When you look around, the world is heavily reliant on technology. With a few taps, you can order just about anything on your phone. When you’re out and about, you can pay for goods by flashing your watch – you don’t even need to grab your wallet.

But, when you turn to the cannabis industry, it’s as if we took a step back 100 years. The majority of dispensaries are stuck in a world of cash-only transactions and traditional advertising – things that just don’t work in 2019. As laws are changing across the globe, we have the opportunity to change the cannabis industry too. 

Here are nine ways to bring your cannabis business into the 21st century:

Open a bank account

In the cannabis industry, proper banking has been a major concern. Since the industry has been classified as ‘at-risk,’ most banks have been shy to get involved, leaving you no choice but to work with a cash-only model. But, cash handling comes with a number of major concerns, from basic money management to financial security. If your business has struggled to keep your books in order without a proper bank account, we have some good news for you. We’ve partnered with PayHouse to give the cannabis industry a fair chance at banking. With a bank account, everything from retail transactions, to payroll, to purchasing product can be streamlined and tracked in a quick, safe, and easy way.

Build a website,  mobile app, and claim your online presence 

It goes without saying that an online presence is a must-have in 2019, yet we’ve seen so many cannabis businesses struggle to make an impact online. When building a website and mobile app, UX and UI must be at the forefront of your development process, making sure that every page and every click is seamless. We highly recommend outsourcing your development work to a third party who can do all of the work for you, from research, to testing, to development. We’ve had great success working with Rovetek, and give them our highest recommendation. 

Install a world-class POS system

Now that your bank account and website/app are set up, it’s time to focus on sales and inventory. Wouldn’t it be nice to know your stock without having to count each item? Wouldn’t it be easy to request an item via a computer and have it brought out to you like it is in a restaurant? A POS system can help you do all of those things and more. There are many on the market and several specifically available in the cannabis industry, so be clear on what you need yours to do before making a decision.

List your menu and make your presence known on cannabis search apps

We’re fully aware that everyone is turning to their phones to find just about everything they need, and cannabis is no different. With cutting-edge apps like Greenery Map, consumers are just a few clicks away from finding the cannabis strains, products, and dispensaries they’re looking for. These apps are an easy way to reach your ideal client and drive your sales through the roof. If someone’s downloaded our app, it’s clear that they’re a cannabis user. Why not give them the opportunity to discover your business by listing your location and menu? If you have questions about getting set up, someone from our team would be happy to help you. Send us an email here. 

Start accepting credit cards 

Now, let’s move on to the most important point on this list: accepting credit cards for cannabis purchases. Studies have shown that consumers spend up to 40% more when they aren’t limited to just the cash in their pockets. By making your dispensary a cash-only space, you’re missing out on a large sum of what you could be making. To move past this, many dispensaries have come up with loopholes and workarounds, but that’s not a long-term, sustainable solution. Say goodbye to the chaos by opening up a credit card merchant account today. We’re bringing you the first legal, compliant credit card processing solution that the cannabis industry has ever seen. Processing plastic is the most important way to move your business forward and drive sales. 

Open an online store 

Once you’ve opened up your credit card merchant account, you’re well on your way to increasing your sales. But, why stop there? In-person sales are important and they might be enough to sustain your business for now, but, as the world becomes more accessible and mobile every day, your dispensary needs to follow suit. Consumers don’t like waiting around, so we highly recommend that you offer an online ordering system where customers can place orders in advance to have them ready for pickup at a given time. Not only will this cut down your line and in-house wait times, but it also gives you the chance to up-sell customers and recommend additional products without any extra man (or woman) power. When setting up your website and app, talk to your development team about this possibility. It’s worth the investment! 

Advertise your cannabis business online

While social media platforms and search engines aren’t allowing paid advertising of cannabis-industry businesses (for now), that doesn’t mean you have to stick to strictly-organic growth. Throughout the industry, dispensaries are turning to local influencers to help drive traffic to their social media pages. If your budget is small, maybe offer consumers a discount on your product for a social media post. Another option that you might find valuable is trading post for post with relevant accounts. While you might not want to trade with direct competitors in your city, trading with a national/international entity or even an up and coming influencer in your community might be a good fit. If you want to explore this option of a trade with Greenery Map, contact us here.

Set up a product delivery service

We’ve already talked about the growing consumer need for instant fulfillment and gratification, so it should come as no surprise that product delivery made this list. With the growth of Amazon Prime Now and other services like it, it’s clear that consumers want to do as little work as possible to get the things they need. In order to drive sales and get ahead of your competition, you need to be an early adapter to this practice. Once your delivery service is up and running, we can link it to your Greenery Map account to let consumers make purchases for delivery right through our app, too.

Reduce budtender/client time with electronic menus and product education 

The time it takes budtenders to help customers find the products they are looking for is precious – and it’s also costing you money. There are a number of ways to use technology to educate your guests without the need for face-to-face budtender help. By installing a few tablets around your waiting area, or even suggesting customers download our app on their phones, consumers can use your live menu on Greenery Map to learn about the products you offer and find what’s right for them. Now your budtenders can focus on upselling instead of educating!