What if you could implement an email marketing strategy for your cannabis email list that would drive 50 percent more sales-ready leads? Shockingly, it's not a new technology or even a new approach. Lead nurturing as a dispensary or retailer is a sales tactic that is all too frequently overlooked in our sector.
Nurturing existing cannabis customers to revisit your sales funnel is particularly valuable for email marketing. Plus, when done right, it’s compliant and avoids many of the pitfalls associated with marketing cannabis across other channels like Facebook, Google Adwords, and other social media spaces.
What Does it Mean to Nurture Cannabis Customers?
Fundamentally, there are two categories of cannabis customers: new customers and existing customers. If you are focused on capturing new customers, this is called lead generation. But, according to Small Biz Genius, 80 percent of these leads never convert. Which would mean 80 percent of your weed marketing budget doesn't convert.
When you nurture existing consumers, you are focused on lead nurturing. It's a strategy dedicated to long-term relationships, encouraging new transactions from a target audience already engaged with your brand. They’ve been to your dispensary before, they’ve tried your products, they already know a bit about your offerings.
As you nurture this segment, you guide them through the sales funnel, strategically developing the engagement so that they return to your store. The key to this approach is understanding the buyer's journey as it relates to them coming back to shop.
According to research from other sectors, nurturing already engaged customers generates 50 percent more sales with significantly lower costs (Invespcro) than straight lead generation.
What Is an Email Nurture Campaign (and is it Compliant)?
Lead nurturing is especially pertinent for email marketing. A series of thoughtful, automated emails triggered by customer behaviors gets "4-10 more responses than standalone email blasts," as per Small Biz Genius.
The key? Emails must be highly targeted and timely to stay compliant. You can’t just buy email lists, they must be already in your database as customers or meticulously verified. Effective email nurturing requires list segmentation, personalization, tailored content, and a call to action to bring customers further along their self-directed sales journey.
Automated emails should be personalized to where the buyer is on their journey. For example, did they buy edibles in the last month? Have they spent over $1000 in the last six months at your dispensary? Do they live within 20 miles of your cannabis retail location? Their previous engagement and other details will dictate how you'll follow up.
3 Tips for a Nurturing Email Campaign for Cannabis Brands
We tapped our in-house cannabis email marketing expert to find out what approaches she recommends for nurturing your weed-lovin’ customers through email.
1. Always Personalize it
Our WUNDERWORX expert advised that personalization is the number one way to nurture leads. And no, that doesn't just mean using their name in the introduction.
Personalization comes from customer intelligence that feeds into list segmentation. You should already know their weed buying habits, their typical spend, and much more. You should use this intel to know exactly where they are in their buying journey, to personalize sales and products in a highly targeted way.
For example, we know that Millennials love flower far more than any other cannabis product. With segmentation, you’ll know their age, use this to your advantage.
Fifty-one percent of email marketers say email list segmentation is the most effective way to personalize lead nurturing. Small Biz Genius
2. Provide Real Value
Whether your audience is in the early engagement stage, deep into evaluation, or just about to make a purchase, you have to deliver real value. Focus on keeping the lead 'warm' by leveraging relevant content, promoting applicable videos, providing discounts, and offering real solutions.
A good tactic for long-term nurturing campaigns is to avoid overly salesy emails. Instead, focus nurturing emails on value-add, specific to where the buyer is in their engagement journey.
Targeting users with content relevant to their position along the sales funnel yields 73 percent higher conversion rates. Aberdeen
3. Split Test or A/B Test
What words can you use that will avoid the Gmail spam filter? Hint: Avoid “All-Natural” “Free” and “Lowest price.” What message, subject line, images, and call to action will work best for your goals?
The best way to find out is through split testing, also known as A/B Testing. Send two slightly different emails, and analyze the open rates, click-thrus, and sales driven from each.
As per our expert, "Test until you find out what works." It's as simple as that. The more you test, the more you'll discover successful tactics.
Ninety-three percent of US companies do A/B testing on their email marketing campaigns. Truelist
A Compliant Cannabis Email Marketing Partner
Email marketing, unlike any other channel, touches every stage of the sales funnel. Whether you are B2B or B2C, email marketing is incredibly versatile—and it is the only channel you truly own.
Our lead nurturing campaigns are highly personalized, employing the power of four terabytes of up-to-date consumer data on 260+ million Americans and 25+ million Canadian adults. This unprecedented intel delivers consumer intelligence on an extraordinary scale.
Let WUNDERWORX help you cut through the inbox noise to increase open rates, click-thrus, and sales. Let’s have a conversation.
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