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Email marketing is an effective way for businesses to promote their cannabis and CBD products, however many brands make the same critical mistake when starting their email strategy.
You do a quick Google search for popular email marketing platforms and choose the one at the top of the page. Big mistake! So what’s the deal, they’re all the same right?
We wish marijuana email marketing was that simple. The truth is many platforms are not CBD or cannabis friendly and will restrict you from doing or promoting certain things, leaving you high and dry (pun intended).
That’s why you need to choose a cannabis email marketing platform.
But don't worry, we've done the legwork for you. In this guide, we'll show you the best email marketing platforms that won't leave your cannabis or CBD business in a haze.
And no, we're not pushing any affiliate links here – just pure, unbiased recommendations based on our hands-on experience.
1. Klaviyo
Klaviyo, in our opinion, is the king of email marketing platforms in 2024, and not just for cannabis brands. With over 100,000 e-commerce brands from many different industries using the platform, they are dominating!
Currently, we use Klaviyo for all our cannabis clients as email flows are quick to build, and conditional logic means you can use data to divert lead traffic to the most relevant email content. The interface to build flows is also easy to use, especially for beginners.
Creating a campaign in Klaviyo is time-effective thanks to drag-and-drop universal modules that you can pre-save. It's not buggy or jumpy as many other email platform campaign builders can be. Designing and sending a campaign can be done in as little as 45 minutes if you have your content planned.
It also allows businesses to segment their email list based on subscriber behavior and data, which can help businesses target their promotions to the right audience.
And if you don’t know how to do this you can head over to the Klaviyo Academy to watch instructional videos on how to use the platform
The biggest drawback is if you plan on collecting reviews using Klaviyo due to the fact this module is an additional cost. However, having reviews and emails on one platform can be an advantage. You have to decide what's more important to you.
Klaviyo allows both cannabis and CBD businesses to promote their products with email as long as the products are legal in the state where the business is located.
Additionally, Klaviyo requires businesses to comply with all state and federal laws regarding the sale and marketing of cannabis and CBD products.
Pros:
- Can integrate with all of the other major platforms
- Advanced list segmentation and automation
- Designed specifically for e-commerce
- Easy-to-use interface and builder
Cons:
- Customer support can be slow
- No ability to build lead-generation landing pages
- Standard reporting is subpar
- Reviews are an additional cost
Pricing:
Klaviyo provides a free plan which makes it great if you’re just starting to use the platform. Pricing on paid plans is affordable starting at $20/ m with 5,000 email credits to 500 active profiles. Great for small brands.
However, you have to be smart when moving into larger plans. Klaviyo’s pricing is based on active profiles and so will push you to select a plan based on your list size.
Pro Tip: Do not select the package Klaviyo recommends, instead choose the package that more closely matches the average number of emails you send monthly based on your most active audience segment.
2. Sendlane
Sendlane is the new kid on the block but is already creating trouble on the playground for the big boys. The good news is that Sendlane is cannabis and CBD friendly too.
Similar to Klaviyo you can create email flows inside Sendlane based on different triggers. They cover all the basics like Abandon Cart and Checkout and from what we’ve seen are not missing anything.
There are pre-built templates for you to use when creating campaigns and the campaign builder is ok, although we prefer Klaviyo’s campaign builder.
The feature we enjoy the most is the machine learning that is deployed to better understand customer habits to retarget shoppers with emails specific to the individual.
When you go to their website the mission statement is “Unified email, SMS, and reviews for eCommerce. Better features. Better support. Better customer experience” and for us, the emphasis is on “Better Support”.
Sendlane provides you with dedicated customer support which is very useful if you’re new to email marketing or Sendlane’s features. Having a direct point of contact via Slack can help resolve problems very quickly.
But the feature, if you can call it that, we like the most is the included Academy Pro Bundle which has 50+ video course modules that’ll teach you everything you need to know about email marketing basics.
Similar to the Klaviyo Academy its focus is more on marketing principles to train your team on effective email marketing strategies not just platform features.
Pros:
- Dedicated customer support
- High deliverability rates
- Custom event triggers
- Video education
- Reviews are included
Cons:
- Customizing email templates can be tricky
- No free entry pricing plan
- Limited integrations
- The email builder is outdated
- List segmentation can be confusing
Pricing:
Unlike Klaviyo, Sendlane does not offer a free plan but starts at $600/ m with 500,000 email credits. This can be annoying if you’re not sending enough emails every month to use them all. It’s overkill and you’re paying for something you don’t need.
3. Alpine IQ
Alpine IQ is a dedicated cannabis platform that includes email marketing, inventory planning, loyalty programs, data analytics from first and third-party sources, retail sales tracking, and integration with your offline dispensary store systems.
They are a true cannabis-centric platform! Sounds great, what's the catch?
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none”? When you try and do everything, instead of being great, you end up being just good and that was our experience with Alpine IQ.
The email marketing capabilities could be better and more robust like Klaviyo’s or Sendlane. You can create basic email funnels however the conditional logic to split flows based on profile data is not as capable as Klaviyo. The email builder is also very chunky which is frustrating to use.
The result is email designs that look like they were made in 2010. Not very appealing.
The biggest advantage of Alpine IQ is its ability to manage inventory if you’re a cannabis dispensary and integrate with your point of sales in-store.
Pros:
- Data analytics and reporting
- Fast customer service
- Audience segmentation across online and offline
Cons:
- Poor email marketing capabilities
- Steep learning curve
- Limited third-party integrations
Pricing:
Alpine IQ does not have set pricing available on their website. All packages are custom-built with their sales teams. This means it's not a viable option for small cannabis businesses that primarily need email marketing. If you’re looking for an enterprise solution, Alpine IQ might be for you.
4. Mailchimp
Mailchimp's acceptable use policy prohibits promoting any "illegal, harmful, or offensive products or services." While cannabis and CBD are legal in some states and countries, they're still classified as illegal at the federal level in the United States.
As a result, Mailchimp has a policy against promoting cannabis and CBD products. However, Mailchimp does allow certain types of content related to these products. According to their policy:
"Mailchimp allows content related to cannabis and CBD as long as it is not promoting the sale or use of illegal or harmful products, and the content complies with all applicable laws and regulations."
This means that if you're a cannabis or CBD business, you can still use Mailchimp to send newsletters, updates, and other content related to your products.
However, you can't use Mailchimp to promote the sale or use of illegal or harmful products, such as marijuana, that are not legal for medical or recreational use in your state or country. Which means it’s a no-go for cannabis e-commerce brands.
Overall, Mailchimp is an ok option for cannabis and CBD businesses that want to send educational content to their subscribers, although it’s not a platform we’d recommend.
Pros:
- It’s an easy-to-use, clean interface
- Integrations with almost every platform
- The new email builder is very good
- Solid marketing automation
Cons:
- Poor list management and segmentation
- Customer support is terrible
- Email templates are very basic
- Signup forms are confusing
Pricing:
Mailchimp offers a free trial for 1 month before moving to $20/ m for the smallest package which allows you to send 6,000 emails to 500 contacts. Mailchimps pricing is based on a model similar to Klaviyo's.
However, if you want to send transactional emails, there will be an additional cost.
5. Moosend
Moosend is THC and CBD-friendly and can be used for cannabis and CBD email marketing.
The platform comes with all the standard features such as campaigns, templates, and growth tools like a landing page builder. The template library is large with many options to choose from and emails are easy enough to build.
Just like Klaviyo and Sendlane, you can build email funnels they call a “recipe” for triggers such as abandon cart and post-purchase. However, we found the ability to segment these funnels not as comprehensive as Klaviyo’s flows.
Overall it's a decent email marketing platform to use if you use WooCommerce or Magento. Moosend does not integrate with Shopify which makes this its biggest drawback. However, on the bright side, you can send unlimited monthly emails to your subscribers.
Dedicated IP addresses are only available on Moosend+ plan which leads us to question their email deliverability. Having access to dedicated domains and IPs is very important if you want reassurance that your emails will not go to spam.
Pros:
- Easy to use for beginners
- Unlimited email sends
- Lead capture forms are outdated
- Insightful reporting
Cons:
- No Shopify integration
- Automated triggers limited
- Too simple for advanced users
- Support is limited to live chat
Pricing:
Moosend offers a free trial for 30 days before you have to upgrade to their minimum paid plan of $7/ m for 500 contacts. Even with a larger list of 100,000+ it is still very affordable at $499/ m.
However advanced features like transactional emails and dedicated IPs, which come standard with Klaviyo, are only available on their Custom and Enterprise plans.
6. Omnisend
Omnisend is a capable email marketing platform for e-commerce brands and is confirmed to be cannabis friendly.
Omnisend is a full-featured powerhouse designed to cater to the unique needs of e-commerce businesses, including those in the CBD industry. With its robust email assets and user-friendly interface, Omnisend empowers CBD marketers to create compelling campaigns without getting lost in technical complexities.
However, it's worth noting that while Omnisend excels in many areas, some experienced marketers might find its automation capabilities somewhat limited compared to more advanced platforms.
Nevertheless, for most CBD businesses looking to create effective, compliant email marketing campaigns, Omnisend provides an excellent balance of functionality and ease of use.
Pros:
- Customer support
- Drag and drop email builder
- Clean interface
- Pre-built segments
Cons:
- Weak analytics
- Does not show email conversion rates
- Lack of advanced features
- Can be expensive
Pricing:
Omnisend starts at $16/ m for just 500 contacts and is limited to 6,000 email sends monthly. However, there is also a free plan which is limited to 500 emails per month. The ability to collect customer reviews is included.
If you have a larger list you will have to upgrade, which many users report can be expensive.
Key Takeaway: Klaviyo Is the Best Cannabis Email Marketing Platform
Finding a reliable email service provider is essential for cannabis and CBD businesses looking to promote their products through email marketing.
Several email service providers allow these types of businesses to promote their products as long as they comply with all state and federal laws, however, in our opinion, Klaviyo is the best.
This is not just because it is our preferred platform but also due to its extensive features, easy-to-use interface, robust campaign builder, and detailed email flows.
Want to take your cannabis or CBD business to the next level with effective email marketing? Our expert team has years of experience in SEO, content marketing, email marketing, and data analysis.
We're ready to help you reach new customers and grow your business. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our services.
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