Written by Melyssa Buerge
October 6, 2021
MNI Blog / 2 minute read
When marketing cannabis it can be hard to know where to start. Help your cannabis business grow with these resources and cannabis advertising tips.
Back in the day, there was the Gold Rush. It was a time when fortune seekers headed West in hopes of discovering gold. Now there’s the Green Rush. As in, everyone wants in on the cannabis business. With more and more states legalizing both recreational and medicinal usage, it makes sense. But the question is, who is going to realize their dream of making it big? Time will tell but one thing is for sure, effective cannabis marketing will be the game changer. Use it and thrive, disregard it at your own peril. So, while I don’t have a caravan and a chuck wagon for you to follow, I do have a handful of cannabis online marketing resources to pave the way to all things green. This list is an excellent running start. Every so often things change, so please check back with MNI.com from time to time for updates on effective cannabis marketing.
Ready
Setting the stage
If you’re a dispensary owner, or a consumer it’s important to know what’s what.
← Check out this easy to read 101 E-Book for a running start.
Cannabis Product Advertising Tips
Remember, individual states vary!
No depiction of smoking or consumption of any kind.- Copy text must not include the terms “weed,” “cannabis,” or “marijuana.” Avoid other slang terms, as well.
- No curative health claims (i.e., curing a disease, pain relief, hangover cure, etc.)
- No cartoons, images or styles that could be construed as marketing to children.
- Assets must be consistent with the labels of products.
- Some states require verification that a person identified in an advertisement as a spokesperson must be an actual patient or health care practitioner, and not a model or actor. Thus, avoid the use of stock photography with people.
Set
Define and Own Your UVP
You know your brand is unique and your cannabis marketing plan will make sure everyone else does as well. To lay the foundation start with defining your unique value proposition and place it over your desk to inform all you do. When done well, a UVP will tell customers what your business does, why it’s different from the other dispensaries, what’s unique about your product and your commitment to quality in all you do. It sets the stage and will inform everything from your website to emails and branding.
5 Ways to Improve Cannabis Online Marketing
1. Start with compliance2. Understand your audience
3. Invest in education
4. Stay clear of “black box marketing”
5. Measure everything
Want more information on cannabis online marketing?
← Read this go-to article.
Learn By Example
Others have taken the green trail before you – learn from their experience, be inspired, and ask questions.
How can what they do further my business goals?
Grow
Role of Programmatic
Simplify the cannabis advertising process from end to end with a programmatic exchange geared to cannabis. MNI, for example, has built a cannabis ad exchange of over 15,000 pre-approved sites that can be used to effectively serve cannabis and CBD ads.
Know More, Do More
It’s important to remember that this is a new arena for many. Education is key. Listen to what the experts have to say on branding, finding partners and remember it’s okay to ask for help.
Go Green!
At the heart of cannabis marketing is education and communication. As luck would have it, that’s what MNI does best. We’d love to learn about your business and priorities and hope to lend a hand in helping you realize your goals.
Please contact me at Melyssa.Buerge@mni.com to get the conversation started.
Melyssa Buerge is the Growth Marketing Manager at MNI Targeted Media.
