There is little question that the cannabis or CBD industry is growing by leaps and bounds over the past several years. Consumer sales of cannabis products such as CBD oil is reaching $1 billion and the projections for 2019 and beyond are even stronger. With so much money being poured into the industry, CBD company marketing has become far more challenging.
The big question is how do you create an effective marketing strategy if you are on a budget? For those who have considerable resources, the answer is usually hiring a consultant or firm that helps you get ahead. But what if you do not have such resources? It should be comforting to know that even the best can rise from virtually nothing to become the stars in the industry. All it takes is hard work, a willingness to learn, and take risks to establish yourself in the field.
What follows are a few tips that will help you get started and provide some guidelines for you to succeed. Remember that you should do the research necessary to become an authority in your field. For this type of marketing, that means keeping up with CBD company news, stories, and the like. The tools are there, all you need to do is use them the right way to find success.
Focus on a Small Niche
Basically, you need to start with a single product or line of related products within a niche. Coming out the gate to try and compete with the big boys of the industry is just a waste of time. Instead, you should focus your efforts into a small niche that can establish you as an authority. From there, you can expand into other areas.
But first, you need to find a niche that is small enough for you to do well. And expandable into other areas once you are established. This will take a little research, but it is well worth the effort.
Leads & Emails
A basic method of marketing online is to create a list of subscribers by using a landing page. You can also use opt-in forms if you like as well. Your initial marketing efforts should be to create a customer base by offering incentives that keeps people interested in what you are providing. In this manner, CBD marketing is just like other forms of marketing across the internet. You need to create a landing page and offer an incentive so that people join your email list.
The more you grow your list of leads, the greater your sales will be. Remember to not go overboard and instead use small incentives that can add up to more customers over time.
Networking Online
Effective CBD company marketing must have a strong online presence if you want to succeed. This means networking is a must, so you will have to get to know those in the industry. Whether you are selling CBD oil or related product, it pays to share your content, make friends within the field, and engage with those whom you stand to benefit.
Keep in mind that there is a fine line between engaging and becoming a pest. If you are going to speak out often, then you will need to have something of worth for them to respond. This is where establishing a niche within the industry can pay off. By focusing your efforts on one aspect, such as the product you sell or the audience you have created, then you have something of value that your peers can use.
Create Good Content
Not enough can be stated about the importance of having excellent content on your website. This means posts about the latest CBD news. Changes to local, state, or federal laws regarding CBD. And providing new or little-known uses for the product that you are offering. The content need not be extensive. But it does need to be clear, accurate, and posted regularly to build up an audience.
You can further your impact by posting more involved materials such as “how-to” guides and the like. The more you can post about interesting subjects within your niche and industry, the larger your audience will be.
Guest Posts
You do not want to be just a one-man or one-woman band, you’ll want to bring in guests as well to post interesting material. In essence, you want to expand your website by broadening the number of people who contribute. This turns your site into a resource that will draw even more interest for those who are looking for information or products that you offer.
This means seeking out others in your industry who are online and willing to guest post. You should return the offer and do the same for them. This allows you to mingle with the customers on the other site and make a favorable impression. But more importantly it enhances your site and makes it more of a must-read for your customer base.
It goes without saying that social media sites are a must if you want to expand your business. However, if you had to choose just one Instagram would be the choice. While not as large as Facebook, at 400 million daily users and counting, Instagram is the hottest of all social media sites and it’s only growing. You can take pictures and add valuable content to those who subscribe to your Instagram account.
The easy way is to include Instagram when you add new content to your website or blog. Simply toss in a good picture and caption that explains what it is about, so they can click on the link. You can also add good content directly to Instagram as well. If you want more than just Instagram, add Facebook for longer posts, Twitter for notices, and perhaps LinkedIn to communicate better with those in your industry.
In the end, those who can understand and implement effective CBD company marketing strategies will stand out in what is becoming a crowded field. This means for entrepreneurs who want to cash in with products such as CBD oil, knowing how to reach the market and separate yourself from the competition will be paramount to your success.
