What actually drives revenue in cannabis retail? It’s not what you think.

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Most cannabis retailers aren’t short on effort.
They’re short on systems.

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Promotions aren’t strategy.
Posting menus every Friday isn’t marketing.
And retention doesn’t happen by accident.

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In a saturated, over-regulated market—predictability is power.
And the only way to get there is with structure.

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This isn’t about louder ads.
It’s about building the machine that works while you sleep.

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Let’s break it down.

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1. Marketing Is a Funnel.
Not a Fire Drill.

Forget the “build it and they’ll come” fantasy.
A funnel is how cannabis retailers move people—from curiosity to loyalty.

A working cannabis funnel includes:

  • Awareness — Ads, SEO, Google Maps, Weedmaps
  • Consideration — Menu browsing, reviews, brand storytelling
  • Conversion — Online or in-store purchase
  • Retention — Lifecycle flows, loyalty rewards, SMS re-engagement
  • Advocacy — Referrals, UGC, reviews, repeat visits

If you’re skipping steps—you’re burning budget.

Start here:
  • Map every digital touchpoint across the customer journey
  • Match each touchpoint to its funnel stage
  • Add a clear next step at every interaction
  • Track engagement and drop-offs using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or CRM analytics


2. Lifecycle Marketing Is the Strategy That Scales

Lifecycle marketing replaces guesswork with rhythm.
It deepens relationships and automates retention.

Start with these core flows:
  • Welcome Series — Teach, build trust, offer value (not just a discount)
  • Post-Purchase Nurture — Say thank you, offer product tips, recommend next buys
  • Lapsed Buyer Flow — Trigger at 30, 60, and 90 days of inactivity
  • Behavior-Based Segments — Customize by product type or order frequency
  • Loyalty Milestone Touchpoints — Celebrate birthdays, streaks, and top spenders

Set it once. Refine as you grow.
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3. Know Your CAC—
or You’re Just Hoping

Customer Acquisition Cost in cannabis can climb over $100.
And most brands don’t even know what theirs is.

To calculate CAC:

  • Add up total monthly marketing costs
  • Include paid ads, platforms, consultants, and design
  • Divide by number of net new customers that month
  • Benchmark across channels and compare to LTV
Healthy CAC:

Less than 30% of your average Lifetime Value.
Otherwise, you're scaling losses.

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4. CRM Isn’t a Newsletter.
It’s a Nervous System.

A smart CRM doesn’t just send emails.
It tracks behavior, automates journeys, and drives revenue.

Must-have CRM capabilities:

  • Behavioral segmentation (recency, category, spend)
  • Triggered flows (purchase, inactivity, product affinity)
  • Full integration with POS, menus, and loyalty
  • Reporting on revenue per recipient—not just opens

Top platforms for cannabis retail:

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5. Retention Is the Revenue Model

The second sale is always more profitable than the first.
Retention isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the engine.

Retention system checklist:

  • Launch a loyalty program (points, tiers, exclusive access)
  • Create winback flows at 30/60/90 days
  • Segment by engagement and reward top 10% of customers
  • Run surprise-and-delight offers for high-value segments
  • Measure and test what brings people back

If you want loyalty, you need a lifecycle.

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6. Content Isn’t King.
Relevance Is.

Content doesn’t need to be constant.
It needs to be aligned.

Content by funnel stage:

  • Top of Funnel — Educational blog posts, intro events, local SEO pages
  • Middle of Funnel — Product explainers, staff picks, terpene deep-dives
  • Bottom of Funnel — Limited drops, bundles, social proof
  • Post-Purchase — Usage tips, review requests, loyalty nudges

If it doesn’t drive a behavior, it’s just noise.

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7. Metrics Are the Map

Visibility means nothing without direction.
You can’t optimize what you’re not measuring.

Track these KPIs weekly:

  • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
  • Lifetime Value (LTV)
  • Repeat Purchase Rate
  • Average Order Value (AOV)
  • Revenue per Email/SMS Recipient
  • Loyalty Redemption Rate
  • 90-Day Inactivity Rate

Dashboards aren’t optional—they’re your command center.

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Bonus: POS + E-Commerce Systems That Play Well With CRM

  • Dutchie — E-commerce + menu system with CRM and ad pixel support
  • Jane Technologies (iHeartJane) — Menu system with loyalty and analytics integrations
  • Flowhub — POS with loyalty, CRM, and Surfside integration
  • Treez — Enterprise POS with robust data capabilities

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