Top Marijuana Email Marketing Strategies for 2024

2024 has been a crazy year for email marketing with many email providers like Gmail and Yahoo rolling out new email deliverability changes that have also affected marijuana email marketing strategies.

In an increasingly competitive cannabis industry, effective email campaigns will have an impact on your customer engagement and retention. As regulations evolve and consumer preferences shift, staying ahead of the curve in your digital marketing efforts is crucial to grow your cannabis business and maximize ROI.

We will show you the best strategies to elevate your marijuana email marketing game from choosing the right cannabis marketing platform to optimizing email deliverability, crafting engaging content, and creating a campaign calendar using Chat GPT and segmentation techniques.

Choosing the Right Email Platform for Cannabis Marketing

When selecting an email service provider (ESP) for your cannabis business, you need one that is cannabis-friendly and aligns with your marketing needs.

Many have restrictions on promoting cannabis-related products, which can lead to account suspensions and lost opportunities ^[1].

Marijuana Friendly ESPs

To avoid potential setbacks, here are the best email marketing platforms that explicitly allow cannabis marketing:

1. Klaviyo - Supports both CBD and THC content
2. Mailchimp - Has a vague policy on cannabis marketing, so exercise caution
3. ActiveCampaign - Allows CBD content but prohibits THC
4. Moosend - Accepts both CBD and THC content
5. Omnisend - Cannabis-friendly platform

The best marijuana email marketing platform in our opinion, and the one we recommend to our cannabis & CBD clients is Klaviyo. This is due to its easy-to-install automated email flows, intuitive funnel builder, AI-enhanced list segmentation, and similar email campaign design interface.

Pricing Considerations

Email marketing platforms offer various pricing models, ranging from free plans with limited features to enterprise-level solutions.

ESPs, like Klaviyo and Moosend, provide free trials, allowing you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan ^[3].

However, you need to be careful that you're not automatically upgraded to a plan you don't need. Klaviyo has a reputation for placing you in a plan based on the total amount of email profiles in your account, which can get expensive.

If you're following email marketing best practices for delivery and segmentation you will know you should only be sending to the most engaged profile in your account.

This will decrease the amount of emails you send monthly meaning you can use a lower-priced plan based on the number of emails sent rather than the total number of emails in your account.

Building a Compliant Cannabis Email List

Building a compliant email list is crucial for cannabis businesses to effectively market while avoiding legal issues. Obtaining explicit permission from individuals before adding them to your list and using clear, transparent language about the content they will receive is essential ^[6].

You can use a double opt-in process, where subscribers confirm their subscription via email or text, to ensure genuine interest and maintain a clean list, however, it's not mandatory. Doing this will decrease your list growth as adding additional steps will cause subscription drop-offs.

Segmenting your audience based on demographics, preferences, zero-party data or behavior allows for targeted, relevant messaging that increases engagement. Offering opt-in opportunities across various channels, such as your website, social media, in-store, and events, maximizes subscriber potential.

To ensure compliance, verify the age of website visitors to avoid marketing to minors or individuals in areas where cannabis is not legal ^[7]. Communicate your privacy policy and assure subscribers their information will be handled securely.

Regularly clean and update your list to remove inactive or disengaged subscribers, maintaining a healthy, engaged audience.

Crafting Engaging Cannabis Email Content

Personalization techniques, relevancy, and tailoring content based on the audience's preferences, can increase open rates by 26%. Compelling subject lines are also key, with lowercase and concise messaging being more effective.

When designing your emails, prioritize mobile optimization as 53% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Promotional emails should include clear calls to action and create a sense of urgency to encourage purchases ^[7].

However, it's important to strike a balance between promotional and educational content. Aim for a 30:70 split between the two campaign types.

Providing valuable information about cannabis products, industry news, and how-to guides can establish your brand as a trusted resource. Seasonal campaigns, such as holiday promotions BFCM, or 420 celebrations, can also be highly effective in engaging your audience and driving sales.

By implementing these strategies and consistently delivering relevant, engaging content, you can build strong relationships with your email subscribers and achieve higher conversion rates for your cannabis business.

Create a Marijuana Email Campaign Calendar Using ChatGPT

Now that you are using the best ESP and know how to strategies the content for your emails, you need to create an email campaign calendar. This can be very time-consuming when done manually but thankfully we live in the AI age now.

Use these Chat GPT prompts to ideate and create a draft email calendar for your brand.

Copy and paste each prompt into your Chat GPT account and follow the 'How To Use' instructions.

Email Campaign Master Prompt

        
We are [INSERT WEBSITE]. Google us first.

We're trying to understand our audience better, act as a direct-response copywriter/advertiser and give us 7 pain points they might have that they’re trying to solve with our products, 7 desires they want to achieve when buying our products, 7 motivations they have to buy our products and 7 fears or objections they might have against not buying our products. Don't forget to go deep into the real implications people might have. Get emotional if needed.

Then for each of these points, create one email campaign idea.
        
    

How To Use: Fill in the [INSERT WEBSITE] section with your website address.

Prompt 1

        
I'm pasting actual product reviews for [DESCRIBE PRODUCT/BRAND]. Come up with insights on the real reasons why people are buying this.

[PASTE AS MANY REVIEWS AS YOU CAN]
        
    

How To Use: Fill in [DESCRIBE PRODUCT/BRAND] with specific information about your brand or product going into detail about the target audience, main offering, benefits, and features.

You can add more than one product if you want to create an email content calendar for multiple products in your store. Just be sure to list each.

Fill in [PASTE AS MANY REVIEWS AS YOU CAN] with product reviews from your website or sources like Reddit. Make sure to categorize groups of reviews under each different product list.

Prompt 2

        
Use these insights and match them to the 28 campaign ideas previously created and create an email campaign calendar for a whole month. 4 campaigns a week need to be content driven and 3 campaigns per week need to be promotional driven.
        
    

How To Use: Decide how many campaigns you want per week and adjust accordingly. We recommend a 70:30 split between content emails and promotional emails per week.

Prompt 3

        
You are now a direct-response email copywriter who specializes in [DESCRIBE INDUSTRY/BRAND].

I want you to write copy for each of the email ideas in the content calendar using the below framework.

My ideal customer avatar is [DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE].

My product is [DESCRIBE PRODUCT].

Draft copy for my [PRODUCT NAME] using the Before After Bridge framework. All the copy needs to be active and at a 6th-grade reading level.

Before: Present my ideal customer’s current life situation with the problem
The Before section needs to be in the form of a headline that grabs the reader's attention. It can be a maximum of 6 words long. Each headline needs to start with a Verb.

Create 5 different variations of the Before headline to choose from.

Next, create 5 different sub-headings to use below the headline that aggravate the problem and cement the need for a solution in the reader's mind. It can be a maximum of 12 words long.

After: Highlight a state of being with my product

The After section needs to paint a picture in the customer's mind of the ideal state of being as a positive if their problem was solved using my product.

Create 3 completely different variations of the after section for me to choose from. Each variation of After needs to be 50 words long.

Bridge: Show them how to get there with my product
The Bridge section needs to show the ideal customer how to get to this ideal state using my product.

Create 3 completely different variations of the bridge section to choose from. Each variation of the Bridge needs to be 25 words long.

Create 3 different calls to action to use after the bridge to encourage readers to click with a benefit promise related to the product if they do. Each needs to be a maximum of one sentence long.
        
    

How To Use: Fill in [DESCRIBE INDUSTRY/BRAND] with information about the niche or industry your brand and products service.

Fill in the [DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE] with detailed information about who your customers are, demographic data, psychographic information, behavioral data and desired before and after state.

Fill in [DESCRIBE PRODUCT] with as much information about your product including benefits, features and other unique selling points.

Designing Eye-Catching Cannabis Email Templates

When designing cannabis email templates, visual appeal plays a crucial role in capturing your audience's attention. By leveraging the principles of visual hierarchy, you can guide your readers' eyes to the most important elements of your email ^[8].

To create a consistent brand experience, ensure your email templates align with your brand identity. Use consistent color schemes, fonts, and visuals that reflect your brand's personality. Repetition of color schemes and content placement patterns can subconsciously signal your readers to focus on certain information.

The layout of your content blocks should prioritize important elements from top to bottom ^[10]. Place your hero image at the top to instantly communicate the purpose and theme of your email. Use font sizes strategically, with larger fonts attracting more attention and smaller fonts conveying detailed information.

Color contrast is another key factor in differentiating various elements within your email. Choose font colors and CTA buttons that stand out against the background to encourage click-throughs ^[11].

Optimize CTA's to drive conversions by crafting compelling buttons that create a sense of urgency and communicate the desired action as well as benefit. Emails should sell the sizzle (click), not the steak.

Position your CTAs strategically, such as at the tip of an imaginary inverted triangle or the turns of a Z-pattern layout, to naturally guide your readers' attention. Your first button CTA should be above the email fold.

Leveraging Automation for Cannabis Email Marketing

Automated email flows are essential for streamlining cannabis email marketing efforts and driving conversions. By setting up automatic triggers you can nurture subscribers, recover abandoned carts, and re-engage inactive customers.

Here are some key automated flows to consider at each stage of the purchasing journey:

Awareness Stage

The primary objective of these sequences is to introduce potential customers to your brand or product. It's about making them aware of who you are and what you offer.

Email flows in this stage include the Welcome Series and Site Abandonment flow.

Consideration Stage

After potential customers are aware of your brand and products, these email sequences help potential customers evaluate the benefits of your products or services, addressing their concerns, and nudging them closer to a purchase.

They are triggered by viewing a product, adding it to their carts, or reaching checkout and include the Cart Abandonment and Checkout Abandonment flow.

Retention Stage

After a customer has made a purchase, these sequences focus on retaining them and encouraging further purchases or upgrades. For the most part, these flows are triggered after someone buys from you.

Email flows in this stage include the First Timer Buyer, Repeat Buyer Winback and Replenishment flows.

Segmentation and Targeting Strategies

Segmenting your audience based on customer purchase history, preferences, intent date, zero-party data, and loyalty program tiers allows for targeted email campaigns that resonate with each group.

Analyzing customer purchase history provides valuable insights into product preferences and buying patterns. This information enables you to tailor your email content and product recommendations to each segment, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your campaigns ^[7].

Understanding your subscribers' preferences and interests is crucial for crafting engaging email content. Segment your audience based on factors like consumption methods or desired effects.

The best is to use zero-party data you've collected from subscribers so you can deliver personalized content that aligns with their specific interests.

By combining these segmentation strategies you can create highly targeted email campaigns that resonate with your audience, drive conversions, and foster strong customer relationships in the competitive cannabis market.

Optimizing Email Deliverability for Cannabis Businesses

To maximize the chances of your marijuana email marketing campaigns reaching your subscribers' inboxes, it's so important to focus on email deliverability. This involves implementing best practices like IP warming, domain authentication, and maintaining a clean email list.

Maintaining good list hygiene along with a regular campaign cadence is key to avoiding spam traps, reducing bounce rates, and improving overall deliverability.

By following these best practices and staying up-to-date with the latest deliverability trends, you can optimize your cannabis email marketing campaigns for success and reach more of your target audience ^[18].

Measuring and Optimizing Email Performance

You need to track key metrics to identify what's working and continuously optimize your strategy. By monitoring open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and placed order rates, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of email strategy and be able to double down on whats working.

Typically what we see for a good open rate is above 50%, with a CTR of 3% and a placed order rate of around 1%. However, these metrics can vary significantly depending on the target audience and offer in your emails ^[19].

Key Metrics to Track

1. Open Rate: Measures the success of your subject line among recipients who saw it in their inboxes. To improve open rates, refine your list segmentation, personalize subject lines, and add an element of mystery.
2. Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR): Indicates how well the content inside your email resonated with recipients who opened the message. Aim for a CTOR between 10-15% for opt-in lists. To improve CTOR make the offer inside the email more tempting and relevant.
3. Click-Through Rate (CTR): Evaluate the overall performance of your email campaign, taking into account factors like list segmentation, subject line, content, and call-to-action (CTA). Work on improving all elements of your email to boost CTR.
4. Unsubscribe Rate: Reflects the relevance of your campaign to recipients. Keep this metric under 1% by sending targeted, personalized content to segmented lists.

A/B Testing

Conducting A/B tests allows you to compare two versions of an email element, such as the subject line, CTA, design, and offer to determine which performs better ^[21]. By testing different variations and analyzing the results, you can optimize your campaigns for maximum engagement and conversions.

Continuous Improvement

Regularly monitoring your email marketing metrics and conducting A/B tests will help you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

Continuously refine your segmentation, personalization, and content strategies based on the insights gained from your performance data to ensure your cannabis email marketing efforts remain effective and engaging.

By tracking essential metrics, conducting A/B tests, and continuously optimizing your campaigns, you can maximize the impact of your cannabis email marketing strategy and achieve your business goals.

Staying Ahead of Cannabis Email Marketing Trends

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, email marketing strategies must adapt to stay ahead of the curve. By embracing interactive emails, AI-powered personalization, and privacy-first approaches, cannabis businesses can effectively engage their audience and drive conversions ^[22].

Interactive emails, such as those with embedded videos, quizzes, or polls, can boost engagement and make your content more memorable.

AI-powered personalization takes this further by analyzing customer data to generate tailored content that resonates with individual preferences.

This level of personalization can significantly improve your key metrics and overall campaign performance.

However, as privacy concerns grow, it's crucial to adopt privacy-first strategies in your email marketing efforts. This includes obtaining explicit permission from subscribers, using clear and transparent language about the content they will receive, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

By prioritizing privacy and building trust with your audience, you can foster long-lasting relationships and maintain a strong reputation in the cannabis industry ^[21].

Marijuana Email Marketing Is a Skill

Email marketing has proven to be a game-changer for marijuana businesses looking to boost customer engagement and drive sales.

By implementing the strategies discussed, such as choosing the right platform, building a compliant list, crafting engaging content, and leveraging automation, businesses can create email campaigns that resonate with their audience and yield impressive results.

To generate predictable recurring revenue, marijuana businesses, whether that's dispensaries or online e-commerce, need a solid email marketing strategy that fosters customer retention.

Maaly can help create an email retention system tailored to your needs. By focusing on the strategies mentioned plus others from our client-only vault, cannabis companies can build strong relationships with their customers and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Remember, success in marijuana email marketing is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort, analysis, and refinement to achieve long-term growth and sustainability.