As a smoke shop or head shop owner, you probably know that email is a vital part of your marketing strategy, but you might not realize quite how effective email can be for your business’ growth.

Here we will explore why email is vital for driving head shop sales and how you can use it to deliver personalized content that skyrockets your business and provides substantial return on investment.

Why should smoke shops use email marketing?

Research findings by Litmus reveal that for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses generate as much as $42 in return. Smoke shop enterprises should take note since marketing their products — such as CBD oil, bongs, bubblers, vaporizers and dab rigs — can be extremely challenging due to a various unfavorable state and federal rules.

Email marketing presents a terrific opportunity at a time when most marketing channels such as print advertising, social media advertising and Google AdWords are out of bound or highly restricted for smoke shops.

What marketing emails should smoke shops send?

As a smoke shop owner, you should be in constant communication with your audience so that you can keep them informed of any updates in your business, new products or any other interesting and relevant information. Being consistent in sending valuable emails to your customers will help you improve your sales and also build customer loyalty.

Here are some of the types of emails you need should be integrate to any smoke shop email marketing campaign:

• Welcome emails

Once a new subscriber joins your mailing list, you should welcome them onboard and let them know what they can expect to receive in the coming emails. You can create a welcome email series that keeps your subscribers engaged right from the start. Your series can include a description of your business, product information as well as a few videos.

• Shopping cart updates

Whenever a customer leaves something in their shopping cart, you are missing out on a sale. Customers who are placing your products in their carts are already geared up for buying, they just need a little more encouragement. You can utilize this potential by creating automated emails that trigger whenever a customer abandons their cart.

Your emails should lead your subscribers back to your website and remind them to complete their purchase. Ensure that the email displays the abandoned product together with cross-promotional product add-ons to increase your chances of success.

• Review requests

Requesting reviews is an effective email marketing strategy that helps you understand your customers’ experience while building social proof. The information you receive will help you improve your products and your customer service. You can also automate the review request so that they are sent every time a customer makes a purchase. This will ensure you retain future sales.

Smoke shop email marketing tips for better results

Now that you understand the importance of email marketing and have an idea of the type of emails you should be sending to your shop customers, let’s look at a few rules of email marketing etiquette you should follow for optimal results.

1. Always get permission

Let your subscribers know exactly why you are asking for their email address and what they can expect to receive from you. It is not polite to just add your customers to all your lists. Such an action will only result in them unsubscribing.

Ask your subscribers to whitelist you or add your email to their contacts so that your emails don’t end up in the promotions tab or spam folder where they may never get opened.

Ensure that your “thank you for subscribing” page and your introductory email sequence gives new subscribers instructions for whitelisting your smoke shop so that your emails go straight to their primary inbox.

2. Segment your list

Divide your general subscribers’ list into more targeted groups. You can, for example, place those subscribers who are yet to make a purchase in your “leads” group, and those who have already purchased from you in a “customers list.” Likewise, those who signed up for your newsletter should be placed in a separate “newsletter” category.

Segmenting your list will help you send more targeted information to each group of your subscribers which helps them engage better with your business.

3. Manage expectations

It is important that you consistently send emails to your subscribers just like you promised when they were signing up. If you promised a weekly newsletter, ensure you send a newsletter every week.

Consistency will help you build a strong relationship with your audience. It also shows that you are a valuable and trustworthy brand.

Remember to include a strong call to action in your emails and consistently follow up.

4. Use email sequences

Email sequences or auto-responders are an effective way of taking your subscribers through a funnel. For instance, you can craft an email sequence that walks your subscribers up the steps in the following manner:

• In the first email, thank your subscriber for signing up and lets them know what to expect from you in the coming days.
• The second email educates your subscribers about the products you offer in your head shop.
• The third email introduces your staff and so on.

5. Craft a great newsletter

It’s not enough to send your newsletter consistently. You also need to send creative and compelling content. You can find a good balance by including a variety of product updates, images, personal messages, etc.

Keep in mind that your newsletter should help you build a relationship with your subscribers so be careful about using it to send your sales pitches.

6. Be considerate with your pitch

Whenever you are sending out a pitch, try putting yourself in your subscriber’s shoes. Would you like to have such a high number of pitches in your inbox? Would you find your emails too sales, if you were the one receiving them? Do your calls to action abruptly interrupt your content or are they naturally places within your message? Being considerate with how you pitch your audience will help you gain their respect.

7. Offer an easy way out

It’s important that you allow your subscribers to unsubscribe from your list any time they want to. If you keep emailing people who are no longer interested in what you have to offer, they might end up marking your email as spam, or humiliating you on social media or other social forums. You do not want to force your brand on people.

You should also read up on CAN-SPAM laws and refrain from purchasing people’s emails. Let people sign up willing and unsubscribe whenever they want to.

Finally

You now have specific examples of emails you can send your subscribers as well as tips to help you improve the efficiency of your email marketing campaigns. Start implementing these tips and testing what works and doesn’t work for your smoke shop. With time, you will see the ROI for your head shop begin to increase.

Has your smoke shop benefited from email marketing? What tips have you been using? Let us know in the comments section below.

Recommended reading: How to find the best smoke shop supplier for your business.