Cannabis SMS marketing: the channel you actually own

Build the list properly

Collect clear, express opt-ins — at the register, in online ordering, and on your site — with the program name, message frequency, rate disclosure and an easy opt-out. Never import a list you did not collect. Cannabis SMS lives or dies on carrier and regulatory good standing, and a sloppy list is how programs get shut off.

What to send

• Drops and restocks. The most-opened message type: a product people were waiting for is back.
• Slow-day offers. Use texts to fill Tuesday afternoons, not to discount the Friday rush you already own.
• Winback. A short message to customers who have not visited in 45–60 days.
• Operational notes. Holiday hours, a new location, delivery windows.

Cadence and segmentation

Two to four messages a month is the range most stores sustain without heavy unsubscribes. Segment by store location, purchase category and recency — a concentrate buyer and an edibles-only customer should not get the same text. Every extra irrelevant message costs list size, which is the asset you are building.

What to measure

Track list growth, opt-out rate per send, redemption rate, and revenue per message. Compare redeemers against your normal baseline for that day of the week; a send that shifts existing visits earlier is not incremental revenue.

Pair it with everything else

SMS converts demand; it does not create it. Pair it with local search work and a full dispensary marketing plan so new customers keep entering the list.