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MJBizCon 2024 was nothing short of enlightening. The in person experiences that give all of us a chance to have fun, create memories, and make meaningful connections are always our favorite part of this conference.
With MJBizCon historically being an end-of-year event, it’s the perfect opportunity to gather, celebrate the challenges we’ve overcome throughout the year, and inspire bigger and better moves for the year ahead. That being said, MJBiz did a great job of curating panels rich in unique perspectives and insights this year that included a lot of great tactical advice, not just surface level chatter.
And we must note, we were pleased to hear public relations (PR) and earned media come up more often than ever before from panelists discussing brand development and digital marketing. It must be important. 😉
In this article, we’re recapping the top 9 things we learned and/or were reinforced from this year’s conference.
1. Local PR is BIG for SEO
People tend to overlook local PR, and reach for more broad-reaching mainstream coverage. We get it—who wouldn’t want to be named in Forbes? But local media coverage provides powerful backlinks for retailers. These backlinks serve as a foundation for stronger search engine optimization (SEO) especially in local markets. If you want your dispensary to come up when someone in your town searches for “best dispensary near me,” you want to consider getting your brand in the local newspaper featuring the top dispensaries in the county.
2. Thought Leadership Content Goes a Long Way (Without Even Mentioning Your Brand)
When it comes to developing content, it’s great to distribute content that educates consumers about different products without even needing to mention brand names. The best way to do this and to reach a wider audience is to craft educational bylines for media publications. These bylines can be educational, focusing on a specific product category. While these articles will enable you to showcase the breadth of your knowledge, including the company name and author attribution will greatly enhance the impact of the article overall.
3. It’s Vital to Know Your Why
Knowing your why is crucial to nailing your customer experience. Why do you sell the products you sell? Why is your brand better than the competition? How does it positively impact the lives of your customers? What do you solve for? Who do you serve? The answers to all these questions will help you determine your brand’s “why.” PR is a great way to help develop your brand’s “why” messaging and to get your why out to target audiences.
4. The Importance of Getting in the Rolodex of Media Contacts
If you want to get featured in Rolling Stone, you first need to get featured in niche industry publications. The best way to get in the Rolodex of media contacts for future stories is to slowly and steadily build your brand awareness from the ground up. And don’t underestimate the power of networking!
5. There are No Tricks in Earning Media
There are no special tricks or quick actions to earning media coverage. Instead, it’s all about building a relationship based on being helpful and being a trusted resource for a journalist. Showing up in a reporter’s inbox isn’t going to make them feature you or your brand in an article. But engaging with them on LinkedIn or X from time to time with genuine intent will help foster a professional relationship where your brand can no longer be ignored.
Pro Tip: The quickest way to securing quality media coverage is to have a killer story to tell.
6. Automation is Still the Most-Talked About Innovation in Cannabis
All throughout MJBizCon, there were conversations about automation and its prowess in the cannabis industry, especially among cannabis equipment. With a lot of innovation happening across vape hardware, focused on homogenizing the consumer experience, it’s great to see technology enabling brands to deliver a more consistent experience.
7. SAFER Banking May Not Be the Silver Bullet We Hoped For
While there weren’t many surprising discussions around regulations or market expansion, there was a significant emphasis on SAFER Banking. But not in the way you’d expect. The talk of the conference centered on how SAFER Banking is likely not going to be the silver bullet we had once hoped, especially with how long it’s taken to come to fruition. Who knows what 2025 will bring instead?
8. Today’s Cannabis Partnerships are Based on Brand Values
We did notice a shift in how businesses are approaching partnerships and/or collaborations in the cannabis space. Businesses and brands are being more cautious and intentional with their collaborations and partnerships. They want to ensure partners check all boxes that align with their brands’ values. In 2025, we’re going to see more partnerships between brands that are winning, earning a great reputation, and owning their respective lanes.
9. Building an Authentic Brand and Voice is Top of Mind
Building authentic brands and voices has always been a challenge, and it’s something many businesses still struggle with. MJBizCon did a fantastic job tackling this topic, bringing together panels and experts who shared some great advice. One thing that stood out was the practical tips on how brands can gain positive momentum with earned media and connect it to their digital marketing strategies.
Final Thoughts
Based on what we learned, we’re excited to keep educating people about PR and showcasing what a modern approach to it looks like. And you can rest assured we’ll be infusing these new tactics and ideas into our strategies for our clients in 2025.
Lastly, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Tech Jam 2024—which was a standout during the biggest conference week of the year for cannabis. With an even bigger turnout than last year, the event delivered on all fronts, creating an incredible space for in-person connections with both new and familiar faces. The energy was contagious, and it truly packed a punch!
Until next time, MJBizCon!