If you’re looking to boost the profitability of your marijuana growing business, then there are plenty of tips out there on the best way of cutting down energy costs, trimming buds for maximum yield, saving money on marijuana equipment rentals, choosing the right trimmer models and marijuana tools, and whatnot. But there’s a major miss in all this discussion that focuses on the mechanics of marijuana growing, from planting to trimming buds to drying: marketing.
The Two Targets of Marijuana Marketing
Since growers work primarily in a B2B capacity and yet rely on public perception to drive demand for their product, there are two equally important targets growers need to keep in mind for their marketing: retailers and the general public. Reaching multiple markets will, predictably, probably take multiple channels. While retailers may best be targeted through in-industry networking channels, you can reach consumers through online marketing, as well as traditional outbound marketing.
Making Marijuana Mainstream and Modern
What image should you be looking to project of your growing business? It will take some time to counteract years of (largely unfounded) negative press, but the overall goal should be to help people understand that modern legal marijuana usage is mainstream, and isn’t the exclusive province of slacker teenagers or surfer types. It helps to do some research on your narrower target market, too: The average medical marijuana patient in Colorado, for example, is male and 42 years old. If you’re looking to capture more recreational sales, then those facts might vary.
Taking Influences From Other Industries
When it comes to creating an updated image of the legal marijuana industry, two major models have been suggested in terms of branding: tech companies and coffee chains. While it’s important not to get too wrapped up in copying what has worked for other industries, there’s something important to be learned from both of these. They both manage to give a sleek, seamless, consistent user experience while making users feel that they’re getting a highly individualized experience that enhances their overall value. If that’s something the legal marijuana industry can recreate, it will likely be a very successful strategy.
How else should growers be thinking about their marketing efforts? Join the discussion in the comments.