#5: How Will You Help the Industry
5 Things to Consider Before Applying for a Cannabis License
#5: How Will You Help the Industry and the People it Serves?
As Community Impact plans have become a more common requirement in state licensing programs, people often ask us how their cannabis business can better help the industry and the people it serves. We like to think about this as a twofold strategy for success:
- Advocacy, and
- Patient and Customer care
Advocacy
To have an impact as a cannabis business, especially in your local municipality, you need to be an advocate for cannabis. This does not mean you have to hold up signs at your local 420 festival or create a massive online presence, but it does mean you should reach out to local politicians and community leaders.
Meet with them face-to-face and describe all the benefits that adding a cannabis business might bring to their community. For example, more jobs for local residents, more security for local communities, more robust and important social equity programs, and a significant amount of tax revenue.
By advocating for cannabis at the local level, you can not only help build out a more educated and connected cannabis industry, but also position your business to quickly receive municipal approval and integrate into your host community as part of the state licensure process.
Patient and Customer Care
After securing a license and beginning to operate in the market, your business will be able to make a more direct impact by providing education, guidance, and care for your patients (for medical) or customers (for adult-use).
Where permitted, there are a number of interesting ways to connect with your patient or customer base. We have seen companies employ a number of different strategies in this realm. Some develop education materials, some partner with other vendors or licensees to host events, and of course, some offer deals, discounts, and loyalty programs for their patrons. By connecting with your patients or customers and educating them about the benefits of cannabis, you can increase your impact on your local community and beyond.
Contributing writer: Vince DiMichele
Read the rest of the “5 Things to Consider” series.