Cannabis cultivators and manufacturers are more akin to artists and scientists rather than salespeople- the delicate dance of developing top-shelf products often outweighs the need to build compelling sales sheets. Those compelling sales sheets are still as necessary as passing testing- they’re exactly what you need to get your foot in the door at critical dispensaries to best feature your brand. Products can only go so far without the proper push they need to capture users’ attention. While cultivators may feel they can only do their best by producing excellent products, there is certainly an opportunity to bolster their sales with promotions and key sales factors. Here we break down the psychology of setting deals as a cannabis producer- true hacks on how to best boost your brand.
Do More.
“It’s human nature to want to make things an even trade. For this reason, it’s good business to reach out and offer something first – a free gift, free content, or free advice and support. If you’re supportive and helpful for a long enough time, your customer will feel the desire to do something for you”- this is the advice pulled from Saleshacker as they describe psychological triggers to close deals. The concept at its’ core is to build a relationship with customers by going past the purchase. While of course a BOGO deal or samples can be fast ways to drive sales, there are multiple ways to engage without allocating as much additional budget. Education easily speaks to customers, especially in areas where cannabis is still emerging from a taboo into an integrated lifestyle element. QR codes on products that send people to educational pieces on your website or social are an easy way to also drive traffic back to your touchpoints. Having virtual brand ambassadors available to answer questions outside of the dispensary on social is also an incredible way to showcase how supportive your brand is.
Exclusive Drops
Saleshacker also cites scarcity as a key psychological trigger for closing deals. “We are all more likely to consume a scarce resource – one which might disappear if we’re not quick.” While this may easily pertain to fast food (does anyone remember the KFC Double Down?), cannabis naturally lends itself to this pillar of sales psychology. R&D strains, exclusive processing of concentrates, or seasonal edibles are all great opportunities to engage your cannabis community. While, yes, adding a new SKU or flavor or variety may require some processing or paperwork within your localized governing parties the effort may be worth it. Colorado-born brand Sweet Grass Kitchen has been making its infused Pumpkin Pies since 2012 and has since topped Leafly’s list of “Favorite Edibles for Fall”. The notoriety has certainly paid off for entities like Sweet Grass Kitchen and this magic can be rebottled for many different producers.
Influence & Influencers
PerformanceIn reported that “The wider performance marketing industry has seen gradual uptake for the social proof principle. Here, consumers are shown evidence of fellow shoppers purchasing the same item, which can ease them toward the checkout” when discussing the concept of broadcasting demand. This may include both internally owned channels as well as external ones when leveraging influencers. Internally, creating content with partnered dispensaries and willing participants to stage where to find products and how easy the purchase process is may ease the potential for confusion or intimidation when entering a dispensary. Outside of your own influence, leveraging partnerships with local influencers who partake in cannabis is an incredible way to drive interest and user-generated content. Partnering with influencers typically means at the very least being able to sample medicated products, but may also range up to paid activations.
We would be remiss to include that if your margin allows, it is helpful to create discounts that can be passed along to dispensaries and then on to users, but outside of slashing prices there are many opportunities to drive interest and sales. For the opportunity to focus on building your brand and not have to worry about your cultivation software, connect with our team at MJ Platform. We do the heavy lifting on your compliance, finance, and marketing software so you don’t have to. For a live demo of how we can save you time, click here.
