Cannabis email marketing services: Top 10 Best Platforms 2025

Why Cannabis Email Marketing Services Matter for Your Dispensary Business

Cannabis email marketing services offer dispensary owners a reliable way to engage directly with customers, stay compliant with regulations, and grow their business despite marketing restrictions.

If you’re just looking for the best platforms for cannabis email marketing, here’s a quick rundown:

Cannabis-Friendly Platforms	CBD-Only Platforms	Platforms to Avoid
Klaviyo MailerLite Moosend Email Octopus Flodesk Alpine IQ Hubspot Emurcury	ActiveCampaign	Mailchimp Constant Contact SendinBlue

Running a dispensary means dealing with a lot of headaches. Advertising regulations, social media crackdowns, and ensuring legal compliance can weigh heavily on any cannabis entrepreneur. Unlike social media, email marketing provides a safe channel to speak openly about your products, promotions, and brand story without the constant threat of platform shutdowns.

I’m Stephen Gold—a seasoned expert with years of hands-on experience in Cannabis email marketing services. I’ve helped numerous cannabis brands design email campaigns that boost customer engagement and revenue, while expertly navigating strict regulatory guidelines.

Why Is Email Marketing Essential for Cannabis Businesses?

Let’s face it – marketing cannabis isn’t exactly a walk in the park. When you’re running a dispensary, traditional advertising avenues often slam their doors shut the moment you mention the word “cannabis.” This is where email marketing steps in as your reliable marketing ally.

For cannabis businesses in New York and New Jersey, email marketing isn’t just another marketing channel – it’s often the most dependable one you’ve got. While your social media account might vanish overnight due to changing platform policies, your email list remains firmly in your control.

The numbers tell a compelling story: cannabis email marketing services can deliver an impressive $43 return for every dollar spent. That’s not just good – it’s exceptional in any industry, let alone one with as many marketing problems as cannabis.

“Email Marketing is more effective than social media and other online marketing channels at building brand awareness, generating sales, and driving traffic to your website,” notes a recent industry report. This effectiveness becomes even more valuable when working within the cannabis industry’s tight regulatory framework.

What makes email marketing particularly powerful is that it gives you a direct line to your customers. No algorithms deciding who sees your content. No sudden policy changes blocking your message. Just you and your audience, connecting without interference.

As cannabis marketing expert Mike Colagrossi puts it: “Cannabis email marketing is seriously an untapped channel. It will be the standard in about five years.” At The Gold Standard, we’re already seeing this prediction play out among our clients in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and throughout New Jersey.

Email marketing allows you to build a genuine community around your brand while providing valuable information to your customers – all while staying more effective than other digital channels. For more specific strategies, check out our guide on Email Marketing Strategies for Cannabis Businesses.

The Unique Challenges of Cannabis Marketing

If you’ve been in the cannabis industry for even a short time, you’ve probably encountered more marketing roadblocks than you can count. These aren’t minor inconveniences – they’re significant barriers that can make or break your business.

The digital advertising landscape is particularly hostile to cannabis businesses. Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter – they all have strict policies against cannabis advertising. You might spend months building a following only to wake up one morning to find your account suspended without warning.

Beyond platform restrictions, cannabis businesses face unique financial challenges. Many payment processors want nothing to do with cannabis, making even the basics of e-commerce complicated. And let’s not forget the infamous IRS 280E tax code, which prevents cannabis businesses from deducting ordinary business expenses – including marketing costs – from federal taxes. You can learn more about navigating these tax complexities in this guide to the IRS 208e law.

Compliance requirements add another layer of complexity. Every piece of marketing content must include proper age verification, avoid appealing to minors, make only factual claims about products, and respect state boundaries where legal status varies. For dispensaries in New York and New Jersey, these regulations can be particularly nuanced and ever-changing.

Social media platforms might shut you down, payment processors might reject you, and advertising networks might ban you – but your email list? That’s yours to keep and use (responsibly, of course).

Benefits of Email Marketing for Cannabis Brands

When traditional marketing doors close, email marketing opens a window of opportunity. Here’s why cannabis email marketing services have become the backbone of successful dispensary marketing strategies:

Your email list is truly yours – not rented space on someone else’s platform. This ownership creates stability in an otherwise unpredictable marketing landscape. You can freely discuss products, educate customers, and promote special offers without fear of sudden censorship (as long as you’re following relevant regulations).

The ROI is nothing short of impressive. With returns of up to $43 for every dollar spent, email marketing consistently outperforms other digital channels. For cannabis businesses operating with tight margins due to regulatory costs, this efficiency is a game-changer.

Modern email platforms allow for precise targeting based on customer behavior, preferences, and purchase history. Want to send a specific offer to customers who haven’t visited in 30 days? Or share educational content with first-time buyers? With proper segmentation, you can create hyper-personalized experiences that resonate with each segment of your audience.

Automation is another powerful benefit. From welcome sequences to abandoned cart reminders, automated workflows can save your team 6-9 hours per week while boosting conversion rates by up to 50%. You can learn more about the efficiency and effectiveness of email marketing for cannabis businesses on our blog.

Perhaps best of all, email marketing provides clear, actionable analytics. You can track open rates, click-throughs, conversions, and revenue attribution to continuously refine your approach. This level of measurement simply isn’t available with many traditional marketing methods.

One dispensary manager we work with recently shared: “It’s nice to have someone taking care of all our marketing efforts so we can work on other aspects of the business. Our open and click rates for our email newsletters have gone up drastically since starting with proper email marketing.”

For dispensaries in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey, email marketing has proven particularly effective at building community and driving foot traffic to physical locations – all while maintaining strict compliance with local regulations. To dive deeper into these benefits, visit our guide to Cannabis Email Marketing.

Which Email Marketing Platforms Are Cannabis-Friendly?

Choosing the right email marketing platform for your cannabis dispensary is like choosing a trusty vehicle for a long road trip: pick wisely, and you’ll enjoy a smooth, worry-free ride; pick poorly, and you’ll find yourself stranded somewhere unpleasant. Okay, maybe not literally, but you get the idea!

Here’s the thing: cannabis email marketing services aren’t created equal. Every platform has its own policy about cannabis-related content. Some platforms openly welcome cannabis dispensaries, others only support CBD businesses, and many prohibit cannabis entirely. Unfortunately, vague policies are common, making your choice even trickier.

Why does this matter so much? Your email list is your dispensary’s lifeline. You’ve invested precious time and resources growing a loyal subscriber base. Imagine waking up one morning to find your account shut down without warning—no access, no contacts, no way to reach your community. Ouch.

At The Gold Standard, we help dispensaries make informed choices. We’ve done our homework to identify the platforms that truly support cannabis businesses like yours—so you won’t find yourself suddenly out in the cold.

When evaluating providers, you’ll typically find they fall into three categories:

Fully Cannabis-Friendly platforms openly welcome THC and CBD content, as long as you comply with age verification rules and relevant state guidelines. They understand cannabis and won’t unexpectedly pull the rug out from under you.

CBD-Only platforms limit marketing strictly to CBD products and specifically ban THC-related messaging. If you’re strictly in the CBD business, these platforms can work—but proceed with caution if THC is ever likely to enter your inventory.

Cannabis-Prohibited platforms explicitly forbid all cannabis-related content, even if it’s legal in your state. While some platforms might have unclear policies, others outright ban anything cannabis-related—so steer clear.

Before locking into a commitment, don’t just trust a platform’s website. Always reach out directly to their customer support team. Ask explicitly about cannabis marketing. Get written confirmation of their policies, and keep those communications handy in case there are disputes later.

Top Cannabis-Friendly Email Marketing Platforms

At The Gold Standard, we’ve spent plenty of time researching—and directly communicating—with email marketing providers. Here are some of our favorite platforms that have explicitly confirmed their cannabis-friendly status:

Klaviyo is widely respected in the cannabis community, offering powerful tools custom for dispensaries. Their support team confirms they gladly welcome cannabis content (both THC and CBD), giving you peace of mind for compliance and stability. Klaviyo features advanced segmentation capabilities, sophisticated automation workflows, detailed analytics, and seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms. Their deliverability rates are reliable, ensuring your messages actually reach inboxes. Check out Klaviyo here.

MailerLite is another dispensary favorite, thanks to its easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor and affordable price point. They confirmed directly with us that cannabis businesses (THC and CBD) are welcome. MailerLite offers intuitive interfaces, mobile-friendly templates, handy A/B testing, and strong deliverability—all without breaking your budget. Explore MailerLite here.

Moosend suits startups and smaller cannabis businesses that need robust marketing tools without hefty costs. Moosend offers solid automation, targeted segmentation, responsive email templates, and built-in analytics at a reasonable price point. Their team confirmed explicitly that cannabis content is allowed on their platform. Learn about Moosend here.

Email Octopus is a great entry-level choice for those dipping their toes into email marketing. It keeps things straightforward, with reliable deliverability, basic automation, and responsive customer support. And, yes—you guessed it—they officially confirmed cannabis content is welcome.

Finally, Alpine IQ is unique in that it’s explicitly designed for the cannabis industry. It includes dispensary-specific features like menu integrations, built-in compliance tools, loyalty program functionality, and SMS marketing options—all custom for dispensaries like yours.

From our experience serving dispensaries in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey, we typically recommend going with either Klaviyo or MailerLite. Both offer excellent feature sets, reliable deliverability, and responsive support specifically for cannabis-related businesses.

CBD-Only Email Marketing Platforms

If your dispensary exclusively markets CBD products, you have additional platform options like ActiveCampaign. ActiveCampaign offers sophisticated marketing automation and CRM features perfect for CBD dispensaries—just remember, they explicitly prohibit any THC content. If you plan on sticking strictly with CBD, ActiveCampaign can definitely support your needs. Find out more about ActiveCampaign.

When using a CBD-only platform, be extra careful to communicate exactly what your business entails during onboarding. Review their guidelines thoroughly to avoid any misunderstandings about banned terms or imagery. If your business ever expands into THC products, you’ll probably need a fully cannabis-friendly option instead, so keep future plans in mind before committing long-term.

Platforms to Avoid for Cannabis Marketing

Unfortunately, some popular email platforms simply aren’t cannabis-friendly. These platforms explicitly ban cannabis or maintain vague policies that put your account at risk of sudden termination.

First on our avoid list is Mailchimp. Despite its popularity, Mailchimp’s cannabis stance is notoriously unclear and inconsistently enforced. We’ve spoken to dispensaries who’ve had accounts abruptly shut down overnight, losing thousands of precious customer contacts in the process. See Mailchimp’s Acceptable Use Policy.

Next up is Constant Contact, whose terms explicitly forbid cannabis-related content, including both THC and CBD. Their policies directly reference cannabis products as prohibited.

Lastly, SendinBlue also explicitly prohibits cannabis marketing regardless of local legality. Their policies are clear—no cannabis content allowed.

We spoke with a dispensary owner who previously used one of these prohibited platforms: “We spent months building our subscriber list, and then our email account vanished overnight. Thousands of contacts, gone—no way to recover. We had to start all over again. Never again.”

To avoid facing this kind of nightmare, always:

• Verify cannabis policies directly with platform support teams before signing up.
• Get written confirmation from the provider about their cannabis policy stance.
• Regularly export your subscriber lists as backups.
• Have a solid backup plan ready in case your account is terminated unexpectedly.

At The Gold Standard, we help dispensaries across New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey choose safe, cannabis-friendly platforms. Our goal? Ensuring your email marketing strategy stays compliant, effective, and headache-free—so you can focus on what you do best: running your dispensary.

Essential Cannabis Email Marketing Strategies

You’ve chosen your cannabis-friendly email platform, and now it’s time to craft winning strategies that resonate with your audience. Successful Cannabis email marketing services involve more than sending promotional blasts. At The Gold Standard, we take a strategic, thoughtful approach that combines engaging content, smart timing, and clear regulatory compliance. Here’s how we help dispensaries lift their email marketing strategy:

How to Build and Segment Your Cannabis Email List

Building a quality email list is the foundation of a successful email marketing strategy—especially in the cannabis industry, where compliance is critical. Forget buying lists or aggressive sign-up tactics (they’re a fast track to compliance issues and low engagement).

Instead, we recommend thoughtful, compliant list-building methods. One of our favorite strategies is using website pop-ups with age verification. Ask visitors if they’re 21 or older, and direct them to an email sign-up form once verified. We’ve seen great results with pop-ups that say something like, “Are you 21 or older? Yes (email signup) / No (redirect offsite).”

Don’t underestimate the power of in-person interactions either. In-store email collection is highly effective. Equip your budtenders with tablets or simple paper forms at checkout. Incentives like a 10% discount on the next purchase can boost sign-up rates significantly. As one of our dispensary clients put it, “Our sign-ups shot up when we started offering an immediate discount at checkout. Customers feel valued, and we get more repeat visits.”

Educational events are another excellent opportunity for list growth. Whether it’s offering cannabis cooking demos or instructional seminars, encourage attendees to sign up during registration. You can also offer downloadable guides—like strain information or terpene effects—as incentives for website visitors to provide their emails.

Already have your list? Great! Now let’s talk segmentation. Segmentation means dividing your subscribers into smaller, meaningful groups to send them more relevant content. Smart segmentation drastically improves email engagement and conversions.

We advise dispensaries in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey to segment by location first. Geographic segmentation helps you comply with varying regional regulations and deliver localized offers. Next, segmenting subscribers based on their purchase history (flower, edibles, tinctures) allows you to send targeted recommendations custom directly to their interests.

For improved customer experience, segment subscribers by their engagement levels. Send special campaigns to highly engaged subscribers and separate re-engagement emails to those who haven’t interacted recently. A client of ours noted, “Segmenting by engagement level helped us win back inactive subscribers. Our open rates and sales jumped noticeably.”

Creating Effective Cannabis Email Campaigns

Now that your list is growing and segmented, it’s time to send engaging emails your subscribers actually look forward to. Effective cannabis email campaigns should be strategically designed to educate, entertain, and convert customers.

Your first impression counts. That’s why we recommend beginning with a carefully crafted welcome series. Typically lasting 3 to 5 emails, this series introduces new subscribers to your brand’s personality, values, and offerings. Your initial email should warmly welcome subscribers, followed by messages detailing your dispensary’s story, educational cannabis insights, and finally, an enticing first-purchase discount to convert subscribers into loyal customers.

Educational content is especially valued by cannabis consumers, many of whom may be new to the industry or seeking trustworthy information. Send engaging newsletters featuring tips on dosage, insights on terpenes and cannabinoids, or even fun pieces on cannabis history. Mixing educational value with product highlights positions you as a knowledgeable industry leader customers trust.

Of course, promotional campaigns are also vital—but in cannabis, they must be handled with care. Focus promotions on quality, safety, and unique product attributes rather than explicit effects. Create urgency with limited-time offers or exclusive bundles, and make sure your visuals and language meet all compliance standards.

Regular newsletters help keep your audience engaged. Include product announcements, staff favorites, community spotlights, or local industry news. Customers appreciate authentic, community-driven content, especially when it resonates with their interests and location.

If your dispensary offers online ordering, don’t miss out on the proven power of abandoned cart recovery emails. Sending personalized reminders shortly after cart abandonment, highlighting the products left behind, and offering assistance or a gentle incentive can recover significant lost revenue. A dispensary we assisted recently recovered around 15% of lost sales through this simple yet effective tactic.

Finally, keep the conversation going after purchases. Thoughtful post-purchase follow-up emails build loyalty, encourage repeat purchases, and generate valuable customer reviews. Include usage tips, complementary product recommendations, and gentle review requests to nurture a long-term relationship.

At The Gold Standard, we’ve seen dispensaries across New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey achieve impressive results by following these clear strategies. Our custom approach to Cannabis email marketing services helps you attract, engage, and retain customers—all while staying confidently compliant with industry regulations.

How to Ensure Compliance in Cannabis Email Marketing?

Compliance might not be the most exciting part of cannabis marketing—but trust me, it’s one of the most important. When done right, it protects your dispensary from fines, account bans, and other headaches that can seriously damage your business. As part of providing top-notch Cannabis email marketing services, we at The Gold Standard see compliance as the backbone of a healthy, sustainable email strategy.

First things first—age verification must be part of your signup process. You don’t need to overcomplicate this. Even a simple birthdate field can do the trick, but some dispensaries prefer integrating a full age verification service for extra security. Whatever method you choose, just make sure anyone joining your list meets your state’s age requirements.

Next, let’s get clear about opt-in consent. Everyone on your list must explicitly agree to hear from you. Buying email lists isn’t just spammy—it’s illegal and against nearly every email platform’s rules. Protect yourself by having a crystal-clear signup process, ideally with a double opt-in. That means new subscribers get a confirmation email asking them to click a link to confirm their subscription. Yes, it’s an extra step—but it shows you have their permission and helps ensure you’re building a quality list.

Also, don’t forget the importance of transparent unsubscribe options. Every message you send needs an obvious, one-click unsubscribe link somewhere easy to spot. No one likes hidden unsubscribe buttons—especially regulators. Plus, keeping your unsubscribe rate low depends more on good content than tricky tactics.

The actual email content matters a lot for compliance too. Be thoughtful about your messages: don’t make medical claims, never target minors or use language or images that could appeal to them, and steer clear of exaggerated or misleading claims. At The Gold Standard, we help dispensaries craft compliant messaging while keeping it engaging and effective.

If your dispensary operates across multiple states—like New York and New Jersey—you’ll want to use geographic targeting carefully. Regulations differ significantly from state to state, so segment your email list by location. This way, subscribers get content aligned with their local rules—reducing your compliance risk and increasing relevance.

Finally, keep detailed records of every subscriber’s opt-in consent. Documenting the date, source, and even the subscriber’s IP address (if possible) can save you from headaches down the road. If you’re ever asked to prove compliance, these records will be your best friend.

Compliance doesn’t have to feel like a burden—think of it as a smart investment in your dispensary’s long-term success. At The Gold Standard, we’ve helped dispensaries throughout New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey steer these compliance details so they can focus on what they do best—serving their customers.

Best Practices for Cannabis Email Compliance?

Beyond the basics we just covered, here are a few extra best practices to boost your compliance game and keep your cannabis email strategy thriving.

Start with clear terms of service and privacy policies. Having these in place—explicitly stating your age requirements, content expectations, privacy details, unsubscribe info, and compliance standards—is the professional way to protect your brand. Subscribers should agree to these when they sign up, so it’s clear everyone is on the same page.

Another key is including proper disclaimers in your emails. For example, New Jersey regulations require specific disclaimers like: “This product contains cannabis. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product, including for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery while using this product.” Including statements like this shows regulators—and subscribers—that you’re taking compliance seriously.

Make compliance checks part of your routine by conducting regular compliance audits. Schedule these quarterly to review your signup forms, emails, segmentation accuracy, and unsubscribe functions. Audits can catch little issues before they turn into big ones.

Lastly, stay informed about regulatory changes. We all know cannabis regulations evolve quickly. Designate someone on your team to track updates in your operating regions and adjust your email marketing accordingly. Keeping your finger on the pulse of changing laws keeps your dispensary ahead of the curve.

At The Gold Standard, compliance isn’t just a checkbox—it’s built into everything we do. Our dispensary clients in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey rely on us to keep their email marketing effective, engaging, and 100% compliant.

Measuring Success: Analytics for Cannabis Email Marketing?

Successful cannabis email marketing isn’t just about sending compliant, engaging messages. You also need to measure your efforts, so you can keep fine-tuning your approach.

When evaluating your Cannabis email marketing services, several key metrics stand out. Your open rate (the percentage of recipients who open your emails) indicates how compelling your subject lines and sender reputation are. For cannabis emails, anything between 20-25% is a solid benchmark to aim for.

After getting subscribers to open your email, you’ll want to check your click-through rate (CTR)—the percentage of subscribers who click on a link within the email. A CTR of 2-3% is strong in the cannabis industry and shows your content resonates with subscribers.

Of course, the ultimate goal of your emails is usually to drive some form of action—like a purchase or an event registration. Tracking your conversion rate (typically 1-2% in cannabis) shows how effectively you’re motivating subscribers to take the next step.

Don’t forget to track the financial impact of your emails. Calculating revenue per email can directly tie your email strategy to sales. For instance, knowing that each email generates an average of $1.50 can justify increased investments in your program.

Keep an eye on your list growth rate too. A healthy email list typically grows by about 3-5% each month. If you’re not seeing steady growth, take a closer look at your signup and engagement strategies.

Finally, monitor your unsubscribe rate. Ideally, this stays below 0.5%. A higher rate might mean your content isn’t resonating, or you’re sending emails too often.

To dive even deeper, consider using approaches like A/B testing (comparing two versions of an email to see which performs better), cohort analysis (tracking engagement trends among different subscriber groups), campaign comparisons, and even device analysis (ensuring emails look great on mobile and desktop).

One dispensary we worked with noticed through analytics that educational content had far higher engagement than promotional offers. They leaned into education-based emails and saw a 35% increase in overall subscriber engagement. As we always say at The Gold Standard, what gets measured gets improved.

For dispensaries throughout New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey, our data-driven approach to Cannabis email marketing services ensures your efforts remain compliant, engaging, and effective.

Leveraging Automation for Cannabis Email Marketing?

Let’s face it—running a cannabis dispensary means constantly juggling compliance, customer engagement, and daily operations. That’s why automation is a dispensary owner’s best friend. Email automation is one of the standout features of modern Cannabis email marketing services, helping you deliver timely, personalized messages without getting bogged down in manual work.

Think of automation as your virtual assistant. It sends out the right emails at precisely the right time, nurturing customer relationships and boosting sales—all while you focus on the bigger picture. According to industry data, dispensaries using automation often see increased conversion rates of up to 50% and save around 6-9 hours each week on marketing tasks.

At The Gold Standard, we’ve seen how automated emails significantly improve customer experience, turning casual visitors into loyal fans. Here are some essential automation workflows we recommend implementing for cannabis businesses:

Key Automation Workflows for Cannabis Businesses?

One of the most impactful workflows is your welcome series workflow. Imagine you’ve just signed up a new subscriber. Immediately, they receive a warm welcome email that introduces your dispensary and thanks them for joining. Over the next few days, the workflow automatically shares educational content, your brand story, and personalized product recommendations. Finally, it gently nudges the subscriber toward their first purchase with a special incentive. Dispensary owners frequently tell us this workflow alone brings in conversion rates between 15-20%, far above typical promotional emails.

Another critical automation is the abandoned cart sequence. Let’s say a customer browses your online menu, adds products to their cart—but then gets distracted (we’ve all been there!). About an hour later, your automation comes to the rescue with a friendly reminder of what’s waiting in their cart. If they still don’t buy, another message goes out the next day offering help or addressing common concerns. After 48 hours, a final email might sweeten the deal with a small incentive. For dispensaries with online ordering, we’ve seen these simple emails recover between 10-15% of lost sales.

Once a customer makes a purchase, the relationship isn’t over—it’s just beginning. That’s why the post-purchase follow-up emails make so much sense. Immediately after ordering, customers get a heartfelt thank-you and confirmation. In a couple of days, follow-up emails provide useful usage tips or cannabis education related to their purchase. A few days later, you can politely ask for feedback or reviews, which are gold for building credibility. Finally, you suggest complementary products they might enjoy based on their recent purchase, seamlessly encouraging repeat business.

What about your subscribers who’ve gone quiet? A re-engagement campaign helps win them back. If a customer hasn’t opened or clicked your emails for 2-3 months, your automation kicks in with a friendly “we miss you” message. If that doesn’t work, you can send educational insights, new product highlights, or even ask directly what they’d prefer to see from you. If they still stay silent, a final email with a tempting offer can bring them back into the fold or confirm that it’s time to say goodbye. This workflow keeps your email list healthy and engaged.

Finally, automation is perfect for managing loyalty programs. When customers earn enough rewards points, hit a new loyalty tier, or celebrate a birthday or anniversary, automated emails congratulate them and offer special incentives. This personalized attention makes customers feel appreciated and drives repeat visits.

Dispensaries across New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey have benefited greatly from these workflows. At The Gold Standard, we’re experts at crafting automation that’s not just effective, but also fully compliant with local regulations. Find more about cannabis dispensary email marketing here.

Personalization Techniques That Drive Results?

Personalization isn’t just adding someone’s first name in an email. Great personalization means truly speaking to your customer’s interests, habits, and preferences. Today’s Cannabis email marketing services give you powerful tools to deliver highly personalized, highly relevant emails that customers actually want to receive.

One effective way to personalize emails is by using dynamic content based on user data. For instance, if one customer regularly buys edibles while another prefers flower, your emails can automatically highlight their favorite products. You can also use geographic personalization—sending location-specific promotions, local event invites, or store updates, especially if you operate multiple dispensary locations.

Another smart tactic is setting up behavioral triggers. Say a customer spends a lot of time browsing cannabis-infused beverages on your website. Automatically sending them educational content or promotional offers around beverages can lead directly to sales. Or perhaps a customer just reached a certain loyalty milestone—automatically sending a congratulatory email with a reward makes them feel special and appreciated.

Time-based personalization also helps build meaningful relationships. New subscribers might appreciate introductory education, while longtime customers could receive VIP offers as a thank-you for their loyalty. Similarly, preference-based personalization allows customers to choose what topics they want to hear about. When subscribers control the content they receive (product education, promotions, dispensary news, etc.), they’re far more likely to engage with your emails.

One of our dispensary clients joked, “We thought personalization meant remembering customers’ birthdays. But once we let customers choose their email preferences, our click rates jumped 60%. Turns out, people actually enjoy receiving emails they asked for!”

At The Gold Standard, we help dispensaries use automation and personalization effectively to build stronger, lasting relationships. By combining smart data analysis, thoughtful segmentation, and sophisticated email personalization, we deliver emails that aren’t just opened—they’re enthusiastically welcomed.

FAQ: Leveraging Automation for Cannabis Email Marketing?

Why should cannabis dispensaries use automation in their email marketing?
Automation saves you hours of manual work each week, boosts customer engagement, and significantly increases conversion rates. It helps send the right messages at the perfect moments, creating stronger customer relationships and more sales.

What are the essential automated email workflows every dispensary should have?
Key workflows include: a welcome series, abandoned cart sequence, post-purchase follow-up, re-engagement campaign, and loyalty program automation. These workflows help nurture customers at every stage of the buying journey.

How can dispensaries personalize their automated email campaigns effectively?
Effective personalization leverages user data (purchase history, location, behavior), behavioral triggers (product browsing, loyalty milestones), time-based segmentation (new vs. loyal customers), and preference-based options (letting subscribers choose their content). All of these techniques make emails more relevant and engaging.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cannabis Email Marketing Services

What Makes Cannabis Email Marketing Different from Regular Email Marketing?

Cannabis email marketing might seem similar to standard email marketing, but there are some important differences you need to understand to succeed. The biggest difference lies in regulatory compliance. Cannabis businesses face strict rules around advertising and marketing content. These regulations are often state-specific and require you to carefully verify subscriber age, follow content restrictions, and avoid certain promotional claims.

Another essential distinction is platform limitations. Many popular email marketing providers, like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, don’t allow cannabis-related content. This means choosing the right platform is crucial to avoid sudden account shutdowns and loss of subscribers. Always ensure the platform you select is explicitly cannabis-friendly, like Klaviyo or MailerLite.

Cannabis email marketing also demands specialized segmentation to stay compliant and effective. If your dispensary serves multiple states, you must segment your audience geographically. Each group should only receive content that meets state-specific laws and regulations. Otherwise, you risk regulatory penalties or account suspension.

Additionally, cannabis marketers need to be extra mindful about content sensitivities. Striking the right balance between promotional messaging and education is critical to maintaining compliance and avoiding spam filters. It’s essential to use professional language and imagery that highlight responsible use and quality, rather than making bold medical claims or glorifying recreational aspects.

Lastly, we can’t overlook age verification integration. Cannabis marketers must actively ensure their email lists only include subscribers of legal age. This often involves integrating age verification tools directly into your sign-up process to maintain compliance.

At The Gold Standard, we specialize in Cannabis email marketing services that expertly steer these unique challenges. We understand the email marketing landscape and cannabis regulations inside-out. Our clients in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey trust us to deliver effective, compliant email campaigns custom specifically for cannabis dispensary needs.

How Much Does Cannabis Email Marketing Cost?

The cost of cannabis email marketing depends on a few key factors, such as the platform you choose, the size of your subscriber list, design and content creation needs, and how much support and management you require.

Cannabis-friendly email platforms usually charge monthly fees based on how many subscribers you have. If you have a small list (around 2,000 subscribers), you can expect monthly fees between approximately $30 and $100. Medium-sized lists (2,000–10,000 subscribers) generally range between $100 and $300 per month. Larger email lists (10,000+ subscribers) typically cost from $300 up to $1,000 or more per month.

Design and content creation costs vary according to your needs. If you’re comfortable handling your own design, the platform fees might be your only expense. However, if you prefer professional template customization, expect a one-time setup cost of around $500–$2,000. If you’d rather outsource all ongoing content creation (including copywriting, visuals, and strategy), monthly fees typically range from $1,000–$3,000.

Strategy and management costs are another important consideration. If you’re handling everything in-house, you’ll only pay your monthly platform fees. But if you’d like some expert guidance from a cannabis marketing agency, partial management services run approximately $1,000–$3,000 per month, while fully-managed email marketing programs usually range between $3,000 and $10,000 or more per month.

If you add advanced automation features, expect your platform fees to increase by roughly 20–50%. Integrating your email platform with e-commerce or POS systems also usually includes a setup fee of around $500–$2,000. Advanced analytics tools for deeper insights can add another $100–$500 per month.

While this might seem like a lot, cannabis email marketing typically provides an outstanding return on investment. Industry data shows the ROI can reach as high as $43 for every dollar spent, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available to cannabis dispensaries.

Here at The Gold Standard, we create custom cannabis marketing packages custom to your dispensary’s unique needs and budget. Whether you’re in New York City, Astoria, Long Island, or New Jersey, our goal is not only to help you get the most from your email marketing budget but also ensure compliance every step of the way.

Can Cannabis Businesses Use Regular Email Marketing Platforms?

While it’s tempting to choose mainstream email marketing platforms, this can be risky for cannabis businesses. Popular platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and SendinBlue typically prohibit cannabis-related content. Even if their policies aren’t entirely clear, many cannabis businesses have learned the hard way that these companies often terminate accounts without warning.

This sudden shutdown can result in losing a subscriber list you’ve spent valuable time and resources building. Worse, it can mean starting your entire email marketing program from zero again. One cannabis business owner shared with us, “We spent months building our email list on a mainstream platform. One morning, our account was shut down with no explanation, and we lost thousands of subscribers. It was devastating.”

Additionally, general email platforms typically lack essential cannabis-specific compliance tools such as integrated age verification. You might also experience deliverability issues, as mainstream platforms sometimes throttle email deliverability for cannabis-related content.

If you’re planning to use a regular email platform, take some precautions. Reach out to the provider’s support team and clearly explain your business model. Get explicit written confirmation that they permit cannabis content—both THC and CBD, if applicable. Regularly export your subscriber list and campaign data to protect your contacts from sudden disruption.

We recommend cannabis businesses use explicitly cannabis-friendly platforms like Klaviyo, MailerLite, Moosend, or Alpine IQ. These providers openly welcome cannabis businesses and offer features designed specifically for compliance and cannabis industry marketing needs.

At The Gold Standard, we help dispensaries in New York City, Long Island, Astoria NY, and New Jersey select the right cannabis-friendly email marketing platform from the start. We ensure stable, compliant, and effective email marketing that helps your dispensary grow and thrive without unnecessary risks.