Welcome to High On Marketing - A weekly newsletter where I show you how to strengthen your email marketing strategy for your cannabis brand. Learn how to nurture your audience, increase retention rates, and sell more weed.

⚡Quick Tip⚡

Today’s Email:

• Why I Do What I Do

My best friend died in 2016.

On 4/20 to be exact.

At just 22, he became another victim of the horrific opioid epidemic.

• 60,000,000 people struggle with opioid addiction globally.

• More than 100,000 die each year of opioid overdose.

  (Source: thelancet.com)

And it’s not just opioids either…

48.5 million Americans (aged 12 and over) battled a substance use disorder in the past year.

Think about that number for a second…

• Pharmaceutical companies get people addicted to their products.

• Alcohol manufacturers get people addicted to their products.

And for the first time in history, professional cannabis growers and retailers can give people an alternative to the addictive, harmful products that have been burned into their psyche for decades.

This is where my passion lies in cannabis

I too have had my fair share of substance abuse disorders…

This December will mark 10 years since I stuck a needle in my arm or smoked anything cut with baking soda (IYKYK).

Along with the hard drugs, I struggled with alcohol abuse in my mid-20’s as well.

All that being said, I can confidently say that I experience ZERO cravings/desires/need to indulge in any of the aforementioned, deadly substances.

And I have cannabis (in part) to thank for that.

All the years that I was abusing drugs, I was always looking for MORE.

Stronger dope, more reliable dealers, “cleaner” drugs (fun fact: There’s no such thing as “clean” her*in - it’s ALL dirty😆)

In the end, they all do the same thing: Kill you.

You're always chasing that first high - always trying to replicate the experience of the first time you shot ⬆️ or smoked/sniffed/drank whatever substance you chose.

Guess what - you can’t, and before you know it, you’re a full blown addict.

And if there’s a hill that I will die on, it’s this:

Cannabis presents a groundbreaking opportunity to profoundly alter the addiction landscape on a global scale.

And your little dispo can help.

Question: How has public opinion changed throughout history when certain groups of people or specific industries have been alienated or treated unfairly?

Answer: Campaigning.

When a group, or class of people are being stripped of their rights, members of those groups and their allies Take to the Streets (figuratively and literally).

And that’s what’s happening in the cannabis industry.

1. Public perception around cannabis is more positive now than in anytime in modern history.

2. Younger generations are more health conscious and are consuming less alcohol than ever before.

Cannabis is the obvious choice for a lot of people that want to release their stress in a healthier way.

And that’s just the people that use it recreationally…

A lot of people (myself included) have managed to reduce, or stop prescription medication for mild to moderate mental health conditions.

I was on a couple medications for anxiety disorders before getting my med card and have been off all prescriptions for several years now.

My dad used high THC products after both his knee replacements to help manage the pain, and ended up having pain meds left over at the end.

My point is…

I firmly believe that cannabis can reshape the landscape of addiction and mental health.

I don’t think it’s a magic cure, but I think it can do a lot of good for a lot of people. And stigmas and biases are preventing a lot of people from experiencing it themselves.

Here’s how we change it…

In a word: Influence

There are plenty of influential brands and figures in the canna-space. But it’s just that… They’re influential in the CANNA-space (and only the canna-space).

The ones that are known outside of the industry are the ones that are giving something back to their communities and creating emotional connections with the people.

Farmer and the Felon is a grower that focuses on social equity, using their platform to support restorative justice, helping those who have been negatively impacted by cannabis laws.

Bloom Farms addresses food insecurity by donating a meal for every product sold, having provided over three million meals since 2015.

CANN promotes diversity and inclusion within the cannabis industry, actively supporting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, and making their products and marketing efforts reflect these values.

These brands are changing people’s opinions on cannabis, and cannabis businesses.

Maybe someone that hates weed also has a LGBTQIA+ child and they see a company like CANN being fully inclusive and accepting people with similar lifestyles.

Maybe an anti-pot local business owner sees a cannabis dispensary giving back to the less fortunate and providing meals like Bloom does, and they think: “Maybe this marijuana stuff isn’t just for criminals and thugs🤔"

✨✨THAT my friends, is what we WANT!!✨✨

That first little nudge towards marijuana advocacy is the most important part. After that, it’s like a domino effect.

Remember how I mentioned my dad and his love for high THC carts for his knee pain?

That man was the most anti-cannabis person I knew growing up. He thought it was the devil. A narcotic. A life-ruiner.

Now I pick him up a cart or 2 every week from the dispo.

“I’ve been lied to all my life about this stuff” - My dad c. 2022.

This is exactly why I wanted to get into the cannabis writing field.

As weird as it may sound, helping cannabis brands grow and nurture their customer base through email marketing is how I feel I can best help reach my ultimate goal of living in a world where addiction is not wiping out entire generations. Where cannabis is accepted and seen as legitimate treatment for a litany of mental and physical chronic illnesses.

They try to silence us on social media, so we TAKE TO THE STREETS!

In this case, the “streets” are email service providers!

You can create an entire identity and community between you and your customers through email marketing.

Obviously, your actions and business practices need to reflect what your marketing says, but if you’re in the cannabis industry to conduct shady business, kindly leave🫶

For the rest of yous, thanks for reading!

If you own a cannabis brand and want me to show you just how much you’re missing out on with your email strategy, dm me on LinkedIn. I can definitely give you a few pointers!

Happy Influencing!

Steve

When You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help You…

Click HERE to download the High On Marketing Evergreen Templates - 50 pre-written emails tailored for cannabis brands to educate, engage, and encourage action from your audience

Stay on top-of-mind while building a well-informed, loyal customer base.

Get your templates today and have the next 6 months of canna content covered!

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