Is Your Cannabis Brand Ready For National Expansion?
There is no denying the power that nationally known brands have, but there’s something to be said for the underdog; or in this case, smaller cannabis brands. Of course outside of a bigger budget, what sets nationally known brands apart from the little guy is having a large marketing team and stellar understanding of their brand strategy. However, the same can be achieved even on a smaller scale. What prepares small budding cannabis entrepreneurs for the eventual (and more importantly inevitable) national expansion of cannabis brands is focusing on how you want your customers to feel when purchasing from you rather than your competitors.
Can You Sell A Cannabis Experience?
Nationally known brands do one thing really well. Which is to zoom in on what they want their end user to feel. They are solving a pain point and while playing
into the psychological side of emotions. For example, I have a Starbucks and a Dunkin’ Donuts right near my house. Outside of the quality of coffee, the reason I would choose Starbucks over Dunkin’ is the feeling it gives me. Starbucks makes me feel like I’m splurging; it’s a treat. The reason why is the feeling of luxury it provides. Starbucks is selling comparable products, but with a more consistent positive customer experience, more consistent quality of product and honestly, only minimal price difference but enough to feel like I’m doing something nice for myself. The elevated experience is drilled down to the atmosphere, the brand colors, the cozy home-away-from-home feeling they so carefully crafted. Starbucks creates the “treat yourself” moment that Dunkin’ doesn’t focus on. Instead, Dunkin’ focuses on providing you the quick fix their customers need - and run on.
How To Make Customers Care
The cannabis industry can and will begin to feel like competition is narrowing in once it becomes federally legal and allows for the expansion of brands into multiple states. Based on customer sentiment, the cannabis industry has been known for focusing on marketing products rather than a feeling. “In fact, a 2021 Brightfield report found 65% of California consumers and 62% of Colorado consumers agree cannabis brands don’t matter to them, and they buy based on what the product has to offer. It gets more difficult for consumers to rationalize buying a specific brand’s product versus another when everything seems the same” (Scanlon, 2022). The best way to navigate beyond that is by tapping into the emotional side of your consumers. How do you want to make them feel?
Determining how to position your cannabis brand through emotions is going to be directly tied into your brand strategy. Creating a luxury experience versus a quick-service experience is the precise way to start exploring what your cannabis brand can offer. The way you can do this is through packaging, customer experience and atmosphere; tying everything together through emotions. Gone are the days of focusing solely on the products. Now you are not only encouraged but forced to deliver on emotions, lest you be left behind nationally.
Resources:
Scanlon, Madeline. What’s In A National Cannabis Brand? Cannabis Business Times. 2022, January 10. https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/sales-trends-national-cannabis-branding/
