Customer engagement is at the core of building a client base and maximising sales. In Canada’s restrictive cannabis retailer space, store owners and managers must be creative with cannabis data to develop a robust customer engagement strategy. All in efforts to stay compliant with the regulations governing cannabis sales.
Once you’ve fully familiarised yourself with Canada’s cannabis marketing requirements, you can develop your unique engagement strategy and test it across various channels. TechPOS provides multiple integrations designed to help you improve customer engagement and leverage it for increased sales.
Tools and Tactics to Increase Cannabis Customer Engagement
There are countless ways to reach and engage with consumers to market products. TechPOS provides multiple integration options (with more added all the time), making it easier to gather critical cannabis data while maintaining compliant outreach and engagement.
Experiment with these options as part of your engagement strategy:
Email Marketing
Email marketing can be one of your best ways of increasing customer engagement. You can capture a customer’s email address with their consent and specify what types of emails they’re opting into. According to email marketers, emails open the door for targeted sales based on new products, previously purchased items, or products complementary to your customer’s unique purchasing habits.
Since nearly eight in 10 consumers believe email is the best way to communicate with a company, email can create significant engagement, particularly if you have one or more budtenders who monitor return emails and are ready to answer questions or make recommendations.
SMS Marketing
SMS can be one of your strongest options for customer engagement. Notify consumers of new products or special events. Or why not send time-sensitive coupons redeemable in-store or online via a code with a customer number and appropriate ID.
As with email addresses, cell numbers must be obtained with customer knowledge and consent. They must opt into any marketing campaign. Be aware that SMS spam regulation in Canada is rigorous, and penalties for sending unwanted SMS messages can range into millions of dollars.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are a great way to use cannabis data to increase customer engagement and increase sales. You can offer a loyalty card or other mode of tracking customer spending. Plus, customers can also redeem award points for vouchers or products.
Be sure to comply with Canadian regulations surrounding loyalty programs; these typically focus on how and when points expire and what value of products can be purchased with them.
Online eCommerce
Many Canadian cannabis users prefer to shop online, then pick up their products in person or have them delivered discreetly to their homes. TechPOS offers integrations with multiple click-and-collect or delivery options, including Leafly, Buddi, and Dutchie.
You can run surveys on your online store to encourage customer engagement and feedback. All of which is valuable cannabis data. A simple question with a single-click answer is best. A tried and true option is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which simply asks, “On a scale of one to five, how likely are your to recommend [name of company] to a friend?”
Memberships
Tech POS’ options for club membership integrations with providers like Alpine IQ make it easy to create exclusive promotions, discounted pricing, special events, and other customer-centric engagement options. Being a club member makes it easier for customers to order products. They can be the first to try new offerings. Plus it gives you a direct line to them for your most lucrative promotions.
Social Media
Rules about cannabis marketing on social media are murky at best. Most retailers find it best to stick to informational over sales content and to check social media platforms’ TOS. It’s also wise to keep apprised of maturing local and federal regulations regarding the promotion of cannabis products to avoid running afoul of restrictions. Encouraging customer engagement via question and answer strategy is your best bet.
Subscription Models
A “[product] of the month” club could be a perfect way to boost customer engagement and sales for your cannabis retail store. So, why not let subscribers have input on what they would like to see regarding order options (staff picks, mood choices, etc.) and have several different tiers.
Returning customers spend, on average, 67 percent more than new ones do, so nurturing existing customers and locking them into a monthly buy with add-ons available is a great way to increase revenues.
Refine Your Approach with Cannabis Data
Use customer demographic information to better direct each engagement channel and target different customer segments. Our Tech POS/Headset integration gives you a real-time data sync. Stay connect to the latest cannabis data, including consumer insights, purchasing behaviour, and retail trends. You can also use our robust reporting function to gain business insights and brand-specific customer data.
Consistency across channels is critical. Make sure your starting point for cannabis marketing is building a cohesive and highly visual brand. TechPOS is your all-in-one cannabis sales and marketing solution. Contact us for more information today.
