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Cannabis companies are continuously challenged by endless marketing and advertising roadblocks. These challenges result in dwindling options to effectively amplify brand awareness, build trust, and establish credibility. As noted by many industry professionals over the years, a foundation of success in the cannabis industry is predicated on building and maintaining strong, healthy relationships with your target audience.
In a time where content plays a significant role in establishing a connection and building rapport with your ideal customers and clients, publicity efforts that focus on earned media continue to power brands and businesses who want to tell their story, be authentic, and remain transparent about who they are and what problems they solve.
Here are three ways cannabis companies can utilize publicity and earned media coverage to attract new clients and grow their businesses.
Interested in speaking at an upcoming event? Include earned media placements in your application.
There are more cannabis industry events (between virtual and in-person) that take place every single year than one can count. Chances are, you’ve been wanting to speak at these events to share your expertise with audiences while gaining exposure for your brand and business.
Applications to speak at industry events are often vetted by organizers who verify that you are who you say you are, and that you have enough experience, expertise, and credibility to jump on stage and educate attendees. Tastefully incorporating any earned media you’ve been included in is a sure-fire way of grabbing someone's attention and increasing your chances of landing that speaker spot.
Enable sales teams with content from earned media coverage.
Sales teams are constantly developing new conversation starters, assets to share, and angles to use when connecting with buyers about their products and services. Sometimes, getting to know the founder of a brand on a deeper level and hearing directly from them is what a buyer needs in order to feel comfortable signing on the dotted line. Enable your sales team with impactful content that will help them build long-term, fruitful relationships with prospects and potential partners.
Incorporate earned media into marketing materials.
Did you just complete a 5-star interview on a podcast where you shared the story behind your brand, communicated your vision, and educated listeners on your products and services? Make it easy for visitors of your website to access that pot of gold by thoughtfully incorporating it throughout your site. The home page of a company website is a great place to drop some of your biggest and most noteworthy coverage. The more social-proof, third-party validation, and credibility that's out there about you and your products and services, the greater chance you have of building trust and turning prospects and leads into customers and clients.
Creating a "Press" page on your website is an effective way of showcasing your portfolio of all media coverage, and can have a positive impact on someone who might be on the fence of doing business with you. Not to mention, back-linking is a powerful way to improve SEO.
In addition, don't forget to incorporate the logos of outlets you’ve been featured in on marketing collateral such as trade-show banners, brochures, in-store banners, or anything else that is handed out or shared digitally with potential buyers.
Growing your cannabis business depends heavily on your ability to effectively build relationships and connect with your target audience. This means keeping your foot on the gas when it comes to amplifying brand awareness, building trust, and establishing credibility locally, regionally, nationally, and sometimes internationally.
Are you ready to start leveraging the power of earned media to grow your cannabis business? Schedule a call with us today to get started.