And although marijuana retailers offer online purchasing, unless consumers pay for delivery, they are still required to go and pick up their purchases at the actual dispensary.

This is the perfect opportunity for dispensaries to bring customers into their store. After all, increasing foot traffic for cannabis retailers should be a high priority. So why aren’t they taking advantage of this?

Increasing Foot Traffic for Cannabis Retailers

As cannabis marketing specialists, we’re often asked by our clients how to compete with online consumer spending trends without breaking the bank. Here are three tried and true strategies we deploy.

1. Collaborate with Other Businesses and Organizations

We always encourage cannabis retailers to keep it friendly with local businesses and organizations. Especially those that are dubious about the whole cannabis enterprise.

For example, the Greenhouse dispensary in Walled Lake, Michigan, collaborates with the Girl Scouts every year – giving them a place in front of their store to sell their cookies. It benefits both the store, the organization, and the consumers who may find the cookies especially appetizing after a nice cannabis experience.

Opportunities abound. Dispensaries could hire local musicians to play live music. Or collaborate with a bar to whip up CBD mocktails that customers can try. And, of course, events that support a local charity are also an effective way to bring in foot traffic.

Once the event is planned, it’s helpful to research reporters who cover local business news to promote the event. It’ll pique interest within the community and bring in local folks who are more likely to be return customers.

2. Position Themselves as Wellness Experts

Cannabis branding is tricky. And it’s bound to keep presenting challenges.

To draw people into dispensaries who would otherwise just rather pick up their goods and be on their way, business owners need to have something that makes coming inside worth the visit.

We ask our clients to consider the reasons why shoppers would visit and what would they like to experience when they walk through the doors. Customers who are looking to reduce stress and/or pain want to feel they’ll get the help they need. So having a well-educated and friendly staff who can address these issues is crucial.

Once a relationship is established with customers, we might encourage the dispensary to host interactive events that address specific interests and needs. Bring in experts on a specific topic or offer ongoing “classes” on using marijuana for various conditions are just a couple of possible options.

3. Turn the Dispensary into a Destination

The current trend in interior design opts for sleek and sterile. This is especially the case in restaurants where they want to turn around customers quickly. Make it uninviting and they won’t stay too long.

This is the antithesis to what dispensaries need to offer. So we encourage these businesses to pay attention to what’s important to the people living within the community. Then give them a place where the community feels welcome.

It could be something as simple as providing some comfortable chairs or outdoor tables where people can relax from the everyday stresses of life. They may provide cannabis literature to peruse or, in cases where the law allows, the dispensary may offer CBD drinks. If the budget allows, there may even be some redesigning in the works.

Whatever the case, when a dispensary establishes itself as part of the community, it’s far more likely to gain foot traffic than one that’s purely in to make a profit. Simple as that.

Looking to Draw More People to Your Dispensary?

Could your dispensary afford to have more a community presence? The bigger question is, can it afford not to?

Contact us today to find out how we effectively use marketing and public relations strategies to draw more foot traffic for cannabis retailers.

The post Gaining Foot Traffic for Cannabis Retailers appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Well, with Pontiac recently cleared for a marijuana development, new life will be infused into that old plaza.

Glenwood Plaza will soon be the site a secure medical marijuana park with eight cultivation and processing tenants. It will also be the home for a 15,000-square-food Hollywood supermarket.

Pontiac Recently Cleared for a Marijuana Development

The title says it all. Well, sorta.

In reality, the nearly $40 million development almost didn’t happen. It was a rather long haul to get to this point. The project was stalled over a zoning dispute.

When the project was first proposed, the Interim Pontiac City Clerk Garland Doyle insisted a local zoning ordinance wouldn’t allow for cannabis businesses to operate at the site. The project’s developer, Rubicon Capital, the Pontiac City Council, and its attorney all disagreed.

They filed a lawsuit that stated there was a conditional rezoning agreement from 2020 that permitted commercial and light manufacturing at the site. And so everything was up in the air.

That all changed when Oakland County Circuit Judge Yasmine Poles made her ruling last week.

Development Permitted to Proceed

The judge ruled that the property is appropriately zoned for the venture and that Rubicon can now proceed with the development.

“Judge Poles’ ruling in our favor allows us to aggressively move forward and secure the necessary funding to complete this great project which will greatly benefit the City of Pontiac,” said Joseph Brown, principal of Rubicon Capital. “Construction of the Glenwood Development, the hiring of hundreds of people, and the opening of a world class supermarket will also benefit Pontiac’s tax coffers with much needed revenue.”

The first phase will be to build the grocery store that will benefit the community. Brown said he expects the store to be complete around May 2022. From there, the site will continue to develop to include dispensaries and a cannabis cultivation and processing facilities.

Potential tenants include Bingham Farms-based Family Rootz and Southfield-based Pharmaco Inc. They’re required to go through their own approval processes with the city of Pontiac and Poles ordered that the city issue preliminary approval of all pending applications for grower and processor licenses and permits for the companies.

Jim Allen, an attorney representing Rubicon Capital, doesn’t feel there will be an issue with the city moving forward. He acknowledged that they recognized the validity of the conditional rezoning agreement.

At the end of the day, the project is expected to spur hundreds of jobs.

The Industry Keeps on Truckin’

With Pontiac recently cleared for a marijuana development, it’s clear that communities that were resistant to cannabis are finally opening up and changing their stance.

As cannabis marketing experts, we know how difficult it is to get the attention you need in this increasingly saturated market.

So if you’re looking to expand your cannabis business, contact us today. We have the experience, expertise and know-how to get you noticed.

The post Pontiac Recently Cleared for A Marijuana Development appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

That’s not the case with Ann Arbor’s Huron View.

When you walk into this small dispensary on Packard Road, you’ll know you’ve found something truly unique.

Their storefront window decals refer to the dispensary as both The Huron View Center and Huron View Kind Solutions. And kindness is immediately apparent.

A Mother-Daughter Team

Christina Montague is the only woman of color in the state who owns a dispensary. She was a Washtenaw County commissioner, as well as a social worker at Mitchell Elementary in Ann Arbor. The former role gave her the savvy to get the dispensary off the ground. The latter, however, is indicative of her caring and compassionate nature.

Making a positive contribution to the community has been her focus since day one. And though Huron View may be one of the smaller dispensaries in town, they likely have the biggest heart.

“We are different than everybody else,” says Teesha Montague, Christina Montague’s adult daughter who has a hand in the business as well. “We just want an opportunity to show that.”

In addition to the work she does at the dispensary, Teesha organizes uplifting and educational events around the state that bring people together from many different walks of life. She hopes to keep highlighting the benefits of CBD and marijuana to help those struggling with various symptoms and conditions.

Helping Others Is the Primary Focus

“If someone’s having a hard day, we just want to help them out. We want them to leave with a smile,” says Teesha. And it starts the minute you walk in the door when you’re greeted with, “Welcome to the family!”

It’s not just a line though. At Huron View, they really do see every person who walks through the door as family. And they aim to help every individual as they would a treasured family member.

Through their seniors/veterans Meals and Meds program, they do more than simply deliver medical marijuana. Christina and Teesha actively connect with businesses to find those that are willing to donate free meals to senior citizens and veterans. The Montagues and their crew are also willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to wash dishes, vacuum, pick up groceries, or handle other chores for this population.

Just as they would for their own flesh and blood family.

They also take the time to learn each individual’s personalized cannabis experience and then design “Sparks of Joy” boxes specifically for that person. For example, if someone says they don’t like edibles and prefer flower, but they struggle with severe anxiety, they’ll create an affordable box geared toward those conditions and preferences.

The help doesn’t stop there though.

Fighting for Social Equity

On a broader level, Christina Montague would like to see more social equity in the cannabis industry in Washtenaw County.

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency’s (MRA) social equity program aims “to promote and encourage participation in the marijuana industry by people from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement and to positively impact those communities.”

Unfortunately, Ypsilanti is the only qualifying municipality in Washtenaw County for this program.

So she’s pushing to get Washtenaw County to consider efforts similar to those she’s seen presented in other cities such as Detroit. This would allow the county to establish a cannabis business development fund to help residents get into the recreational marijuana industry.

It would do this by offsetting some of the licensing fees that are so prohibitively expensive for those who are most in need of social equity.

A Dispensary That Cares

Ann Arbor’s Huron View believes in running a business guided by compassion and caring. In other words, from the heart.

As Teesha says, “We just want to give back and do some good while we’re here.” And they’re doing just that.

So if you’re in Ann Arbor, be sure to stop in and support their efforts. You’re sure to become a member of the Huron View family while you’re there!

And for all the latest on the cannabis industry in Southeast Michigan (and beyond) keep checking back with our blog.

The post Ann Arbor’s Huron View – A Dispensary Motivated By Compassion appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

And she’s preaching to the choir. (Yeah. Captain Obvious isn’t always a dude.)

But opening a marijuana dispensary isn’t necessarily the answer to getting in on the action.

There is A LOT involved in doing so. And without knowing full-on the many risks, there’s even more to lose.

Opening a Marijuana Dispensary Is A Huge Undertaking

But among some starry-eyed entrepreneurs, there’s a notion that a cannabis business doesn’t face the same challenges. That the product simply sells itself.

They’d be partially right. But only about the first part. Because running a cannabis business doesn’t face the same challenges. It faces many more.

1. It Is EXPENSIVE to Get a License

Applying for a business license for a dispensary is complex, to say the least. You need to understand all the requirements on the state, city and county levels. And while costs vary to get a license, the final number can tally up to six figures.

Even if you do manage to pull together the funds, you may still not get a license.

The marijuana market is forecasted to be worth more than $31 billion by 2021. That means there are a lot of people wanted to get into the business.

Most states are concerned about over saturating the market, so licenses are handed out gradually. Very gradually.

2. Banks Will Not Rush to Help You

New bills such as the SAFE Banking Act are pushing toward allowing cannabis businesses to have access to bank services – including loans.

But this is still in its infancy.

As of now, there are fewer than 500 banks and 200 credit unions worldwide who offer services to marijuana businesses.

Because marijuana is still federally prohibited in the U.S., most banks are concerned they will be charged with money laundering.

You MAY be able to get an account, but forget about loans or checking. That means you’ll be doing a lot of transactions in cash. And that adds another layer of risk.

3. Taxes Are Sky-High

This isn’t just a run-of-the-mill complaint about high taxes either.

Working solely in cash is a hassle when it comes time to pay your taxes. The IRS doesn’t like it either.

They dislike it so much that federal Tax Code 280E has ensured that all plant-touching businesses — companies that deal directly with the plant, as opposed to those dealing only with accessories and ancillary services — cannot deduct business expenses or use tax credits.

That means that expenses incurred from things like advertising, rent and equipment cannot be deducted – bringing the average taxes paid by cannabis businesses to around a whopping 70 percent.

Ouch.

4. Good Employees Are Rare

Yeah. This is true across all businesses, right?

But what makes working in legal weed unique is that there are very few people with a formal education in cannabis. After all, it’s a young industry.

In many existing dispensaries, the staff are trained only in sales and don’t have enough knowledge to provide advice to patients.

This is huge drawback for patients who are seeking the products best suited for their needs. And if they can’t find it at your dispensary, they’ll go somewhere where they can.

5. Supply Chain Management Sucks

There. We said it.

Just like with opening a restaurant, starting a legal cannabis will require you to follow some pretty stringent laws and health and safety rules.

But unlike with the food and beverage industry, the cannabis industry doesn’t have much access to a workforce who knows how to handle this. (See #4 above).

Plus, protocol for health and safety will vary from state to state and is always changing. So you’ll need to stay out ahead of it.

Do You Have What It Takes?

If you’ve got the chutzpah (and the funding) required for opening a marijuana dispensary, there’s no time like the present.

There’s definitely a need for well-managed cannabis dispensaries that are able to comply with the laws and regulations.

And if you’ve already got a successful cannabis business, it never hurts to review your marketing strategy to ensure you remain competitive in this growing industry.

Reach out to us for a consultation today.

The post 5 Challenges to Opening a Marijuana Dispensary appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

At least, that’s what folks in Oakland County are saying. And especially those near the Greenhouse in Walled Lake – which has the distinction of being the first licensed dispensary in Oakland County.

Up until now, residents of Oakland County have had to go to provisioning centers in neighboring counties. And some of those dispensaries haven’t felt exactly welcoming.

Jerry Millen, one of the owners of the Greenhouse, has set out to change that.

Breaking the Stigma

Back in October when Millen was granted the first license in Oakland County, he was thrilled. And more than a little relieved.

Having decided eight years earlier that he wanted to open a dispensary, he bought the Walled Lake building that houses the Greenhouse four years ago.

And although he was granted the license three months ago, he was in no rush to get the Greenhouse open right away. After all, he’d already been working on the building for years – his objective being to create a dispensary that would feel more like a mom-and-pop corner store and less like a low security correctional facility.

When asked about the location, Millen said, “The area is safe and secure, and the neighboring businesses and residences are embracing the big green house that we have been renovating on the corner of Walled Lake Road and Pontiac Trail.”

Of course there were other reasons he didn’t open right away too. One of the key reasons being the lack of marijuana. He didn’t want to open until he was certain he’d have a sustainable supply of a variety of products, and that he’d be able to sell them at a fair price.

In other words, he wasn’t going to open until he knew he could “do it right.”

What Will This New Dispensary in Oakland County Offer?

One of cool things about the Greenhouse is its proximity to Over the Moon – the most recognized and respected medical marijuana certification clinic in the metro-Detroit area.

For several years, the clinic has been helping medical marijuana patients get their patient certifications. They specialize in helping patients recognize what type of marijuana is best suited for their specific needs.

Millen feels it’s really important that patients understand the benefits of marijuana and it many uses. So he’s planning to offer a series of seminars educating current marijuana users and prospective patients on the benefits of different kinds of marijuana and how to best utilize them.

There will be doctors and patients at the seminars who will be able to speak firsthand of the benefits of cannabis.

“Education is the most important issue we are facing as people don’t know where to go to get the answers or to find out if they could benefit from marijuana,” Millen continues. “We are going to offer free classes to educate the public on medical marijuana.”

This is unique approach, to be sure. But Millen is passionate.

And this passion carries over to understanding the benefits of medical marijuana for children suffering from debilitating diseases. The stigma around marijuana use for adults is still prevalent. So it makes sense that there’s so much resistance to using it for children.

But it sure beats opioid drug use – which is also not favored by parents. So through these free classes and seminars, Millen plans to help people understand how to continue to use marijuana safely with their children, while lifting the stigma around it.

Millen and the Greenhouse are setting to bring together the community of Walled Lake in a whole new way.

Not Every Community So Welcoming

As enlightened on the topic of cannabis as Millen and Walled Lake might be, don’t expect a slew of other dispensaries to open in Oakland County too soon.

We have to remember that statewide, voters approved Proposal 1 by a 56-to-44 margin. So that means even though 2,356,422 voted yes, there are 1,859,675 people who voted against it.

So it shouldn’t come as a major surprise that not every community is embracing the possibility of marijuana businesses in their communities. Even in Oakland County.

For example, the Rochester City Council members voted 6-1 to approve a measure that would prohibit marijuana businesses from being established within city limits.

On November 12th, the Birmingham City Commission voted 4-1 to ban establishments selling recreational marijuana within the city’s boundaries.

And even Royal Oak – a community riddled with bars – the city commission narrowly passed by a  4-3 vote to ban marijuana facilities while officials explore how they could potentially impact the city.

Seems there will always be push back. But the Greenhouse is proof positive that the cannabis industry is moving in the right direction. And that’s onward and forward.

Check out the Greenhouse!

If you’re all about supporting the cannabis industry, swing in and visit the first licensed dispensary in Oakland County this weekend and see what it’s all about.

And since it’s Super Bowl weekend, if you wear any NFL team jersey (and we mean ANY), you’ll get 20% off your purchase at the Greenhouse.

No judgment.

The post First Licensed Dispensary in Oakland County Opens appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Although the city is getting ready to let down their walls and open up their arms to the cannabis community, restrictions will still be heavily set in place. Mindy Norton of the Morning Sun News explained in her article, “ Citizens Weigh in as Mt. Pleasant Nears Marijuana Decision,” That there will be strict zoning laws when it comes to cannabis facilities. No cannabis operation is to be within 1,000 feet of any school which includes Central Michigan University. Hopefully, after the discussion on June 4, there will be more information on the reasoning for these zoning laws particularly, the regulation on the distance from the university.

With the many concerns of Mt. Pleasant citizens, there were also high praise and support from others. Mt. Pleasant resident, Jim Moreno, spoke in favor of the location restrictions, “ I believe in compromise. I Don’t think that school kids will be walking into a provisioning center and getting some medical marijuana. It doesn’t work that way. You have to have a card. There’s security in front, [and] all that stuff.” Many citizens have their opinions on the location restrictions, but the fact is, is that Mt.Pleasant will be the new home to many different cannabis companies and facilities.

For more information on the proposed ordinance, visit the city’s website at www.mt-pleasant.org

The post New Medical Marijuana Facilities In Mt. Pleasant Michigan appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.