Beginner’s Guide to Digital Signage for Dispensaries

The cannabis industry is flourishing in the U.S., and retail cannabis sales are projected to surpass $52 billion by the end of 2026. As legalization spreads across the country, many companies are entering local markets to meet the growing demand for cannabis products. As a result, increased competition is a hurdle for cannabis dispensaries, and differentiation is essential to staying in business.

Digital signage helps cannabis dispensaries customize the retail shopping experience to boost customer retention and attract new consumers. Commonly, cannabis retailers use handwritten chalkboards, magnetic signs, and printed flyers to inform and educate consumers. However, traditional signage is easy to ignore, and printing costs add up quickly. Digital signage is innovative and exciting, and it helps your establishment stand out.

Getting Started with Cannabis Digital Signage

Digital signage solutions for cannabis dispensaries feature several components. First, purchase commercial-grade TV screens that are durable to withstand constant use.

Next, you need robust digital signage software to manage and control the content on your digital displays. A media player pushes content onto screens and lets you show various media, including images, animations, and videos.

Lastly, plan for the digital signage content, as your screens are only as effective as the message, and partner with a digital signage provider who offers content creation and installation support.

Digital Signage Solutions for Cannabis Dispensaries

Digital signage is a versatile technology, and you have many solutions to choose from depending on your communication goals, including:

1. Digital Menu Boards

Typically, cannabis retailers launch new cannabis products regularly, such as edibles, infused drinks, capsules, topicals, and transdermals. If you reprint paper menus at each product launch, you know how quickly the printing costs add up, eating into your profits.

Digital menu boards eliminate menu printing expenses and spare you from editing spreadsheets. Instead, quickly update your pricing and product information, notify customers of stockouts, highlight featured products, and promote sales.

Further, include each product’s THC and CBD percentage to inform the decisions of return and new customers. You can schedule menus to stream hourly and weekly deals and increase revenue during mid-week slumps.

2. Interactive Kiosks

Free-standing kiosks can be placed anywhere, including the entrance area, to welcome customers and tell them more about your marijuana dispensary. Many customers love to explore independently, and interactive kiosks help them know more about your products.

Often, customers enter a cannabis business wondering what to buy. By illustrating products on touch screens, you satisfy customers’ sense of discovery and make them willing to spend more money than initially planned.

3. POS Displays

POS digital displays target customers at the right time and place since 76% of buying decisions occur at the point of sale. These displays capture customers’ attention at the checkouts, making them effective for upselling and advertising new products. Moreover, promote loyalty programs by reminding customers of perks like discounts and coupons. Integrations between your POS system and digital signage ensure that your displays show updates as they arise.

4. Outdoor Signs

As cannabis use increases across the US, your dispensary has to stand out to compete with the many companies entering local markets. Outdoor digital signage is one way to excite passersby, increase foot traffic, and boost brand recall. In fact, 76% of American customers enter a store for the first time because of the signs.

Eye-catching digital billboards familiarize potential customers with your products, making people more inclined to enter your store. Use the displays to promote your products, show operating hours, and highlight upcoming promotions and events.

Types of Content for Dispensary Digital Signage

The best content management systems have customizable templates to help you deploy various content. Content ideas for cannabis digital signage include:

1. Product Information

Bias and uncertainty surround the cannabis industry. Hence, providing proper education alleviates customer anxiety and improves the bottom line.

Additionally, many people are unaware of the range of products offered by dispensaries or the benefits of recreational cannabis. Simple sideshows highlighting product and pricing information make customers confident to make purchases. In addition, recommend dosage to guide new customers and give information about origins and production.

2. Customer Queues

Usually, small cannabis dispensaries get crowded during peak hours, leading to chaos on the sales floor. Fortunately, your digital signage system integrates with the queue management system to let everyone know their position in the line. As a result, staff spends less time organizing queues, and customer lines move quickly.

3. Social Media Feeds

Millennials and Gen Z are top enthusiasts of recreational marijuana, and you need to be creative when engaging with these demographics. Indeed, millennials make up 51.5% of all cannabis users. Already, this group of marijuana users is active on social media channels.

Your in-store digital screens are excellent platforms for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter feeds as they invite customers to engage with your line brand. Encourage consumers to share their favorite products under specific hashtags and run polls to boost your social media presence.

4. FAQs

Many people have questions about the benefits, health implications, and legality of cannabis. Typically, customers ask employees questions before they make their purchase, leading to long lines because some consumers can’t decide what to purchase.

Cannabis retailers can use digital to display FAQs and educate customers while waiting in line. Subsequently, consumers make quicker and more informed decisions at the purchase counter, and employees have an easier time dealing with customers.

Sales and Promotions

Promote holiday deals or discounts on upgraded strains or new products on dispensary signs to boost sales. Everyone loves a good deal, and you can schedule promotional messages to run during high-traffic hours for maximum impact. Additionally, highlight your subscription programs and membership reward programs.

ROI of Deploying Digital Signage

Cannabis digital signage is a powerful technology that increases value across the retail customer experience. The benefits of this tool include:

1. Enriches the Customer Experience

Digital screens thrill customers and guide them through different cannabis products. For example, interactive tablets can let consumers sift through products for sleep management and learn about each product’s origins and interesting facts. This kind of personalized experience leaves a great impression on customers, making them likely to return to your store.

2. Enhance Brand Image

As it stands, 72% of customers prefer to buy from brands that reflect their values. So, you must emphasize your principles so consumers can identify with your brand.

Digital signage is an ideal branding channel because you can use high-quality imagery and animations to highlight your commitment to diversity, inclusion, innovation, and other values.

Also, show that you have pride in cannabis to alleviate any anxiety first-time customers may have when browsing products.

3. Real-Time Updates

As recreational and medical marijuana use rises in the U.S., stockouts are common in small cannabis dispensaries. Luckily, your digital signage system integrates with POS technology, and inventory changes instantly reflect on the menu boards. Moreover, you can schedule automatic price drops or sales once the stock reaches a specific level.

4. Reduce the Burden on Employees

Normally, customers have a lot of questions about cannabis which they ask staff for clarity. Digital signage empowers consumers to learn about different products independently, relieving staff to focus on their core duties.

Take Your Store to the Next Level with Cannabis Digital Signage

As cannabis use increases and more companies enter the industry, dispensaries need creative solutions to stand out. Digital signage creates an immersive experience, encourages informed purchases, cuts printing costs, and boosts brand popularity. Moreover, you can integrate the technology with your CRM, POS technology, and other internal dashboards to refine customer service.