Despite the many emails that individuals receive every day, studies indicate that 91 percent of people wouldn’t mind a promotional email from brands they do business with.

This is good news to any cannabis license holder, considering that it’s extremely difficult to sell marijuana or marijuana related products due to numerous local and state rules.

Cannabis businesses are barred from using traditional advertising channels such as print media, social media ads and Google AdWords. As such, there is no better way to build an ongoing relationship with your customers than email marketing.

In this post, we will explore why email marketing is a blessing and how you can use it to attract customers.

First things first!

Why is email marketing indispensable for your cannabis brand?

1.   It is a great way to keep in contact with your audience and core customers

A vast majority of your customers already have email accounts. Email marketing is therefore a great way to reach your audience, bearing in mind that you have limited ways you can advertise your cannabis products or services. You can use email to keep your clients up to date with information on your promotions and other aspects of your business. Since most people in your email list have already done some sort of business with you, they are likely to have some interest in your email updates.

2.   Emails feel more personal and engaging than other forms of advertising

Another advantage of using emails in your marketing campaign is that they feel more personal and are more engaging than other online marketing channels.

Emails have been with us for four decades now, and they are practically ingrained in our DNA. As such, people often respond to emails in some way. This is a terrific opportunity for your cannabis brand to seek new subscribers, and convert your existing clients into repeat customers.

3.   Email marketing is affordable and very effective

Most email marketing plans are very affordable, even for a new business with limited capital. This is the easiest way for your cannabis business to reach a large number of people in a short time and keep your list growing steadily without having to break the bank. What’s more, recent research findings indicate that email marketing gives a return of $42 for every $1 spent.

4.   You can customize your message for different groups of customers

You do not want to send similar and generic messages to your entire customer base. You should personalize your email messages to address a specific audience.

For instance: you should send a welcoming message to new subscribers and a different message for those customers that have already bought from you before to encourage them to choose your business again.

To help you create targeted emails, develop a buyer persona for your different customer groups, and then create messages that resonate with them.

So, how can you use email marketing to gain customers?

Now that you know how instrumental email marketing is to businesses in the cannabis industry, let us look at some of the ways you can use it to attract and retain customers.

1.   Pay attention to context

It’s not enough that you use catchy and compelling titles in your email subject line. You need to inform your audience why they are receiving a particular message.

Try to categorize your emails depending on the stage of your relationship with the customer so that you always give the appropriate context.  This may include: onboarding, subscription, promotions and transactions.

Therefore, don’t let your email marketing be a one-off message. It should be part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. Life-cycle email marketing can go a long way in building a long-lasting relationship with your customers.

2.   Ask for it

Email marketing gives you an excellent opportunity to convert. But don’t just send a promotional email and wait. Instead, you should clearly state what you want your readers to do. Should they give you some form of feedback? Should they purchase a product? Let them know what you expect from them.

3.   Set expectations

An effective email marketing strategy leaves your customers knowing what to expect. Let them know about that big cannabis sale you are planning to hold next week or about some updates they should be expecting from you soon.

Here are a few tips to help you set expectations for your readers:

  • Be consistent so your readers know if they should expect an email from you every day, week or month.
  • Always deliver on your promises so your customers know that they can trust you.
  • Keep your audience on their toes. Establishing a consistent routine is important, but it can get boring.  You can spice it up with an occasional special offer to avoid losing your customers attention.

4.   Add Something Special

The main aim of your email marketing campaign is to give your audience a great experience of your brand. You should enrich your messages with information that delights your readers and gives them joy. This could be anything from a great deal to a hot tip. The more joy your emails give to your audience, the more they will be looking forward to reading them.

Finally

We hope this article helped you understand why email marketing is essential to the marijuana industry and how you can use it to gain customers for your brand.

Remember if you are not using email marketing to reach out and engage your customers, you are giving your competitors room to ‘steal’ your clients. Your email list is the key to your success, so use it!

Unlock you Business Growth with Email Marketing

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