These days most cannabis retailers are aware of the value of online ordering and digital marketing best practices (namely SEO). But the value of native mobile applications – and how to market them – is somewhat elusive. In this article, we will cover some of the key value-adds of dispensary mobile apps and how you can increase adoption within your customer base.
Why does it matter? Understanding the value that branded, native mobile apps bring to your business
First, it’s important to understand – mobile apps are not for all your customers. They are for your best customers. Customers who download and shop with your app are your power users, frequent flyers, big spenders, and brand champions! Simply put, they tend to spend more money, more often and are fiercely loyal to your business.
Here’s what you can expect when you choose BLAZE to power your Mobile Apps:
- Retailer-owned and Branded
- You own the mobile app developer accounts, while BLAZE deploys and maintains the applications on your behalf.
- Choose your app name, icon, brand colors, and more.
- Native Shopping Experience
- Most industry apps simply frame in your web menu. They offer little to no benefit, or difference between your app and website.
- By contrast, BLAZE Apps offer a best-in-class shopping experience purpose-built for mobile devices. And, for Android apps, a proven toolset to manage Play Store compliance.
- Affordable Flat Rate
- Pay a monthly flat rate per location for both iOS and Android applications.
- Unlimited Push Notifications
- Engage your best customers on their phones without the high cost, censorship, and deliverability issues related to SMS.
- Link directly to filtered ECOM screens (ie tagged products, brand pages, and categories) in the mobile app leading to a higher conversion rate.
- Push notifications convert at a higher rate than sms and email.
- Both automatic order notifications and manual campaigns are free and unlimited.
- Native Live Chat, Powered by Zendesk
- Customers can get assistance in real-time without leaving your app.
- Choose to give app-exclusive or app-prioritized support.
- App Exclusive Promotions
- Incentive app downloads by creating promotions in the POS that are displayed in the app only.
- White Glove Onboarding
- Cannabis retailers receive one-to-one onboarding support to get their app configured, integrated with BLAZE Retail® POS, and submitted to the app stores.
- App Store Compliance
- BLAZE Apps come with an industry-leading toolset to manage app store compliance and approval.
Creating a Mobile App Program and Strategy that Drive Adoption
Now that you understand how the apps work and the immense value they can provide to your business, it’s time to design and implement a strategy that drives adoption among your customer base.
As with most retail apps, your customers are likely to have several interactions with your brand before deciding to download your mobile app.
For example, you probably wouldn’t download the Starbucks app, having never been to a Starbucks. In fact, you probably wouldn’t download the app until you are a regular customer – and the value of the app has been effectively communicated to you in some way.
Keep in mind when creating a program, you want to keep it simple and predictable – and stick to it! Doing so will make it easier to manage and communicate with your customers.
Here is an example: Download our mobile app! Be the first to know about in-store promotions, and get access to app exclusive deals every Friday!
To execute this program, you would need to send push notifications from time to time to alert your app users about in-store promotions, events, or anything else that they might find interesting.
Best Practices for Promoting Dispensary Mobile Apps
Now that you’ve got a simple and effective program together, it’s time to drive adoption! There are a myriad of ways to advertise your app program. The more strategies you employ, the better the results!
Offline promotion is incredibly effective because you can bake it into your retail and customer experience.
Utilize your dynamic QR code and Onelink (provided by BLAZE). Dynamically send iPhone users to the App Store and Android users to the Play Store. No need to ask customers to search for your app!
Print physical stickers, flyers, and signage that prominently display the QR code along with the benefits of the app. Printed promotional materials can be on the door, on the wall, at the register, or in exit bags.
Train your delivery drivers,and budtenders to distribute collateral to customers and verbally communicate the value at every interaction and after every transaction.
You can even add a custom QR code to every printed receipt if you’re using our new Web POS.
Online, BLAZE provides a best-in-class toolset that you can leverage for automated promotion.
1. Smart Banners
Customers who shop your website on a mobile device will be shown a banner promoting the app. On Safari with iOS, for example, it will show “Download” to a user who does not have the app installed and “Open” to a user who does.
One click will either take them directly to the mobile app installed on their phone or, if they don’t have the app installed, they will be redirected to the mobile app profile on the app stores.
2. Checkout CTA
Automatically prompt every online customer to download your mobile app right on the checkout confirmation screen after any order on the mobile version of the website. An option to “Track your order with our App” can be clicked from the order confirmation screen.
A click will take users on an Android device to the App Store and an Apple device to the Play Store to download your app.
3. Mobile Landing Page
Add a squeeze page to your mobile website that recommends the user to download your app for a superior shopping experience. There is also an option to continue on the web, but this is a great way to increase adoption for your mobile apps.
Lastly, we suggest updating your website to include a webpage, banner, popup, and announcement dedicated to promoting your app. Be sure to include app messaging in SMS, email, social, and billboard marketing campaigns.
How to Get a Dispensary Mobile App
To start the process of getting a dispensary mobile app, schedule a demo with our e-commerce experts for a tour. We handle all of the development, branding, and maintenance of the mobile app and give you ownership of the mobile app developer accounts for Apple and Android app stores. Our team is experienced in addressing any policy issues and getting your apps approved. Contact us below to white label your dispensary mobile app.
