While legislators and policymakers banter about what will work for their state, folks are still behind bars, facing barriers, and suffering consequences from policies that remain in place even after legalization.

That’s why it’s so important that you have an understanding of the businesses you support. What they’re doing can have a huge impact on this issue.

The Need for Supporting Social Equity

Black people make up 13.2% of our nation’s population but own only 4% of cannabis businesses. What’s more, one in 20 Black Americans own business equity in any industry. In the cannabis industry, however, the (embarrassing) number is 1 in 50.

Long before hopeful Black entrepreneurs fill out a state license application, they’re faced with far more barriers than their white counterparts:

• the systemic denial of economic opportunity
• a flawed United States criminal justice system
• substandard access to healthcare

So paying attention to where you buy your cannabis is essential. Here is what you can do:

1. Research Ownership

Buying from inclusive, diverse-owned, or ally-owned cannabis businesses is a great first step.

Obviously, this requires some research. While the industry is mostly led by wealthy white men who are usually interested in market proliferation, there are those making the effort to stress social equity. They understand the challenges Black people face for funding these businesses.  And since cannabis is still a Schedule 1 drug federally, banks are not giving out loans – which already historically reject Black (and Brown) applicants far more than white ones.

Then there’s the twisted irony that past convictions for cannabis offenses – which disproportionately affect communities of color – continue to prevent people from entering the CANNABIS industry. It’s created a marketplace that systemically caters to white owners.

So when you’re scouting out cannabis dispensaries, look for diverse companies, as well as those who are supplied by the small scale legacy farmers who were pioneers for the current industry.

2. Ask the Important Questions

The way we see it, if a brand is profiting from the legalization of marijuana, they should be contributing to cannabis equity efforts as well. One of the big ones is the automatic expungement of records of people who are or were formerly incarcerated for the cannabis-related offenses.

So don’t be afraid to ask companies and brands what they are doing to support this and other cannabis equity efforts such as inclusion employment practices, addressing the ill effects of the war on drugs, and supporting BIPOC leadership in the community.

You can also access databases that track how companies are doing in reaching these goals and share data about just how much businesses that claim to be involved in social equity really are.

3. Support Companies That Educate Entrepreneurs

Unfortunately, there are companies that use people as commodities for their equity status. These businesses or organizations will often pop up in newly regulated markets and their only focus is making money.

Thus, rather than pushing the industry forward by giving marginalized people the tools they need to thrive in the cannabis space, they hire them for the sake of optics.

While you may not be able to discern whether a business is doing this, you can help by regularly contacting your state regulators and government legislators to voice concerns for cannabis equity and workforce development.

Every effort – no matter how big or small – counts.

Keep Social Equity on Your Radar

Supporting social equity as a cannabis consumer requires full awareness. You need to be intentional with every purchase you make.

By sharing what you learn and educating those around you about the damage the war on drugs wreaked on predominantly Black communities, you’re slowly building a better, stronger, and fairer industry.

After decades of work and activism to get marijuana legalized, remember that the battle is far from over for these communities. And don’t forget to keep checking with us for ongoing news and articles on this great industry.

The post Supporting Social Equity As a Cannabis Consumer appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Now, there are cities and towns in the United States where you can find a cannabis dispensary more easily than a Starbucks. And cannabis has the exalted position of being not just a recreational product, but a medicinal one as well.

Given all of that, if you’re a cannabis business owner, then making your cannabis brand trustworthy should be job one. We’ll explore some strategies that we advise as long-time cannabis marketing experts.

1. Provide an Education

Didn’t sign up to be a teacher? Too bad. Because as a cannabis business owner, you’re going to need to educate your customers.

If you have a dispensary, be sure your budtenders are both knowledgable and accurate with their information. New consumers will have a lot of questions and being able to give them answers will build trust and keep them coming back.

You also need to prove yourself online. Optimize your website to provide secure online chat for consumers. And incorporate a blog that’s regularly updated with original and syndicated content that establishes you as a leader in the industry. A regular blog will also boost your search engine results.

Finally, be sure your site is mobile friendly too. A lot of potential consumers search on their phones while they’re out and about. You don’t want them to pass you over as they’re physically passing you by.

2. Practice Patience

As we mentioned above, you’re likely dealing with a lot of newbies and first-timers. They need a little hand-holding and guidance. So along with being knowledgable, you and your employees also need to be friendly and patient. Get to know your customers. Understand their likes and dislikes. Recommend products specifically for them.

These rules apply for connoisseurs as well. Building trust with that demographic can be particularly challenging because they can be very discerning. So keep it informed, but friendly.

3. Don’t Scrimp

The adage “you get what you pay for” is apt in the cannabis business. You may be able to get away with selling cheaper and lower quality flower with new consumers at first. But it isn’t going to be any sort of pathway toward building trust.

As they become more sophisticated in their tastes, you can be sure they’ll start exploring other businesses with better product. This isn’t to say that you can’t offer product with great value. Just be sure it’s also high quality.

You want consumers to remember your business for its dedication to that quality.

4. Give Them What They Came For

If you haven’t already found this to be the case, there are many consumers that stick with the same product or family of strains each time they come to your business. You want to be aware of these consumers and keep things consistent for them so maintain solid working relationships with your vendors.

And not only do these customers want the same product, but they anticipate a positive experience each time too. Be sure your staff is fully trained on company values and processes to also keep this aspect consistent.

5. Do You

Having said everything we said above, at the end of the day, you want to be genuine and authentic.

Remember why you ultimately got into the cannabis business and then shape your brand, marketing plan, and training methods around that. There’s something for everyone in the world of cannabis. If you stay true to yourself, your fans will find you.

And chances are, they’ll stay with you.

Interested in Making Your Cannabis Brand Trustworthy?

Hint: The answer is yes.

Because the payoff in making your cannabis brand trustworthy is well worth the effort.

So if you’re ready to start making that effort, then contact us today. As pioneers of cannabis marketing, we’ve been in the business longer than most and know all of the ins and outs of the industry. We’ll get your brand noticed.

The post Making Your Cannabis Brand Trustworthy appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

As such, it takes focused attention and serious business acumen to run a successful cannabis business.

Over the years, one of the areas of the industry that has seen the biggest changes is one you may not have ever considered. And that’s packaging.

The Purpose of Packaging

Packaging serves two main purposes.

The first is to protect the product it carries, as well as the consumer who will buy it. That means it must be able to withstand any physical or environmental hazards that might come its way. It must also be sealed in such a way to make it accessible to seniors, but keep it from being pilfered by someone else – such as a child or a pet. This is all pretty straightforward, right?

Where things get a little hazier is in the cannabis marketing side of packaging marijuana products.

For example, while a glass container may cost more to produce, it does project quality in a way that plastic simply can’t. Then again, a glass container isn’t going to give designers the same flexibility to work with graphics as, say, a flexible pouch.

To make things even more complicated, package design in the cannabis industry includes the recognition that it can’t appear too child-friendly. So while wild bright colors and bubbly animation is very eye-catching, it can’t be utilized in this industry without running the risk of getting fined and looking at a whole design overhaul.

Furthermore, to make things even more complicated, the area between what’s too child-friendly and what isn’t has gotten murkier and less defined over the years.

Packaging Challenges for Cannabis Businesses

With all of this in mind, packaging is a serious consideration. And it’s one that cannabis business professionals Amy Beauchamp and Bob Dodge of UBaked Cannabis in Burton, Michigan, have taken seriously.

Over the years, much of the packaging for cannabis products has looked very medicinal. And for good reason. For a long time, the only legal marijuana in many states was the medical variety. The product design coming out of UBaked followed suit.

The legalization of recreational marijuana was a game changer though.

A wealth of products in new formats have appeared on the market, including dried, concentrates, powders, edibles, and beverages. Meanwhile, the continually reliable medical cannabis products are still prominently placed on the shelves.

So UBaked recently finished their packaging redesign to bring some lightness and levity to their product.

In doing so, they faced the challenge that brand owners in the fast-evolving cannabis industry have faced. Like so many others, they had to consider their packaging in a new light and figure out how to place greater emphasis on their brand image in an increasingly crowded marketplace while not running the risk of being too “eye-catching”.

Along with other cannabis businesses across the country, they’ve done just that – designing uniquely powerful, yet clean and playful packaging that can carry them successfully into the marketplace.

It’s all about striking that balance.

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Marketing Efforts?

Packaging challenges for cannabis businesses are just one of the many marketing obstacles in this industry.

If you’re a cannabis business owner, you want to be sure you’re hitting the target for every one of your marketing and public relations strategies.

Contact us today to speak to one of our cannabis marketing experts and start making that happen.

The post The Packaging Challenges for Cannabis Businesses appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.