The Complete Guide For CBD Marketing

The Do’s and Don’ts of CBD Marketing

By Jeffery Thompson, guest contributor

The recent decriminalization and legalization of cannabis in many parts of the world have comprehensively changed how people perceive it. This does not mean that the marketing norm for cannabis or its derivative products is lenient. A marketer who wishes to sell cannabis or CBD has to keep in mind the legal standards and consumer perception.

Any deviation from either could attract federal interference that may have severe implications on your brand image. CBD marketers have an arduous task of devising and implementing a game plan that reaches target customers with due diligence to federal laws and impediments. The following are Do’s and Don’ts of CBD marketing that can help you formulate an effective marketing strategy:

1. Do Marketing Research

The recent popularity of CBD products has led many entrepreneurs, big and small to exploit CBD’s marketing opportunities. However, there are still areas and micro-niches in CBD marketing that provide ample scope to market CBD products from a fresh new angle. A new marketing concept can revolve around creating value for a specific market. Consider re-evaluating brand image, keeping in mind the consumer’s needs and creating a micro-niche program to serve it. Some marketers like to pick on specific customer needs like CBD tincture oil for anxiety or CBD for post-workout recovery to appeal to a target market. Think about creating a marketing ideology that uses innovative yet creative packaging and copywriting material to make your product stand out from the competition.

2. Do Optimize Your Website

Whether you plan to sell through a website or at a brick and mortar dispensary, creating an online presence has become the need of the time. People usually look out for reliable buying options online. Due to limited product awareness, customers might like to check a CBD business’s credibility through the internet. Therefore, it would be fair to say that many purchases online as well as offline roots from how well you place your product online. So spending some resources on building a credible website and implying strategies to optimize it will be worth the efforts. You can also go for local google advertising to direct customers to your dispensary when they search for CBD dispensary near me, on google engine.

3. Do Explore Alternate Marketing Channels

Cannabis and CBD Edible products face several online advertising restrictions. This makes it difficult to create brand awareness, specifically at the introductory stage. If a marketer looks closely, he or she can figure out several other platforms that can do the task efficiently. Explore channels that have a strong reach and good turnover rates, like podcast channels. You can sneak in through promotion campaigns via influencer marketing on social media platforms where CBD ads are still restrictive.

4. Do Affiliate Marketing

Another way to create strong print media or online presence is through affiliate marketing. Get in touch with websites and personal blogs that can introduce your product subtly by embedding a link to your website through their articles for a pre-decided fee or a percent on each sale they make.

5. Don’t Make Strong Claims

CBD products are quite popular for their effectiveness in treating several ailments. However, most of the research to prove its effectiveness are preliminary and lack substantial lab tests. As a responsible marketer, you must stick to the basic guidelines of not making strong claims unless testified or approved by the FDA. So, marketing your product as a general well-being enhancer can help bring a sense of credibility to your business. To avoid any legal complication, some marketers prefer to freely market their hemp-driven CBD range only to lead customers to their website where they can find other CBD products sourced from cannabis.

6. Don’t Underestimate Your Existing Customer

While many marketing plans focus on attracting new customers, an indigenous one would lay equal emphasis on the existing ones. The power of word of mouth plays a huge role in the entire CBD marketing equation and diligent efforts to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty can reap long term benefits.

7. Don’t Ignore The External Environment

For a successful marketing plan, it is critical to evaluate all the factors that have a direct impact on your sales. In today’s times, there is a greater sense of social awareness among users, hence a CBD marketer must consider the market keeping in mind the norms and expectations of the customer.

Choosing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can lead the project you as a conscious brand which will have a positive impact on your brand image and long term sales. Nowadays creating likeability among customers is not solely dependent on your product but also the value system of the company.

The Bottom Line of CBD Marketing

For a successful marketing plan, it is pertinent to study and exploit various forces that have a crucial role in differentiating your brand name and create a better reach. This means striking a balance between creating an aggressive marketing approach while staying consistent on being socially responsible. The CBD market is overcrowded and it’s creating a strong value proposition that can be incredibly beneficial in drawing more customers to your business. Despite the competition, with an appropriate strategy, a marketer can create a strong presence in the rapidly growing CBD industry.

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About the Author

Jeffery Thompson is a full-time content marketing specialist. He has been closely following the Pet, CBD and Cannabis industry trends for quite some time. He has dabbled in various domains before the cannabis industry. Jeffery likes to spend his time at the nearest animal shelter or nose deep in a book.

 

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