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Becoming a Unicorn

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The first month of a new career always brings fear and excitement.

I’m glad to say that here at Social Media Unicorn it has been a lot more excitement than fear. Everyone is great! Not only is my entire team fun to work with, they all have an in-depth knowledge of the cannabis culture and the wants and needs of the community we serve. With that being said, I am starting a weekly blog to inform and educate about the new innovative products, services, and happenings within our community. Stay tuned each week to see what this Unicorn is getting into 😉

Just recently, we had the pleasure of hosting a patient appreciation day for Tahoe Hydro Company with the lovely people over at Medizin. They operate one of the premier dispensaries that cater to Las Vegas and the surrounding areas. Medizin, unlike many other dispensaries, is also involved in cultivation. They have some award winning flowers like Chloe, one of the most medically beneficial strains that is offered in Las Vegas. We had a great time representing Tahoe Hydro Company while we were there. THC is a boutique cultivator out of Carson City, NV, that is sure to fit the needs and wants of any consumer out there. They have award winning strains: Blackjack (S), Gelato 45 (H), Tahoe Hydro OG (I), all winning their respective categories at the 2016 Jack Herer Cup. THC also just entered the preroll game with the introduction of their STIX line, currently offering Tahoe Hydro OG. Needless to say, they know what they are doing over there at Tahoe Hydro Company. We passed out tons of Tahoe swag and educated patients on our products and specials. It was great meeting and creating future Tahoe fans! I loved hearing all the positive feedback regarding our products. Huge thank you to Tanya and the whole crew at Medizin for making my first patient appreciation day a success!  

All in all, these first few weeks have been an adventure and a blessing. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people who are so passionate about cannabis. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me as a Unicorn. Be sure to tune in next week for my next post and mark your calendars for our upcoming events!

Las Vegas Social Media Day – Fri. 6/30

Follow Tahoe Hydro Company on IG @tahoehydroponics

Get updates from Medizin at http://medizinlv.com 

The Most Useful Social Media Automation Functions

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Did you know that you can put your brand’s social media activity on auto-pilot? It takes some strategy, just like anything else. But there are tools out there that can definitely make you feel like a one-person social media department. 

These tools have many different functions, and not all of them are going to be useful or economical for your brand. In fact, everyday social media users have grown savvy to some of the automated tools out there and can spot automated activity a mile away. 

You don’t have to go “full robot” – here are the most useful automation functions you can start using right away to politely grow your social media accounts.

Scheduling

For those of us (most of us) who are simply not around to post on their channels all day, managing social media can seem like a daunting task. Signing on and posting takes precious minutes that we could be spending on another task. 

Scheduling tools can be found through software services like Hootsuite or Buffer, or, you can schedule future posts to a brand’s Facebook Page for free, right inside the Facebook platform. That way, you can schedule posts out for the week (or the month) in one sitting. 

Engaging

There are apps and tools out there to make it seem like you are liking, commenting and engaging with others’ posts on Twitter and Instagram. Typically it requires you to target the type of user, or a hashtag in order for the “robot” to find people to interact with. 

Unfortunately, there aren’t yet automation tools for engaging with Facebook posts. You will have to engage authentically there by liking and commenting on existing posts. 

Following

On Instagram and Twitter, the amount of followers you get is proportional to the amount of time you spend following other similar accounts. Easy to do for those of us who live on our phones – but for a busy entrepreneur? Not so much. 

Auto-follow, and more importantly, auto-unfollow tools are some of the most valuable in the social media world. Nobody in their right mind could sit and follow 400 new users per day with their thumbs, but with automation, it’s more than possible. 

We’re getting started on InstaZood after another of our favorite tools got shut down. Give it a try and see how powerful your account can really be!  

Need a team to help you delve into the world of social media marketing? Our experts are here to help, and located all around the west coast. Reach out to Social Media Unicorn to get started.

What Makes a Marijuana Brand “High-End?”

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Is your cannabis brand “high-end?” If so, how do you justify that classification? As rapidly increasing numbers of consumers try cannabis for the first time, and the market continues to segment, it’s vital to know where your product stands on the “luxury scale.”

Many business owners mistake luxury for something that a hip millennial would purchase. While this can sometimes be true, we’re here to set the record straight about cannabis marketing once and for all. 

The following qualities are what truly make a cannabis brand high-end: 

Audience

Before you can be considered a luxury brand, you’ve got to target the right kinds of people with your marketing. In other words, if you think your product fits the interests and profile of a 40+ woman making over $100K per year, don’t cater your marketing to the college aged Coachella-bound crowd. 

When your product catches the eyes of your audience on social media, you want them to know it was made for them; not wondering whether they should do their research first. That’s the difference between luxury and generic brands. 

Sourcing

What goes into your product is just as important, if not more so, than the way it looks on the outside. Luxury consumers crave a few things from their health and wellness products, including potent active ingredients, natural or organic components, and sensations that are pleasing to the touch, taste or smell. 

The takeaway here is that if you use only the highest quality flower to start your process, then your concentrate, edible, or topical product will automatically rank among the high-end. 

Presentation

One of the most important finishing touches on your brand is the final presentation – how your product will be packaged, displayed and sold. The colors and symbolism of your brand must match up artistically and aesthetically to other luxury brands on the shelves of your favorite high-end boutiques. 

Now, whether you want to follow in the footsteps of the fashion industry, specialty food products, apothecary and beauty store styling, or the stark, scientific stylings of the pharmaceutical industry, is all up to you. That’s the fun of branding! 

Playing by these suggestions will help you prepare your cannabis brand for the luxury market, but in reality, there are no strict rules to creating an amazing new product. Part of the beauty of marijuana is the spectrum of new and innovative ideas being developed from the plant and the culture that surrounds it. 

Ready to groom your product for the spotlight it deserves? Get in touch with Social Media Unicorn today and put one of our stellar cannabis marketing Unicorns to work for you. 

4 Cannabis Brands Using Photography To Their Advantage

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We love to talk about sharp branding photography for cannabis because, in today’s social media universe, it can truly make or break your communication strategy.

Product or lifestyle photography for your brand should embody as much of your identity, personality and colors as possible, while inspiring creativity or new ideas in the person viewing the photo. Instead of just thinking, “that’s a pretty photo!” your goal should be to stimulate in the viewer a newfound desire to incorporate your brand into their existing lifestyle. People in the cannabis community hold their routines and rituals in high regard; show that your product understands that. 

These four companies have been #killingit with their social media photography lately, and savvy cannabis consumers are taking notice. Take a leaf or two out of their book! 

Dipstick Vapes

Coming up in the personal vaporizer market against major competition that’s been in play for years (think PAX vs. Firefly, Dabado vs. Dr. Dabber) isn’t easy for most brands to strategize.

Dab & Puff 💨💨 #HappyDipping #TossTheTorch #Dipper #Dipstickvapes

A post shared by Dipstick Vapes (@dipstickvapes) on

Dipstick Vapes handles the pressure with style, using gorgeous professional photography of their sleek metallic devices and full, luscious puffs of smoke to attract the eye. Their Instagram account is new, but already wooing high-end vape customers to their portable “nectar collector” for easy concentrate consumption on the go. 

Humble Flower Co. 

A topical company with roots in California’s famed Humboldt area, this brand brings the outside in to create a beautiful and appealing social media photography strategy.

Our products are non-psychoactive, meaning they won't get you high. However by applying Humble Flower Co. topicals to your skin, your bodies natural system of receptors will utilize the medicine where it is applied. Headache, cramps, arthritis, you name it, cannabis has powerful healing properties when applied to ailments.

A post shared by Humble Flower Co. (@humbleflowerco) on

All of Humble’s product photos are staged with colorful wildflowers, herbs and shrubbery in contrast with the clean and modern lines of their packaging. 

The Kush Queens

Already well-known for their Instagram imagery that is female-friendly and full of memery, The Kush Queens are putting their photo prowess to good use now that they’ve launches their very own products.

Come visit us in the @sol_distro Village @hightimesmagazine #Cannabiscup #thekushqueens #TheLitKit #soldistro

A post shared by Kush Queen™ (@thekushqueens) on

Earlier this year they released The Lit Kit, a pretty box filled with a pre-rolled cone, small chocolate edible and medicated bath bomb for the perfect night in. The professional-looking package has inspired hundreds of fans to create their own Instagram photo content around The Lit Kit – a social media gift that keeps on giving for its creators. 

Remedy

Remedy, out of Las Vegas, continues to stun the market with packaging and brand marketing that is ahead of its time. Clearly they are gearing up to serve the exploding 21+ market come summertime.

We have set the gold standard for wellness with our Gold Capsules. For solvent-free pain relief and overall wellness nothing is better. #MMJ #MedicalMarijuana #Wellness #Health #Fitness #ChronicPain #CannabisCommunity #VegasWeed #WeedFam

A post shared by Remedy (@remedyyourself) on

From color-coordinated pill cases for their cannabis capsules, to their sleek black-and-white vape case, to their brand symbolism of hands in their lifestyle photography, and even the close-up shots of their golden oils and top-grade flowers, Remedy is one of the top brands to watch in Nevada. 

What are your favorite cannabis brands putting out first-class brand photography? Share a link with us in the comment section. 

Marijuana Legalization Affects Real Estate: Here’s How

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Industry publications cannot stop talking about marijuana legalization and its impact on the real estate market. And when we say that we don’t just mean marijuana news outlets.

The mainstream business and investing communities have really taken notice of legalization, and the conversation is building as new policies form nationwide. Experts and investors now believe they can project what will happen to the real estate market once a state passes a medical or adult-use legalization measure. 

Here’s what we know so far about what happens to real estate values in emerging legal cannabis markets. 

Heavy Competition

If you know about the licensing process for cannabis companies, then you probably know there are a ton of zoning regulations involved. These can vary by state and even by city, but they usually limit dispensaries and manufacturers to extremely limited areas of town. The jist of the rules is that policymakers don’t want cannabis to be cultivated, processed or sold near schools and parks, residential zones and other sensitive areas. 

That being said, finding an appropriate operations site can be stiff competition for license applicants. This allows property owners in industrial and other ideal zones to ask a premium price or rent for their cannabis-friendly real estate, which in turn bumps up prices close by.

Exodus

Something else to consider about new legal cannabis markets is that many people from out-of-state will soon be clamoring to move there. Be they “medical refugees” who can’t access cannabis in their home state, budding entrepreneurs and job seekers following the opportunity, or enthusiasts who would simply rather enjoy their hobby in peace, they’re all looking to find a place to live. 

More demand for real estate always drives prices up. The cannabis movement just happens to be one of the strongest uniting movements driving visibly huge demand for real estate.

Increasing the value of real estate is only one of hundreds of ways that cannabis legalization stimulates our economy. Regulated cannabis markets create jobs and livelihoods for thousands of people, provide affordable and effective medicine to our most vulnerable and provide a healthier way for people of legal age to recreate and enjoy their lives.

Ready to position yourself as a serious player in this industry? Call our genius team of marketers at Social Media Unicorn today. 

10 Ways Lab Testing Helps Make The Cannabis Brand

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Let’s get one thing clear: lab testing cannabis is an absolute must.

Though most legal markets require it by law, really, the only ones who still have to catch up to modern times are operators in California. It’s because of the west coast market that lab testing requirements in states such as Nevada are as strict as they are now. No other state wants to take chances on pesticides and molds! 

If you think getting your product tested at a lab is just a chore, read on to learn why it could actually make or break your brand. 

Builds Trust

Lab testing your products proves to the world that you are a legitimate operator in the cannabis space, creating products that are free of toxins and dangerous chemicals. Congratulations on putting drug dealer stereotypes in the past! 

Shows Transparency

Customers aren’t the only ones who are going to want to see your lab tests. By always having them current, you’re appeasing local and state regulators, too. The more we share with the world about the contents of medical cannabis products, the more progress we will make collectively as an industry. 

Displays Quality

You already think your product is the best – don’t you want others to think so, too? From the terpenes, to the humidity levels, to the major and minor cannabinoids, your trusty lab test should definitely make your product shine. 

Educates Patients

Not every patient or adult-use consumer is aware of the chemical composition of their cannabis. For those who are interested in learning more, it’s nothing short of fascinating to peruse the various lab tests at the dispensary. Make sure yours is one of them.

Proves Potency

Simply saying that your flower, oil or edible is the strongest just doesn’t hold much water in today’s cannabis economy. A certified laboratory test is the only way to prove to retailers and customers that yours is the real deal – and worth the price. 

Creates Consistency

What makes a cannabis consumer come back again and again? A product that looks, smells, tastes and works the exact same way every time. Of course, there will always be slight variations between batches of cannabis products, but your lab tests will help you keep them as consistent as possible to please your biggest fans. 

Helps Retailers

By viewing the lab tests on your products, dispensary managers and staff should be able to discern a few things. First, it will help them figure out how to price and display it among their other inventory. Second, they will be able to appropriately direct patients to the right product for them based on the chemical composition of each product. 

Supports Industry

Bottom line, cannabis testing laboratories need to make money, just like the rest of us in this space. Make a friend and ally for life by developing a value-based relationship with your lab that goes beyond just the “bare minimum” testing requirements.

Calms Opposition

In this industry, we are always trying to counter fear-based arguments from prohibitionists. Lab testing cannabis shows that these products are safe and therapeutic – making them the ultimate tool in the fight against anti-cannabis trolls. 

Boosts Legitimacy

All in all, testing your product makes the cannabis industry and the people in it look a whole lot better to the outside world. We hope you take it seriously as all of our clients do!

The Top 3 Growing Demographics for Cannabis Users

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No matter where you stand in the business of cannabis, you’ve simply got to know who’s out there consuming it.

Dated stereotypes of the marijuana user no longer apply. At first glance, to the naïve marketer, it may seem like only young, hip city folk are using the latest and greatest cannabis products. We like to look a little deeper than that. 

Get to know the three fastest-growing groups of consumers in the cannabis world right now: 

Baby Boomers

There’s no question about it: the generation of people born post-WWII are a dominant buying force in the U.S. economy. That means that as legalization spreads from state to state, Baby Boomers remain the fastest growing group of patients and consumers, tossing aside the old stigma for a new lease on health and wellness. 

Rising health care costs and low satisfaction with prescription medication treatments are leading more and more aging people to give cannabis another try – often for the first time in decades. 

Millennials & “Gen Z”

Not only have Millennials had the privilege of growing up around changing attitudes about cannabis, they’ve also led the charge in making marijuana a mainstream wellness product. 

The subsequent generation of youth consumers, dubbed “Generation Z,” are now quickly approaching legal age to purchase their own vape pen or edible in one of several regulated adult-use states. Time will tell just how involved this generation will be in the modern cannabis culture, but you can bet their tastes will be refined by lifestyle influencers and top-quality products they’ve seen on Instagram. 

The Elderly

Don’t discount the impact that elderly people will have on legal cannabis markets in the next few years – especially as curious Baby Boomers begin to see their health care costs skyrocket even higher as they age.

Medical cannabis is providing comfort to more people than ever so that they can live out the rest of their years in health and happiness. Through various channels, the word is getting out that pot beats pills any day of the week.  

If you are an entrepreneur launching a product or service in the cannabis space, you need to figure out who your customers are.

We can help! Hire one of our Unicorns today to put your brand on the map.