The CBD niche is no different from any other. It's highly competitive and requires a CBD marketing plan to succeed.
It’s really easy to throw up a LinkedIn presence, Facebook page or website and announce that you have something to sell. But is that the most effective way to market your product? Not in today’s world. It’s too competitive for that.
Let’s look at some considerations for maximizing your marketing efforts. The right system can help you tap into the demand that is escalating out there today.
The CBD market is growing rapidly. Some companies have been out there for years, others are startups or new to the scene. Whether it is a social profile or a website…you need a plan. Websites aren’t static…they need to be evolving to maintain position with competition and search engine attraction.
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Your first step is to do a competitive analysis. Are you working toward national exposure or marketing to a specific area? What’s your specialty? The more clearly you identify the specialty that makes you unique, the better.
B2B formulators? Are you targeted toward seniors looking to alleviate pain or sleep better? Or maybe toward children with seizures? Are you selling direct to consumers or wholesaling to retailers?
Each is going to need a different plan and be found in different places. An analysis of your target audience is essential…complete with demographics. The more clearly you identify them, the easier and more effective your marketing will be.
Maybe you have a mixed market. Perhaps selling to consumers but also selling wholesale to retailers across the country. Then each avenue will need its own research analysis and create its own plan.
Does your reputation include a way to collect referrals and promote by word of mouth? Do you have a fabulous spokesperson who has had amazing results? Or maybe your products are found only in medical establishments recommended by professionals.
Each scenario plays out a little differently and it evolves. Every business needs to re-assess annually and tweak as their brand grows and matures.
Do you have a mission statement, a purpose statement and value statements about why you are unique and special? Each of these will be important in connecting with buyers.
You’re going to need a short and a long-term plan. Your long-term plan might be 3-5 years. But you’ll need a plan and targets for the immediate future, 6, 12 and 18 months. This will help keep you on track.
Whether you are going to do-it-yourself, hire a team or work with an outside agency or freelance specialist, these details will help guide them and you to having a greater impact and result.
You’ll want to start with your website because this is where you want to drive traffic for sales. Think of it as the backbone of your marketing efforts.
If your website doesn’t clearly share your vision, your unique selling proposition, products, and services…this needs to be fixed.
You need a traceable phone number that shows up on every page…this builds trust and connection.
If you have an inquiry form, keep it simple. It should only ask for the necessary information.
Make it easy for prospects and clients to bond with you and connect with you via phone, chat and or email. EASY for them is the key.
Make sure you are following all existing Alternative Health and Supplement FDA and State guidelines.
Take advantage of Google, Yelp, Facebook and other directories where people can post reviews. Reviews are the number one thing senior markets use to find a place and a product to purchase.
People today have a 7-second attention span. That’s how long you have to connect with them before they move on. A goldfish has an 8-second attention span. Getting your message across in a quick engaging way is crucial.
We have so much information at our fingertips we seldom read word-for-word any more. Most people are skimmers/scanners. You need to present your information in a way that caters to this.
Long paragraphs, complex wording, stilted writing, and a high FK reading score all drive people away. Hard to read fonts, low-contrast print and backgrounds likewise discourage people from staying.
Present your information in both text and video forms. Some viewers, especially the younger crowd and people personalities like to sit and watch videos for hours. Business people and more task-oriented personalities want to see it in text – quick, succinct, and let them scan it.
Once you have these components in place, you’re ready to implement and leverage a full-funnel advertising campaign.
This type of program needs to cover multiple aspects. It needs to generate awareness, connect to the viewer, get them considering you, and then drive them to the sales process.
It requires building a relationship with your prospect. Why? The weaker the relationship, the higher the risk of returns and dissatisfaction. If they have a positive experience, they will tell nine people. If they have a negative experience…they’ll tell 16.
When your marketing team drives someone to make an inquiry…what happens next? Is your internal team adequately prepared to pick up the baton and help the prospect move forward? Do they know how to build touchpoints to generate new and retain existing clients?
Make sure positive team coaching is core to your efforts to maximize marketing efforts. A niche that promotes anti-anxiety assistance shouldn't come across with a stressed-out team.
What are you doing with the leads you do collect? A file of email addresses doesn’t do any good if you’re not nurturing them.
I’ve had clients say, “I only have a few names, I’m not ready to do that yet.” Big mistake and you’re leaving money on the table. Do you have 10 leads? Start the email-nurturing to build and develop the relationship.
An automated email system is one of your most cost-effective tools to stay connected with both clients and new prospects.
The market has never been so open and people so aggressively looking for alternative health solutions. Make sure they can find you….and help them build a long-term buying relationship.
Need help revamping, creating or leveraging your message to build your business? Message me [email protected] or call me at the number on my profile or website.
Judith Culp Pearson receives three top honors
at the annual Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals in
Ft. Worth, Texas - October 7-9, 2023
