MMJ Marketing Isn’t the Same As Recreational
Ding. Your phone alerts you to a text message. You see that your pharmacy has sent you a text letting you know that it might be time to refill your prescription. You reply with a YES to refill the prescription. Ding. Your pharmacy lets you know your medicine is ready to be picked up.
Simple. Quick. Easy.
SMS marketing is a great tool for businesses ” especially medical marijuana dispensaries, which often overlook this communication method. Not only will an SMS dispensary marketing program boost customer engagement, but it can drive sales and increase brand recognition.
It has been reported by many outlets that SMS text messages have a whopping 98 percent open rate. And according to digital marketing studies, SMS messages also have a 209 percent higher response rate than phone, email, or Facebook.
People prefer texting. Period.
With 8 billion people with mobile subscriptions worldwide (and the number is only growing), that’s a large customer pool to dive into.
Here are 4 marketing ideas you can use to engage with your medical customers:
- Send Helpful Reminders
- Recommend Great Products
- Enroll Them in Your Loyalty RewardsProgram
- Be a Medical Professional
Send Helpful Reminders
Even though cannabis customers don’t have official prescriptions, they can still benefit from the SMS dispensary marketing strategies that traditional pharmacies use ” similar to what was mentioned earlier.
Text customers when it looks like they are starting to run low on capsules or when they are halfway through the servings in their tincture.
They will appreciate the convenience of not having to track their usage or remembering when to call when it’s time to reorder their prescriptions. It also shows your efforts to improve their health and help track their wellness treatments.
Other SMS reminders can include alerts about customers’ go-to products being back in stock or when store inventory is running low.
Recommend Products
Most consumers are creatures of habit. They make repeat purchases of the same product because it’s what they have always done ” which is what a company should want. Offering recommendations for your customers, utilizing your POS software to research purchasing habits related to specific ailments or types of products can benefit them and your bottom line.
If your customer has been purchasing medications related to sleep issues, recommend the new high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) product you offer that is specifically formulated for sleep. Do they suffer from a chronic illness, such as ulcerative colitis? Recommend a cannabidiol (CBD) product for inflammation that they have not yet tried. If a customer gravitates toward edibles or prerolls, text them a recommendation for new products that come in that align with their consumption habits.
Your recommendations could lead to repeat purchases and an increase in sales, while also strengthening your brand loyalty by showing your customers your knowledge of their buying habits and health needs.
Enroll them in Your Loyalty Rewards Program
With extreme competition among dispensaries, it’s important to focus on retention. Building brand dispensary loyalty can start with enacting a rewards program that offers incentives to customers.
You can set up your rewards program structure in different ways ” by how much money is spent or by shopping frequency ” and reward customers with points to redeem during future visits.
Not only do dispensary loyalty programs encourage repeat sales, but they can bring in new customers by word-of-mouth referrals.
Don’t forget to send a welcome text after a customer signs up for the program (and, of course, agrees to communications from your company). Then, send rewards updates after each order noting the amount received, and congratulations when they reach purchase milestones, explaining how points can be redeemed.
Be a Medical Professional
As with any business, especially those geared toward medical consumers, always keep your audience in mind. Customers who frequent medical dispensaries can be older or people with serious medical conditions, so your SMS marketing messages should be clear, concise, and professional. That means no suggestive emojis or offensive language.
Most importantly, only text when there is an important update to share. If a customer feels like they are being inundated with spam messages, they are likely to opt-out of your SMS messaging service.
