Before COVID19, live events and the cannabis community had gotten the hang of working together to bridge the needs of businesses and consumers. I have met some of the most amazing people in live events. I loved how much passion the participants had when they walked through the event venue doors. Newcomers and veterans in the industry seemed to relish the trade in information and, of course, nothing beats real-life networking!
Ahhhhhh…. those were the days. I miss those a whole lot and it’s been weighing on my mind just how much things can change in a few months.
So, how do we cope with what is now the new normal? Where can we get our dose of community without putting our lives in danger?
Tune in to learn more about live events and the importance of community, particularly at this time!
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The Importance of connecting communities and creating meaningful experiences
- How people handle the pivot from physical events to online events
- Ways we can show solidarity and continue the celebration of the arts
- What kinds of events are working well
Welcome to Cannabis Marketing Live — All Puff. No Fluff!
I’m not going to lie, things feel overwhelming right now and being stuck at home can really dampen our mood. So, what can we do to give ourselves a good spirit lift in these dark times?
- Take a moment to reach out to the people who care about us.
- Stay connected even when it means it’s on a Zoom call.
- We take it easy on ourselves and practice self-care.
- We give back to our community in ways that work for us.
Although we have limitations in terms of how we can get together and stay connected, it’s great to know that there are options. Here to walk us through the importance of community, live events, and finding creative ways to give back is Adelia Carrillo.
Getting to know our featured guest
Adelia Carrillo is a trailblazing woman with a passion for innovation, startups, and technology. She holds several high ranking positions in cannabis-related companies and organizations like EventHi Inc. as Chief Marketing Officer, The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member, and holds office as CEO and Co-founder of Direct Cannabis Network.
So, how did she end up as the cannabis advocate that we know and love? Like most of us, it was as a last resort to a series of health complications. The medicine she had back then didn’t help, so she looked to cannabis to help her recover. Now, this wasn’t the first time she had encountered the plant, in fact, she had already smoked cannabis when she was a teenager… the only difference now is that she had found a strong desire to really understand the benefits of using cannabis products and help others do the same.
She says working for EventHi.io has been a great match since the company provides a safe space for cannabis companies, organizations, and the like to sell tickets to audiences looking for unique experiences and events. Honestly, this is brilliant because there are still a lot of restrictions when it comes to live events and the cannabis community, so her role really does help businesses and individuals alike to bring people together.
Why is it so important for us to give back and stay connected as a community?
The only way for us to survive these dark times is for us to band together and help out where we can. Adelia thinks that giving back to the community is a wonderful way to rekindle the humanity in the business side of things. Not only does doing good make us feel good, but it also creates this effect where other people become motivated to do good too! PLUS, consumers are more likely to support brands that give back to their community. So, really, there’s no downside to this!
Staying connected is so important right now, especially since we’ve become really isolated.
– Kendra Losee
How do LIVE events transition from physical to virtual platforms?
Live events and the cannabis community can continue to thrive by shifting from physical venues to virtual events. I mean, you can see them creating virtual conferences, booths, summits, tours… pretty much anything you can think of! The best way to do this shift is to have fun and be creative, but here are other tips on how to move stuff online:
- Think about things that would make your customers happy and see how it aligns with your brand.
- Gauge what fits your budget and do collaborations with other brands to boost engagement and conversions.
- Find tools that play well with your existing ones and make sure it has the capability to support your event (note: there are still some mainstream tools and platforms that shut down cannabis events because it is a schedule 1 drug).
Everyone is having to move stuff online, so how quickly you figure it out and stay connected with your audience is what’s going to help you in the long run.
– Adelia Carrillo
What can we do to show our solidarity and celebrate those in the arts?
One of the best ways you can show your support is by spending your money in brands and individuals you believe in. If spending money isn’t an option right now, then you can also collaborate with them so they can grow their audience by having access to yours. Also, recommending them to your social circle would help with their marketing efforts.
How can we provide events, education, and entertainment during this time?
Things that work well are:
- Dance parties
- Virtual conferences with different “booths”
- Online meditation
- LIVE training
The bigger deal you make it, the bigger deal people are going to assume it is.
– Kendra Losee
Staying connected to your community and self
Adelia’s advice for anybody struggling with overwhelm right now…
“I just had a wake up call… when times get stressful, I go straight to solutions and solving, so I don’t necessarily slow down and take in what is going on. I wanted to just share some advice for people that have a similar reaction where they just go straight to their “let’s figure this out” mode: ‘It’s okay to slowdown, to feel and cry…” Focusing on the positive side of things is one thing, but we’re human and this is something that none of us have ever experienced. So, slow down. Tune into you how you’re feeling. It’s okay to disconnect from all of this stuff and take it day by day.”
