In 2020, Florida ranked third among the most active cannabis markets in the United States – and that’s with a fledgling medical marijuana system that’s less than five years old. With sales that reached a staggering $1.3 billion, Florida proved that it’s a land rich in opportunity for new and potential cannabusiness owners. 

The only two states that were able to beat Florida’s billion-dollar cannabis sales were Colorado and California. Interestingly, both of these states have recreational adult-use cannabis and medical cannabis markets that have been around since the 1990s. This means that even though the Sunshine State is a new arrival to the world of medicinal cannabis, it’s already holding its own with states that have been there for decades.

If you’re an enthusiastic cannabis consumer, then this news is something certainly worth smiling about. But for dispensaries in FL, it represents something even better: an exciting future with virtually unlimited potential for growth, expansion, and success.

The future of the Florida cannabis market

It’s clear that when it comes to cannabis, business is booming in Florida – but what does the future look like?

A February 2021 publication from Leafly and Whitney Economics stated that dispensaries in Florida were serving more than 485,000 medical marijuana patients across the state. According to this same cannabis market report, with a population of almost 22 million people, the state could easily double the market if and when recreational adult use is legalized. Florida is the nation’s largest medical cannabis market (by sales).

Right now, medical marijuana treatment centers have vertically integrated licenses that allow them to construct oversized footprints. Unlike other states, there aren’t limitations that put a cap on production for each license holder. Rather, it seems that the state aims to give dispensaries the ability to properly prepare for future adult-use legalization. 

This is all great news for dispensaries, right? While the obvious answer is yes, there’s more to it than that. As the state marijuana market experiences a meteoric rise, so does the intensity of the competition to secure new patients. All around Florida, dispensaries are doing everything they can to capitalize on the influx of new medical cannabis patients. And once adult-use marijuana is legalized, things will only heat up even more. As a result, a smart marketing strategy has never been more critical.

If you’re a Florida dispensary owner, ask yourself this: what are you doing to stand out from the crowd and expand your patient base? New patients are registering every day, and adult-use could be on the ballot as early as 2022. Are you ready with the savvy strategies you need to establish yourself in our fast-paced market?

Here at Marijuana Marketing Xperts, we have the expertise and skill necessary to navigate the complex and competitive markets within the cannabis industry. We’ve rounded up our top tips for cannabis marketing for FL dispensary owners, giving you a go-to guide for distinguishing yourself from your competitors in all the right ways. With this resource in hand, you can start implementing practical, effective ideas and learn how to market your dispensary for success today, tomorrow, and beyond.

How to Market Your Dispensary 

If you’re ready to connect with new patients for your medical marijuana dispensary and see your business bloom, here are our top tips for standing out in the Sunshine State.

1. Build an excellent website that keeps best practices in mind.

No matter what industry you’re in, having a website has become a non-negotiable. We live in a digital world, and your future patients are probably surfing the web right this moment. But if you don’t have a website ready and waiting, they’ll coast right on by and end up catching a wave to another dispensary instead. 

We’re the first to admit that web design for dispensaries can get very complicated, very quickly. Of course, having a basic website that functions as an online placeholder is (usually) better than having nothing at all. However, making the most of web design to create a site that appeals to both new and existing customers can be tricky.

Medical marijuana patients in Florida are diverse, covering a broad range of ages, backgrounds, education levels, income levels, and more. You need to find your target audience, then set up a specifically designed site to connect with their wants and needs. Your dispensary’s website is your chance to make a good first impression, draw new patients to your business, and establish your brand as one to trust – no pressure, right?

Generally, cannabis web design is something you’ll want to tackle with the help of a professional. But in the meantime, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Your website should be mobile-friendly because more people than ever are relying on their smartphones and other mobile devices for Internet browsing.
• Both form and function are key, so be sure to avoid sacrificing either one in favor of the other.
• Make sure customers can actually find you by making your location and contact information clear and easy to locate on the site.
• Create interesting and informative content that shows off your expertise so that users can see that you clearly know your way around the cannabis industry.
  

2. Get an SEO specialist on your side.

Unfortunately, most major online platforms, including Facebook, Bing, and Google, don’t allow marijuana advertising. That means that dispensaries can’t utilize boosted posts, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and other common digital marketing tools.

That being said, with a little creativity – and a lot of SEO expertise – you can still advertise your dispensary online. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the “behind the scenes” magic that will get you noticed by the right users at the right time (and in the right place!). Using organic SEO, you can drive online traffic through your digital door. Your dispensary will start showing up on Google’s search engine result pages, matching you with the people who are looking for what you have to offer. From there, you’ll see an increase in actual foot traffic in your dispensary, which will then lead to increased sales and higher profits.

But how do you optimize SEO for a dispensary? It’s actually a unique science that requires some serious skill, which is why SEO specialist is one of the most in-demand job titles out there. You can bet that your biggest competitors are working with an SEO team already, which means that there’s no time to waste.

3. Have an active social media presence.

Social networking has changed the way we advertise online, opening up a whole new world of opportunity for marketing. And even though marijuana dispensaries can’t necessarily join in on mainstream advertising options, there are still plenty of ways to make social media work for your business. 

Billions of users log on to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and other platforms every day. Stats from the World Economic Forum show that millennials spend about 2.5 hours every day logged into their social sites, while Gen Z is active for nearly 3 hours daily. When you consider the numbers, it’s easy to see that you’re seriously selling yourself short if you don’t have a dispensary social media presence. With high-quality content tailored to your audience’s interests, you can expand your brand personality, reach new users, and strengthen relationships with your current customers.

4. Tap into the potential of Device ID targeting.

New advancements in technology are paving the way for a new kind of marketing, one that can hone in on the people that are best suited to your business. This is a win-win for businesses and consumers alike. It helps bridge the gap between people who can benefit from a certain product or service and the company that can successfully provide it.

With Device ID targeting, you’ll be able to deliver tailored advertising to certain mobile device users when they’re in a particular place during a specific window of time. Picture this: a customer that frequently shops at your dispensary on Friday afternoons receives a promotion for 10% off one of your top-selling edibles when they arrive at their home location on Thursday evening at 5pm. The coupon convinces them to find the time to visit your dispensary the next day, where they end up spending more than usual thanks to their new interest in medical marijuana edibles. 

Device ID targeting might sound like something out of a sci-fi film, but it’s a very real marketing tool that can have a measurable impact on your success.

Move to the Top of the Market with Help from MMX

Marijuana Marketing Xperts is a digital marketing agency specifically dedicated to cannabusiness clients, giving us a unique perspective on what works in the cannabis industry – and what doesn’t. We understand Florida’s medical marijuana market (and its potential adult-use future) as no other marketing team can. 

Unlike a generic agency, we can offer our clients the unique advantage of our cannabis programmatic advertising network and the ability to reach niche audiences no matter where their dispensary is located. MMX has partnered with dispensaries and cannabis brands across the nation, providing strategic support to help them achieve their big and small goals. It’s one thing to come up with marketing ideas for dispensaries; it’s something else entirely actually to implement them effectively and in compliance with legal regulations. 

In the Sunshine State, the conditions are right for your cannabusiness to flourish. But first, you’ll need to be prepared with a dispensary marketing strategy that will give you a leg up in the industry. 

For more information about how Marijuana Marketing Xperts can create a customized strategy for your Florida dispensary, contact our team today.

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