Note: This article was originally published on LinkedIn and can be accessed via this link.

If you want to communicate with consumers compliantly, try a classic channel: email marketing. According to Omnisend, email marketing produces a 108% ROI. Due to the reach and email opening frequency, Litmus broke it down to a whopping $36 return on every $1 spent on email marketing efforts.

Why? Businesses love this channel for stability, control, and affordability. There are a few specific reasons why customers prefer email. For one, customers are more likely to trust personalized email outreach because, like text messaging, they have to consent to the communication. When you think about the sheer numbers alone, there’s vast potential to reach 4 billion daily email users.

Plus, emails are a private and direct channel between the brand and the consumer. Not to mention, they don’t feel as targeted as paid ads. Respecting your customers’ privacy and reaching out at appropriate times is critical to running a good email strategy. Let’s dive into the basics of email marketing and how your dispensary can see campaign results.

Steps To Better Emails

1. Request customer email addresses.

2. Don’t mislead; make it easy to unsubscribe.

3. Segment your email list recipients.

4. Optimize your emails for mobile viewing.

5. Keep them short, branded, & interactive.

6. ALWAYS include a CTA link to your website.

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Step 1: Gather email contacts from customers, both online and off.

The obvious first step will be to gather the contact information in a way that feels organic. Use all the resources at your disposal. Consider adding an email option to your e-commerce menu where users can opt-in for dispensary emails after placing an order. You can also offer a first-time discount incentive for customers who join. If frequent users want to know about regular sales, encourage them to opt-in to your email list for the latest dispensary news. The sooner you build your list, the sooner you can start crafting your email campaigns.

Step 2: Write honest, attention-grabbing subject lines.

You may have personally received spammy emails that don’t correlate with the content of the email. We don’t advise following this practice. Customers are more inclined to open trustworthy emails with gripping subject lines about fresh flower drops or pre-roll discounts. Follow regulatory guidance and avoid showing consumption claims and emojis that appeal to minors.

Step 3: Segment your email list by customer shopping frequency.

Your customer might unsubscribe if they only shopped at your dispensary once, and you’ve been emailing them weekly ever since. To reduce the possibility of over-communicating with less frequent customers, break up your list into infrequent, semi-frequent, and loyal customers. That way, you can determine how often to reach out and which emails are relevant to them.

Step 4: Ensure that your email content is mobile-friendly.

Of the 91% of people that check their email daily, 60% check it from their cell phone. According to TrueList, 70% of people will delete emails that don’t appear correctly on their phones. That’s why it’s essential to verify that any branded graphics you use format appropriately on mobile-sized devices. Sending yourself a sample email of your final asset is always wise to confirm that it looks just as compelling on a cell phone.

Step 5: The professionals advise short, on-brand, & interactive emails.

Marketing professionals have spent years of resources A/B testing various lengths of email copywriting and visual graphics to discover what appeals best to the masses. Not surprisingly, most audiences want short, snappy emails that get to the point. According to the popular CRM HubSpot, scannable emails provide better metrics: “Data suggests the ideal length of an email is between 50 and 125 words. Emails this length had a response rate above 50%. A similar study found emails with approximately 20 lines of text, or about 200 words, had the highest clickthrough rates. When in doubt, keep emails short and under 200 words.” Along with length, you should consider using GIFs, active forms, surveys, or video content in your emails. Businesses report higher engagement with interactive emails. So, get creative!

Step 6: There’s one step you can’t skip–adding the CTA to your email.

CTA stands for “call to action” because it’s the final step to take your user from awareness to action. So, what outcome do you want from your email campaign? Do you want the user to follow your link and shop online? Do you want them to attend your brand pop-up? Do you want them to vote for you as the best local dispensary in a cannabis magazine? Whatever you want, just ask! Here are some types of dispensary emails you can explore. While you do, think about the corresponding action.

Ready to get started? Here are some email ideas to get your email strategy rolling:

1. Welcome new customers

2. Educate your community

3. Share news and updates with a newsletter

4. Promote deals and events0

5. Amplify new product drops

6. Send replenishment reminders

7. Share business or regulatory updates

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1. Welcome new customers

Thank your new customers for joining your dispensary community. You’re building your future relationship by establishing what brands and products you sell and why your dispensary is unique.

2. Educate your community

The most significant barrier for new users is that they’re often scared to consume new types of cannabis for fear of anything being too strong. You can combat this fear by offering educational blogs or articles on consumption types, product types, reactions, expected effects, and more. Help normalize cannabis by making your audience feel comfortable consuming. You can also inform them of your state laws (including where and when they can consume).

3. Share news and updates with a newsletter

Enhance your brand by creating a dispensary newsletter with some personality. Who do you want to portray consistently? What values do you stand for? What is your dispensary doing that’s newsworthy enough to share regularly? Can you pepper in some excitement for sales or events to come? Newsletters are the perfect way to gently remind customers you’re here for them without constantly pushing sales. Provide customers updated information about the latest strains, events, and announcements.

4. Promote deals and events

Anytime you’re preparing for a surge of traffic (420, Green Wednesday, Christmas, local cannabis events, etc.), you should send an email to get your followers excited. Are you planning to run huge discounts? Shoot that email blast with a loud and clear subject line. Do you want everyone to come to your booth for free swag? Announce where and when so they don’t miss out! Boost your email open rate and build stronger connections by referencing deals, discounts, rewards, and loyalty points.

5. Amplify new product drops

If you just started selling a new brand, give them a leg up by announcing their product line to your most frequent customers via email. Feature their product with a blurb inciting the product’s value. Similarly, if you have a best-selling brand that just dropped a new product or strain, highlight that in an email to loyal users. Watch these simple moves drive sales!

6. Send replenishment reminders

Remind customers to re-up their favorite products. Send them a personalized email stating that it’s been a month since they bought their regular gummies. Medical patients will be especially grateful for this reminder. If the customer has rewards to use, Spendr can help!

7. Share business or regulatory updates

Are your store hours changing for a holiday? Let your customers know with an email! The loyal consumers will love the head’s up! You should also take the typical steps of making a physical sign and updating your hours on Google, but an email is always a nice touch. For compliance, you should also send out regulatory updates so shoppers can enjoy shopping at your dispensary without issues. If the medical requirements change, inform your segmented MED email list immediately. Rest assured–email marketing still gets clicks!

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Still struggling to grow your dispensary with marketing? You're not alone.

Spendr can help make dispensary marketing easier. We send retention messages automatically, ensuring customers stay engaged. We also incentivize users with our rewards platform and get your dispensary deals in front of your customer community. Click here to see how we can help you grow!

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Consult your state's up-to-date regulations for more.