When marketing in the CBD space it can be easy to get caught up in the hype most companies use to sell their products.
You know what I’m talking about…
Some CBD companies advertise unrealistic product “benefits”. They market CBD as a cure-all for disease and unaware prospects believe what they see online. These people (your prospects) become disappointed by low quality hemp products. Many of them give up on CBD completely thinking it’s all the same.
You and I both know that isn’t true, you sell high quality hemp products. But your prospects need to find your business so they can try it themselves.
So, how do you cut through the noise in the CBD market and reach people who need your products?
Content is King.
Writing better sales copy than your competitors will put you leagues ahead of them. Good sales copy will drive traffic to your website and motivate prospects to buy your CBD.
Where do you start?
First, you need to show customers and prospects how your CBD and other hemp products can help them.
The FDA has warned CBD companies who say their products can cure disease. [1] So, how can you teach customers about the benefits your CBD has to offer while avoiding trouble with the FDA? Avoid describing CBD as a dietary supplement in your advertisements. That’s still illegal in most states.
What about medical benefits?
The FDA has only approved one CBD containing drug for treatment of seizures (Epidiolex). So, it’s a good idea to avoid stating that your CBD can cure or treat any diseases.
You can talk about the benefits users can experience when they use your CBD. Things like regular sleep patterns, a calm mind and relief from aches and pains are fine to mention. Be specific about what CBD has been proven to do without listing diseases CBD can treat.
You can also do research to find professional resources that support the benefits of CBD. Although there hasn’t been much research on CBD products the FDA has committed to funding more research on it. [2]
New research will uncover more benefits. And you’ll be able to tell your customers about all the amazing things your CBD products can do for them.
That leads us to the next way you can boost your CBD marketing results. Educating your prospects and customers.
It’s hard to believe that just 5 years ago it was illegal to sell any cannabis products at the federal level. Back then most people had no idea what CBD was, let alone what it could do for them.
The CBD industry is still in its infancy and business is booming. Just last year CBD products generated $5.3 billion in revenue in the United States.
Now more people than ever are using CBD. Even still, there’s a lot of confusion about it.
Many people are skeptical about the benefits. Some still think it’s just snake oil. You and I know that nothing could be further from the truth. Millions of people are using CBD regularly and finding real relief!
So, how do you convince unaware prospects to try your CBD products?
It’s all about education.
The reason some people choose to stay away from CBD is because they don’t know enough about it. They may even hear about bad experiences others have had when using CBD.
Lack of regulation in the CBD industry has led to low-quality hemp products in the market. That makes it even harder for you to sell your products.
To combat this you have to educate your prospects and customers about what CBD is and how it works in the body.
Educating your prospects and customers will build trust in your brand. When people trust your company and what it stands for they’re WAY more likely to buy your products. [3]
But how do you get them to your website so that you can educate them? By using SEO (search engine optimization) you can help prospects find your website.
SEO makes the difference between people finding your website or your competitors’. The higher you rank, the more traffic your website will get. And as you know more traffic = more conversions (with the right content).
Now it’s important to use SEO the right way. Stuffing your content with keywords won’t work. [4]
What is the right way to use SEO?
Keywords should fit into content naturally. It’s also important to include helpful content your customers will enjoy.
How do you make sure your CBD content benefits your customers? Write about topics they want to know about.
For example:
Your prospects want to know the answers to these questions before deciding to try CBD. Writing helpful content like this will give you better search engine rankings.
Now that you know how to drive more traffic to your website, you need to know how to keep it there.
The cannabis plant has 400 known chemicals. We know the most about 2 of those chemicals: THC and CBD. Because cannabis is so complex your prospects need your help to understand it.
Avoid using technical terms or industry jargon in your web content. Most of your cold prospects won’t have any idea what you’re trying to say.
And they need to understand your advertising if they’re going to buy your products.
Want to know an easy way to test your sales copy to make sure it’s simple before you publish it?
Pretend you’re writing to someone who doesn’t know anything about CBD. This could be a parent, spouse or friend.
How would you explain the way your products work to that person? No doubt you’d use simple words she understands to bridge the gap between what she knows and what she doesn’t…
You should do the same thing with your web content. Don’t talk over your prospect’s head. Keep the content straightforward and informative.
The more you do this, the better your prospects will understand what you sell and how it can benefit them.
Another way to improve your CBD marketing results is by engaging with your customers.
Engaging with your customers regularly is crucial in 2022. Thanks to the internet it’s easier than ever for you to engage your customers and for them to engage with your brand.
Customers engage with your brand by consuming your web content. Social media posts, website copy, blog posts and emails make this possible.
Regular engagement keeps your business top of mind. So when it’s time to make a buying decision customers are more likely to buy your products.
Regular blog posts are one of the best ways to engage your customers and drive traffic to your website. [6]
That’s right, blogging can help new customers find your business.
Think about it, if a prospect doesn’t know about your business she won’t go directly to your website. She’ll do a google search to find businesses that have solutions for her.
A well-researched, informative and fun-to-read blog will help you climb google page results. That way more prospects will find your business and convert.
And don’t forget, education like this pays off big time…
A 2017 study showed consumers are 131% more likely to buy a product after reading educational content about it. [7]
Now I won’t mince words with you, maintaining a blog is a lot of work. There’s the initial time it takes to set up the blog. Then the time it takes to write, edit and publish blog posts consistently.
The average blog post takes about 4 hours to write from start to finish. [8] And as a busy CBD marketing director or manager you’re probably short on time.
Don’t worry though. You can regularly engage with your customers without adding anything to your plate. The best way to do this is by working with a copywriter who writes about hemp products.
A CBD copywriter will write profit-boosting content your customers want to engage with.
That wraps up this blog post. Now you know 5 effective CBD marketing strategies you can start using today. Use them to drive more traffic to your website, boost conversion rates and raise profits.
To review:
And if you want to work with a CBD copywriter who understands hemp and how it works in the human body follow this link to fill out a contact form so we can see if we’d make a good fit.
Till next time.
Yours, for better health content
Brandon Davis
Reference
[1] FDA. (2020, December 22). FDA Warns Companies Illegally Selling CBD Products. Fda.gov
[2] Hahn, S. M. (2020, March 5). FDA Advances Work Related To Cannabidiol Products With Focus On Protecting Public Health, Providing Market Clarity. Fda.gov
[3] Qualtrics. (Accessed 2022, November 8). What Is Brand Trust And Why Is It So Important? Qualtrics.com
[4] Digital Marketing Institute. (2021, October 18). What Is SEO & Why Is It Important? Digitalmarketinginstitute.com
[6] Parsons, J. (2021, April 28). Eight Reasons Blogging Is A Worthwhile Investment For Business. Forbes.com
[7] Stebbins, C. (2017). Educational Content Makes Consumers 131% More Likely To Buy. Conductor.com
[8] Crestodina, A. (2022). New Blogging Statistics: What Content Strategies Work in 2022? We asked 1016 Bloggers. OrbitMedia.com