Weed Store Displays to Amazing Sell Experiences: What To Do?

Creating a welcoming and appealing in-store environment that complements your brand's image and engages customers is always the first step of this journey. This includes store layout, lighting, music, and interior design. 

Ask yourself: what does my business look like? Is there anything I can improve?

A good-looking store is nice, of course, but it will not get you too far if you don’t provide an exceptional customer service. Going above and beyond to assist customers, especially those who are not too familiar with weed, and making them feel valued and appreciated will change everything.

The customer experience doesn’t end there. Tailoring the shopping experience to individual customer preferences, such as offering personalized recommendations, discounts, or customizing products for them, could be a memorable way to increase loyalty and ensure a base that will return to your business over and over.

To this end, ensuring that staff is well-informed about the products, allowing them to educate and engage customers effectively. Make sure to build an extensive training program for your employees so they know everything they need to effectively recommend a product to a specific person, and selling a product might be the best approach.

Telling a compelling brand or product story that resonates with customers, connecting with their emotions and values, is also very important. You sell cannabis and cannabis-related accessories, but why? What do you bring to the community? What is the driver behind your business? Building these narratives will help you stand out among the crowd.

Hosting events, workshops, or interactive activities within your weed store to encourage customers to spend time there and build a sense of community is always a good idea, especially when mixed with the storytelling and customer experience we have already mentioned.

Tech right now offers a myriad of ways to sell experiences. Using innovative marketing techniques such as virtual reality, augmented reality, or interactive displays, can help engage and captivate your customers in new and fun ways.

Offering convenient shopping options, such as easy online ordering, curbside pickup, or home delivery, will enhance the overall experience. However, we really recommend you to check your local laws and regulations to make sure this is permissible for your business. Legalization is still uneven in the US and most of Europe, so better be safe than sorry.

Building a strong and consistent brand image that resonates with your audience and evokes a particular lifestyle or identity (crucial in the cannabis space) will make you memorable, building up a constant consumer base.

The ultimate result of all your efforts. If you create an emotional bond between your brand and your customer, the outcome will be a sense of loyalty and advocacy that will catapult your business into success.

In other words, selling an experience is about making the customer feel that their interaction with your brand and business is more than a cash transaction; it's an enjoyable, meaningful, and memorable part of their day. This approach will help you stand out in such a competitive market like cannabis, and build long-term relationships with your customers.

Now, applying the concept of "selling an experience" to a legal cannabis store might be a challenge of its own. Set yourself apart in this market by creating a unique and memorable shopping experience for your customers by taking some of these ideas and shaping them to fit your goals and style. For example:

Host informational workshops or events to educate customers about the various strains, consumption methods, and the legal aspects of cannabis. This helps create a sense of community that also provides valuable information.

Going back around to tech, utilize interactive displays or touchscreens to provide product information, strain profiles, and reviews. This engages customers and helps them make informed choices.

Ensuring that your products are of the highest quality and safety standards is a no-brainer, but mostly you need to transparently communicate to your customers, emphasizing that they can trust the products they are purchasing, or informing them of any adverse effects or risks (like an uncommonly high amount of THC on a specific strain) they may experience.

Now more than ever, ensuring strict compliance with all local and state regulations related to cannabis sales is critical. Make it clear to customers that you are a responsible and law-abiding business they can trust, helping you form connections and a sense of loyalty that would be invaluable in the long run.

Curate a unique selection of products, including specialized accessories for the knowledgeable cannabis hobbyist, limited-edition or exclusive strains that offer something new, or in general just products that customers can only find in your store.

Look at what some retail businesses with decades in the market have been doing, and create services like loyalty programs or customer engagement activities to reward repeat customers. This could include discounts, promotions, or special events.

Extend the experience online by maintaining an informative and user-friendly website, offering online ordering and delivery services, and engaging with customers through social media and informative content.

Engage with the local community by participating in events, sponsoring local causes, or hosting charitable events. This can create a positive image and foster goodwill.

Incorporate sensory elements like pleasant scents, soothing music, or interactive displays that enhance the shopping experience.

If regulations permit, consider offering on-site consumption areas where customers can safely and responsibly consume cannabis products.

Remember that the legal and regulatory landscape for weed can vary greatly by location, so always ensure full compliance of any idea you want to put into practice with local laws and guidelines. 

Nevertheless, if you decide to implement some of these strategies and give them your own unique spin, your legal cannabis business can transform the shopping experience into more than a transaction. You can create something special, making it educational, enjoyable, and memorable for customers. The key is just making the first step!