The Do's and Don'ts of Promoting Your Cannabis Business
Introduction
The cannabis industry is booming. With recreational marijuana now legal in 10 states—and medical marijuana legal in 33 states and counting—the potential for success is huge. But even though you're working with a product that's been around for thousands of years and has been used safely by many people, there are still some important rules to follow when it comes to promoting your business online. Here are some do's and don'ts that will help keep you out of trouble:
Do read the rules.
It's important to read the rules before you start a business. It's also important to read the rules before you start a marketing campaign. You should also read them before you design packaging, labeling, or websites for your cannabis business.
You can do this by looking up state laws in each state where your product will be sold--and if it isn't legal yet, keep an eye on where legislation is headed so you can prepare accordingly.
Don't forget PLMs.
PLMs are a great way to communicate with your customers and influencers. They're also a great way to build trust and goodwill, which can help you build relationships with them.
In addition to communicating with people who have already purchased from you, PLMs are an excellent tool for reaching out to potential customers or influencers. You can use these platforms in several ways:
Use it as a way of sharing information about your business, including updates on new products or services that might be helpful for them (and by extension their followers). This not only helps get the word out about what you do but also gives people a chance to see how much thought has gone into every aspect of what they offer--and they may even become more inclined toward purchasing something from you after seeing how much effort has gone into every detail!
Do ask for help if you need it.
You may be feeling like you're the only one in your industry who doesn't know what they're doing, but that's not true. There are people out there who are already successful and have experience with the same problems you are facing. Ask them for help!
You also don't need to go it alone; there are plenty of resources available online and offline that can help guide you through building a business plan or launching an ad campaign. Check out our blog posts on how to get started with social media marketing, SEO tips and tricks, and more here: http://www.promoteyourcannabisbusiness.com/blog/.
Don't be too subtle with your packaging.
Packaging is the first thing people see when they look at your product, so it's important that it catches their eye. Your packaging should have bright colors, bold fonts and clear labeling. The packaging should also be easy to read and convenient for consumers to use.
Make sure that you don't go overboard with the graphics though; if your brand looks too "cool" or "laid back", it might turn some people away from buying from you because they think that only stoners would buy something like yours!
Do keep things consistent across channels and platforms.
Keep your brand message consistent across all channels and platforms
Don't forget about the little things
Don't forget about the big things
Don't forget about the middle things
Don't forget about the in-between things
Don't talk about alcohol or tobacco on social media, especially print ads and billboards.
The most important thing to remember when promoting your cannabis business is that it's not like alcohol and tobacco. The products you're selling are illegal, so you should be careful about how you present them to customers.
You can't talk about the health benefits of cannabis in any way that could be construed as medical advertising. You also shouldn't mention any diseases or conditions that might benefit from using marijuana (even if there isn't any evidence yet). Any such claims would likely result in some kind of legal trouble for both you and your business--and even if they don't, they'll probably make people think less highly of your brand!
It's best not to mention other drugs or substances at all unless they're related directly through use cases (e.g., "This strain works well with X medication"). Even then though it's still advisable not say anything more than just stating facts without trying too hard
Do start a conversation with your customers and influencers on social media to build trust (and goodwill), but don't overshare information that's private or confidential, or could give away what you're doing right now before you're ready to reveal it; also don't share anything that might be considered disparaging to others in the cannabis industry or its consumers/patients/consumers/customers/etc. Be careful not to cross any legal boundaries when talking about legal issues related to cannabis on social media, unless you're working with professional counsel on those issues first!
Start a conversation with your customers and influencers on social media to build trust (and goodwill).
Don't overshare information that's private or confidential. Also don't share anything that might be considered disparaging to others in the cannabis industry or its consumers/patients/consumers/customers/etc., as you never know who could potentially see it! Be careful not to cross any legal boundaries when talking about legal issues related to cannabis on social media, unless you're working with professional counsel on those issues first!
Conclusion
As with any business, it's important to start off on the right foot by making sure that you have everything in place before launching your company. This includes having all of your licenses and permits in place, ensuring that all employees are properly trained and certified (if required), creating a marketing plan that incorporates as many channels as possible (including social media), and developing a strategy for how you'll deal with legal issues related to cannabis when speaking publicly about them online or elsewhere.
