It’s simple Business 101 that building trust is important for any brand. Trust is related to nearly every other factor for a company’s success.

For the cannabis industry though, it goes one step further.

Trust is not just important – it’s mandatory. Consider it a prerequisite, like taking Chemistry 1 before jumping into the lab in Chemistry 2 and setting it on fire.

Without building trust for your cannabis brand, you might as well set your business on fire and call it a day. Seriously.

Why Is Building Trust for Your Cannabis Brand So Important?

Here’s the thing. Cannabis isn’t Coca-Cola. As an industry, it hasn’t been around that long. Even if you live in a state where recreational has been legal for nearly a decade, keep in mind there are STILL other states (firmly entrenched in the Dark Ages) where even medical marijuana is still not legal. Thus, cannabis continues to carry a stigma.

Add to that the fact that consumers can’t really tell if they’re getting good product. You can’t judge a doobie or a gummy by its visible craftsmanship. Your customers need to trust you’re not trying to pull one over on them. Otherwise, they’ll wander elsewhere… which brings us to our next point.

There is a crapload of competition. And it’s fierce. Lose a customer’s loyalty because of a misstep and they’ll simply meander down the street or, at the farthest, the next town over.

And finally, if you do end up peddling an inferior product and breaking trust, the consequences are high. A bad cannabis experience isn’t quickly forgotten. And for those who rely on it for medical purposes, they can’t afford to gamble with a brand they can’t trust.

So How Do You Build Trust?

As cannabis marketing experts, we’re going to lay out the six strategies we advise our clients to always employ when looking to build that vital trust for their brand.

  1. Be Transparent

You know the saying that there’s no such thing as a stupid question? Okay. Yeah, it’s ridiculous. There are PLENTY of stupid questions. However, you can’t look it at that way when new folks are exploring your business. No matter how silly their questions, answer them openly, honestly, and directly to build their trust.

  1. Insist on Quality

This might seem like a duh. But it’s easy to get lured by saving some money to offer inferior products and services. So don’t. Offer only the highest quality. And if you encounter any faulty products that cross your threshold, ditch them immediately.

  1. Offer Guarantees

A new customer doesn’t know you from Adam. (Or Eve.) So one of the best ways you can prove that you’re to be trusted is provide some sort of guarantee. This way, they’ll feel more at ease when buying from you.

  1. Be Accountable

Customers will have concerns and complaints. In these situations, taking accountability is akin to a superpower. So when issues or problems arise with your business, do the opposite of a few people in high leadership positions at the moment and accept responsibility. Apologize for mistakes and make up for any errors by offering to replace the product. Refusing to take any blame will only harm your business and dash all hopes of trust.

  1. Maintain Consistency

Look, this industry can be pretty volatile. This is partially because of its relatively recent naissance. Like a young child, it can be all over the place. So find a product line that speaks to you and stick with it. Of course, stay up to date on what’s gaining in popularity. But at the same time, strive for reliability. To be reliable is to be trustworthy.

  1. Get to Know Your Customers

You know that guy that shows up every Friday afternoon to get his stash? If you don’t, you should. Referring to him as Friday Mustache Guy to your employees isn’t going a long way toward building trust. Also, once you learn Friday Mustache Guy’s name – as well as all of your other regular consumers – you can gain even more trust by offering surveys that ask what they like about your business, what changes they’d like to see, and what are some things that don’t really rock their worlds.

Now Get out There and Build Some Trust!

We know how hard it can be to build trust for your cannabis brand. Especially given the limited marketing and advertising potential currently in place for this new industry.

So put the above strategies in place to start building trust. And contact us to look deeper into your current public relations and marketing strategy. We can tell you what’s working and, more importantly, what isn’t.

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