The marketing field has evolved rapidly over the last few decades, placing an emphasis on digital marketing. The web has allowed companies to reach the furthest reaches of the consumer space without having to leave their workspace. Some of the most exponential growth in marketing has occurred with the development of social media, which has become a haven for both traditional and grassroots marketing efforts.
Each of these social savvy individuals functions as modern media conglomerates with committed and engaging followings that have the capacity to not only spread brand recognition but carve out new and recurring revenue streams.
Many mainstream companies have abandoned older marketing staples such as print media and multimedia advertising spots in exchange for GoogleAds, social media and e-mail marketing. However, in an emerging market such as cannabis we have to be a bit more creative; pairing the old with the new. Unfortunately, cannabis remains in a drug classification limbo. While it is progressively being decriminalized in some states and outright legalized in others, restrictions on social media and web platforms are tighter than ever. Making it impossible for new cannabis businesses to utilize modern marketing luxuries such as promoting social media posts or PPC campaigns.
This is why mixed marketing solutions are imperative in order to survive and thrive in this burgeoning market. Print media is a must for any cannabis marketing campaign, from fliers and magazine advertisements to a-frame sandwich boards and billboards. These highly visible and replicable forms of marketing will be any company’s foundation for brand recognition and association. On the digital side, the ultimate workaround to shadowbanning and terms of service restrictions are the use of influencers and brand ambassadors. Each of these social savvy individuals functions as modern media conglomerates with committed and engaging followings that have the capacity to not only spread brand recognition but carve out new and recurring revenue streams.
There is no singular best practice when it comes to marketing in emerging fields…
There is no singular best practice when it comes to marketing in emerging fields such as cannabis but the best mentality to have is that of DIY grassroots efforts. The less reliant we are on web platforms and media companies for marketing the easier it will become when they eventually extend their services to the cannabis industry.
