Cannabis Email Marketing Software

[Updated April 2022]

CANNABIS EMAIL MARKETING

SHOW NOTES | Episode 003

Welcome to Cannabis Marketing Live. All Puff. No Fluff.

This episode is short and sweet given the holiday week! This means we can talk about cannabis email marketing. I know, right? Email continues to be a powerful digital marketing strategy for cannabis and hemp CBD companies that is one of the most overlooked marketing channels. If you have an online marketing strategy that doesn’t include email, or if you’re just now adding email into your strategy, you’re in the right place.

Email is one of the online marketing tactics that can make a huge difference when it comes to supporting the growth of your business cannabis and CBD business. Only now do we know more and there are many tools and options we can use for cannabis email marketing. Don’t think you can use just any email vendor, because it’s not a thing. This is cannabis, so let’s talk about what you need to know.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

→ Why email is important for your business

→ What you can do to avoid getting your email account shut down

→ Using cannabis email as part of your digital marketing strategy

Why You Need an Email Marketing Strategy for your Cannabis and CBD Business

Email should be an essential part of your cannabis or hemp CBD marketing strategy. If you don’t have a content marketing strategy for your email campaigns, you’ll want to sign up with an email service provider and get started right away.

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. It’s a direct way to communicate with your customers, and it allows you to keep in touch with them on a regular basis. Email marketing also helps you build a relationship with your customers, and it can increase customer loyalty. In addition, email marketing allows cannabis companies to help their customers feel more connected to them, which is particularly important for cannabis businesses since we are limited when it comes to advertising and marketing options.

In case you’re not convinced, here are a few key facts about email marketing in 2021 from Hubspot.

• 78% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months
• Marketers who use segmented campaigns note as much as a 760% increase in revenue
• Email generates $42 for every $1 spent, which is 4,200% ROI! Seriously.
• Across all industries, the average email open rate is 19.8%, the click-through rate is 11.3%, and the bounce rate is 9.4%

With email marketing, you own the customer relationship and contact information. 

This is important, so I’m going to repeat it. With email marketing, you own a direct relationship with your customer or prospect. You won’t find this with other online marketing channels. There isn’t a Facebook-Instagram-YouTube-TikTok sitting between you and your customer, threatening to shut down your account every five minutes. So, unlike other digital marketing tactics, email is one you can count on.

It is just you, and your customer/prospect email address. 

Doesn’t that sound amazingly refreshing? When you have a solid content marketing strategy in place that includes email, you’ll be surprised at what a difference it can make to the bottom line of your business.

But before you start hiring writers and setting up your email campaigns to go out on blast, there are a few things you need to know. Because this is the cannabis and hemp CBD industry, so you know that it isn’t going to be as easy for us as it is for everyone else. 

Six Things to Consider When Selecting an Email Service Provider

When looking for the right email marketing service, there are a few things you should take into consideration.

When done right, your cannabis email marketing campaigns can become one of the cornerstones of a strong digital marketing strategy.

1. Cannabis or Hemp CBD Friendly: A few questions to ask include, does the email marketing tool allow cannabis or hemp CBD companies to use it? Do they support the cannabis industry, or are they doing everything they can to avoid being a part of it? Or, are they dipping a toe in by taking the money from ancillary services but not allowing anything to do with plant-touching businesses?
2. Cost: The cost of the email marketing service is an important factor to consider. Some services charge a monthly fee, while others charge based on the number of subscribers you have.
3. Features: Each email marketing service offers different features. It’s important to choose one that has all the features you need. For example, some services offer templates, while others allow you to create your own emails. A few key features to also consider include:
   • Audience Segmentation
   • Email automation
   • Integration with tools like your e-commerce platform on your website, particularly if you are selling branded merchandise or CBD!
   • Tracking and metrics available
4. Ease of Use: The email marketing service should be easy to use. The interface should be user-friendly and it should be easy to add subscribers and send emails.
5. Support: It’s important to choose an email marketing service that offers good support and resources. If you have any questions or problems, you should be able to get help from the company’s customer service department.
6. Reputation: The reputation of the email marketing service is also important. You should research the company and read reviews before signing up.

When choosing an email marketing service, it’s important to consider your needs and budget. The six factors listed above are a good starting point for your research!

Email Marketing Tools For Your Cannabis or Hemp CBD Business

Email marketing for cannabis companies can be a bit of a challenge. Many email marketing services don’t allow cannabis companies to use their software. This can make it difficult to create and send effective email campaigns. However, there are some tools that do allow cannabis companies to use their software. So, if you’re looking for a way to reach cannabis consumers but your cannabis email marketing plan has suffered due to the lack of tools, you might want to consider using these cannabis-friendly email marketing tools.

Why You Should Avoid the Temptation of MailChimp and Others Like It.

After extensive research, below is a list of email vendors and where they stand when it comes to cannabis and hemp CBD companies.

Remember, no matter how tempting MailChimp or others might be, with their offer of free emails to get started, DON’T DO IT. There is a huge likelihood that you’ll get shut down and lose everything. Like everything. Like your emails, automation, email addresses, any purchase/activity tracking information, E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. And just because you’ve been safe so far, consider changing to one of the tools that allow cannabis and/or hemp CBD. This is one risk you shouldn’t be taking.

Find the Right Email Marketing Tool to Grow Your Business

Without further commentary, here is the list of companies that allow cannabis or hemp CBD companies (last updated in November 2021).

Remember that for all of these email marketing software, you can only email people within your state – if you are selling cannabis products.

Note that some of the companies on this list include affiliate links and if you click on them and sign up, I could earn a small commission.

• Active Campaign* (This is the option I use– NOTE THAT THEY NOW ONLY SUPPORT CBD, NO PRODUCTS WITH THC – 11/7/20)
• FloDesk *- New to the scene and recently out of beta, I spoke directly with their lead compliance person who said very clearly they allow cannabis. Not only do they allow cannabis and CBD, but this company was created by two women who support the cannabis industry. Needless to say, I’m checking it out and loving what I’ve seen so far. They have a flat-rate pricing, so no matter what your list size, you pay one fee. If you have a larger audience, this is obviously a plus as well. You can learn more about them here (and get 50% off for the first year)
• AWeber*
• Constant Contact* (Based on feedback, it sounds like Constant Contact no longer allows cannabis or hemp-based companies to use the tool – updated 10/10/19)
• Hubspot*
• Mailerlite
• Klavyio – A big player with its Shopify integration, Klavyio supports CBD Only.

*Email marketing software I’ve used and recommend.

Allows cannabis email marketing, but are not recommended

• Firecart – Firecart is an email service for the last resort. This is an option if you have been blacklisted or have had issues in the past.
• Net-Results – This is only a good option if you have a list size of more than 10,000 names

These email service providers do not allow cannabis businesses to send emails.

• Campaign Monitor
• Emma
• Campaign.com
• Get Response
• Infusionsoft (now Keep)
• Marketo Spark
• Mail Chimp – MC has been shutting down cannabis and hemp-CBD sites. It is not recommended. (updated 3/22)

Never responded to my requests for information

• iContact
• LeadSquared
• SendGrid
• Silverpop

Email should be an essential part of your marketing strategy. If you don’t have a content marketing strategy for your email campaigns, you’ll want to sign up and get started right away. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out, that is exactly what we do for clients!

About the host:

Cannabis Marketing Live is hosted by Kendra Losee, CEO of Mota Marketing, a cannabis marketing agency.

Kendra is dedicated to helping businesses grow with marketing. In addition to working with clients to determine their marketing strategies, she recently launched a course teaching social media to cannabis entrepreneurs. From digital marketing and content marketing to traditional marketing, Kendra’s 20 years of marketing experience helps her lead the way in cannabis marketing. And she couldn’t be happier about it.

You can find Kendra at:

• Motamarketing.com
• Facebook.com/motamarketing
• Instagram.com/motamarketing
• LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/klosee
• Twitter: twitter.com/klosee
• Email: [email protected]

Tools used in this broadcast:

Ecamm Live 

Call Recorder for Skype Ecamm 

Blue Yeti USB Microphone 

Logitech HD Pro Webcam 

*Some of these links are affiliate links so I may earn money if you click on one and make a purchase.