to sign up.
Additionally, collaborations with complementary brands or influencers can help reach new audiences and drive newsletter sign-ups. One example is a giveaway that requires signing up for the newsletter to enter.
Increased Website Traffic
Furthermore, newsletters serve as a potent tool for driving website traffic and enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) for cannabis brands. By including links to relevant articles, product pages, or blog posts, brands can direct subscribers back to their websites. This not only increases traffic and engagement but also provides valuable content to subscribers, boosting visibility and authority. Regularly sending cannabis newsletters with high-quality content can also encourage subscribers to share them with their network, amplifying reach and potentially attracting new visitors to the website.
Email engagement metrics like open and click-through rates can positively impact SEO, signaling to search engines that the website provides valuable content.
By strategically leveraging newsletters, cannabis brands can effectively drive website traffic, enhance SEO performance, and ultimately strengthen their online presence.
Choosing the Right Tools & Strategies
Selecting the appropriate tools and strategies is important for the effectiveness of your cannabis email marketing campaigns. It’s essential to opt for a cannabis-friendly platform to ensure compliance and tailored support for the industry’s unique needs. Platforms like Alpine IQ and Springbig are dedicated specifically to cannabis businesses. There are also several other cannabis-friendly options, such as Flodesk, Emurcury, Email Octopus, Klaviyo, MailerLite, Hubspot, and Moosend, among others. These platforms provide the necessary tools for creating visually appealing and enhancing emails that comply with industry regulations.
Personalization is another crucial aspect of successful email marketing for cannabis brands. Research shows that personalizing emails to individual preferences and behaviors can increase open rates by 26%. Segmentation strategies allow brands to categorize customers based on factors like demographics, purchase history, or interests, enabling targeted, relevant messaging.
Moreover, incorporating exciting visuals into email campaigns can significantly enhance their impact. Eye-catching imagery, videos, or infographics can capture subscribers’ attention and convey information in a compelling and memorable way. This can drive desired actions like scrolling, clicking, sharing, and purchasing.
Streamlining Cannabis Email Marketing with The Flower Agency
Email marketing is most effective when multiple targeted emails to various segments of your audience are sent out each week. However, managing these campaigns can be time-consuming. Instead of handling it all in-house, consider outsourcing your cannabis email marketing efforts to an agency like The Flower Agency.
By partnering with a specialized agency, such as ours, cannabis brands can benefit from expert assistance in creating, maintaining, and building their newsletters, maximizing their effectiveness and ROI.
