As a global leader in SEO, content marketing, and data analytics, Anastasia Braitsik has navigated the complex digital restrictions of the cannabis industry with a focus on data-driven growth. In our discussion today, she explores the shifting paradigm of dispensary marketing, where the traditional pursuit of new foot traffic is being overtaken by the sophisticated management of “owned” audiences. Anastasia breaks down why the email inbox has become the most valuable shelf in the store and how the latest benchmarks in loyalty performance are redefining what it means to be a successful retailer in a restricted landscape.
The following conversation delves into the disproportionate financial power of loyalty members, who contribute nearly 90% of total retail revenue, and the staggering 88-fold advantage in communication reach that these members provide over casual shoppers. We examine the psychological shift from price-cutting “wars” to exclusive access models, such as the high-stakes “flower drops” in vertical markets like Florida, and why the simple act of auto-enrolling a customer into a rewards program can actually dilute a brand’s marketing impact. Braitsik also shares insights into how top-tier operators are using hyper-personalized email flows—ranging from replenishment reminders to achievement-based “missions”—to protect their businesses against the looming influence of AI-assisted shopping and changing search algorithms.
When we look at the commercial profile of a cannabis shopper today, why is it that loyalty members have become such a disproportionately powerful force in a dispensary’s revenue stream?
The data reveals a stark divide between the casual browser and the loyalist, one that essentially dictates whether a dispensary thrives or merely survives. According to recent benchmarks from Sweed, loyalty members represent 81.7 percent of active customers but generate a massive 89.4 percent of total revenue. These aren’t just people looking for a quick deal; they are spending an average of $235.59 per quarter, which is nearly double the $124.36 we see from non-members. When you walk into a dispensary and see the “regulars” chatting with budtenders, you’re looking at the engine of the business, as these customers visit roughly 3.93 times a quarter compared to the 2.32 visits from non-members. This consistency creates a predictable cash flow that allows operators to move away from the frantic, expensive hunt for new customers and instead focus on deepening a relationship that already boasts a 59.7 percent repeat-purchase rate.
The industry is notoriously locked out of traditional advertising, so how does the massive gap in email engagement between members and non-members change the way an operator should view their digital strategy?
In an environment where Google and Meta still place heavy restrictions on cannabis content, your email list isn’t just a marketing tool—it is your most vital infrastructure. The reach of these programs is incredible, with 81.3 percent of loyalty members providing a reachable email address, while only 26.2 percent of non-members do the same. But the real “stop in your tracks” moment comes when you look at the open rates: loyalty members open marketing emails at a rate of 28.2 percent, whereas non-members sit at a dismal 1.0 percent. When you multiply that reach by the open rate, you realize there is an 88-fold gap in actual message delivery between your loyal base and everyone else. This makes the inbox the most valuable shelf in the entire store because it’s the only place where you have a guaranteed, attentive audience that actually wants to hear about your new arrivals and brand stories.
We often hear about the “race to the bottom” in terms of pricing, particularly in saturated markets. How can a sophisticated loyalty program serve as a “weapon” against these constant price wars?
Price wars are a trap that erodes margins and trains customers to only shop during a sale, but loyalty programs offer a way to differentiate through experience and exclusivity rather than just the lowest sticker price. In states like Arizona or Florida, where dispensaries sometimes have more discounts than they have unique products, operators are using loyalty tiers to reward “investment” with “access.” For example, in Florida’s vertical market, fresh flower drops are highly coveted and can sell out almost instantly once they hit the shelves. Dispensaries are now offering exclusive windows of 24 to 48 hours where only high-tier loyalty members can purchase these premium harvests before the general public even knows they exist. This creates a sensory-driven urgency and a feeling of being a “VIP” that a simple 10-percent-off coupon can never replicate, effectively shifting the customer’s focus from “how much can I save?” to “what can I get that no one else can?”
There is a common pitfall where dispensaries treat their loyalty list like a giant coupon book. What are the more nuanced ways that leading brands like Silver Therapeutics or Deep Roots Harvest are engaging their audiences?
The most successful operators have realized that if the only reason a customer opens your email is for a discount, you’ve already lost the long-term value battle. Brendan McKee at Silver Therapeutics, for instance, utilizes complex email flows that include everything from birthday celebrations to specific incentives based on how many times a person has visited. They even trigger automated discounts on specific brands a customer has purchased multiple times, which feels more like a thoughtful recommendation than a generic blast. Similarly, Matt Janz at Deep Roots Harvest has seen loyalty members account for over 96 percent of purchases by turning the shopping experience into something more interactive. They use their app to create “missions” and “achievements” that make the customer feel like they are part of a community, transforming a mundane transaction into a journey that they genuinely look forward to returning to.
You’ve mentioned that enrollment figures can sometimes be misleading if customers are added automatically. Why is it dangerous for a marketing team to rely on “headline” enrollment numbers without looking deeper at the data?
Growth for the sake of growth is a vanity metric that can actually hurt your deliverability and your bottom line if you aren’t careful. About 10 percent of dispensaries use automatic enrollment, meaning customers are added to a loyalty list without ever making a conscious choice to join or opting into marketing communications. These passive members often have no idea they are part of a program, and sending them frequent messages can lead to high unsubscribe rates or, worse, being marked as spam by email providers. To truly understand the health of a program, you have to look beyond the total number of names and focus on active, permissioned users who are clicking through and redeeming offers. You need to measure the margin impact and revenue per recipient to ensure that your “best list” isn’t just a list of people waiting for a handout, but a group of engaged advocates who are actually driving profitable growth.
As we move into an era dominated by AI-assisted search and changing consumer habits, how does an “owned” audience act as a defense mechanism for a brick-and-mortar dispensary?
The digital landscape is becoming increasingly unpredictable, and as AI begins to act as a gatekeeper for how consumers discover local businesses, being “discoverable” is no longer enough. Retailers cannot control the algorithms that might one day decide which dispensary an AI assistant recommends to a new resident in town. However, they can absolutely control whether the 2.1 million active shoppers already in their databases remember to come back for their next purchase. By maintaining a direct, high-engagement channel through email and loyalty, you are essentially building a fortress around your current customer base that external platforms cannot breach. This owned infrastructure ensures that even if you become “invisible” to a new search algorithm for a week, your core revenue—that 89.4 percent generated by your regulars—remains stable and protected.
What is your forecast for the evolution of cannabis loyalty programs as the market continues to mature?
I anticipate we will see a dramatic shift toward “predictive loyalty,” where data analytics will allow dispensaries to anticipate a customer’s needs before they even realize they are running low on product. Instead of a generic monthly newsletter, we will see highly personalized, automated triggers that suggest a specific strain or edible based on the exact terpene profile a customer has preferred in the past. We will also see more cross-industry collaborations, where cannabis loyalty points might be redeemable for lifestyle experiences, further integrating the dispensary into the consumer’s broader daily life. Ultimately, the programs that survive will be the ones that treat data not just as a way to track points, but as a map to understanding the human being behind the transaction, moving from transactional rewards to true emotional brand advocacy.
