To be a thought leader, you must have a content strategy.
Brands must think of themselves as content publishers if they want to achieve thought leadership. Creating content every day is not something to tackle haphazardly. It requires a well-thought plan and strategy that aligns with goals.
Click to read the bio on Cedar Hughes-Blades of Mongoose Cannabis
Click to read the bio on Cedar Hughes-Blades of Mongoose Cannabis
Podcast episode - Covid-19 Special on how cannabis retail businesses are handling shifts in the supply chain to address the crisis. Click to listen.
Using Connect data, we had an ongoing series showing strain chemistry, like this one on Jack Frost. Click to read.
We saw things happen in the industry that aligned or validated our market position, like this article on #WeedWise.
It all starts with cultivators. This series hit with a significant portion of our customers, and made them feel loved. Click to read one.
The Chemistry Snapshot was our most thought leading content, like this piece debunking the Indica/Sativa myth. Click to read.
This series was our leading content, as we shared data on sales prices for specific categories, and revealed findings. Click to read one.
We partnered often to host events and discussions with other market leaders. Our METRC education series in California was the most successful.
Nothing powered our content and PR engine more than Connect.
Thought Leadership in Chemistry, Data & Supply Chain
After a year of meeting what felt like every single cannabis operator in Oregon and the Emerald Triangle, a ton of interviews with our customers, and lots of marketing analytics, I was able to craft a content strategy with my team that drove incredible value.
We ended up publishing 6 themes of ongoing content that aligned with customers in various regions we were targeting. We utilized our biggest advocates within our customer base to appeal to likeminded prospects. We even created a podcast called High On Our Own Supply, hosted by me. Check it out!
Our content was used to generate leads through outbound email and online ads, keeping our sales team well fed. The results spoke for the power of the strategy:
6X increase in leads
Developed a lead gen engine that went from lead to order on average of just 2 months for SMBs, many going from lead to order immediately
Achieved syndication with news outlet Benzinga & Yahoo, with ongoing contributions to MJBiz Daily, Entrepreneur, and others
Had multiple customers tell us “we love your emails!” - which no marketer has ever heard before
CannaCraft runs a family of brands, all of which I wrote for.
I wrote a series explaining the science behind how cannabis extracts were made. Click to read.
For Farmer and the Felon, we created more lifestyle content, but brought in the science to those topics. Click to read.
Coming off of successfully debunking Indica vs Sativa, I also tackled this myth with Farmer and the Felon, as it's a hot topic. Click to read.
ABX, an extracts brand, has a series called WTF explaining different concepts related to their product category. Click to read.
My favorite topic for Farmer and the Felon, "What is Terroir & How Does it Affect Cannabis?" Click to read.
For Care By Design, we focused on the science that led to effects-based products. This was heavily researched work. Click to read.
Content Strategy Across a Family of Brands - CannaCraft
CannaCraft is one of the largest cannabis companies in California, the largest cannabis market in the world by far. They’re a house of brands, and I worked with their Brand Manager to develop a number of topics I could contribute to on an ongoing basis to develop their content strategy.
I worked with their Scientific Director, PHD Matt Elmes, to meticulously ensure scientific accuracy of all content as well as educational authenticity. This was central to the strategy, to educate and inform with integrity, no matter who the brand audience was.
We developed content strategies that were similar, but particular to each brand:
For Farmer and the Felon, we produced content focused on lifestyle topics which we could include cutting edge science in, like discussing Terroir & Appellation d’Origin, or how to properly cure cannabis
For ABX, an extracts brand, we developed content around extraction methods, chemistry, and concentrates lifestyle education pieces
Care by Design, a CBD “effects-based” brand, demanded content around cannabis chemistry and how it affects the human body - this content was the most scientifically rigorous
Satori was an edibles brand (no longer available) that we wrote edibles based chemistry and science content for
Across the board, CannaCraft is seen as a scientifically credible source of thought leadership on a number of topics across all of their brands, and is leading the market