Text messages are some of the most immediate and effective ways to reach customers. Here, Jeff Winaker, founder and chief executive officer, NorthText—which offers SMS text message marketing for businesses in the U.S. and Canada—shares how to make the most of your text-messaging marketing plans.

1. What are the read rates of SMS, and how does it compare to email?

Email read rates are about 15%, while SMS read rates are almost 98%. Not only are read rates six times higher with SMS, but 90% of messages are read within three minutes. Seventy-five percent of Americans rarely have their phone more than 3 feet from them, and this makes SMS the first choice for marketing—even ahead of social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook—when a business is trying to get a call to action to its clients or customers.

2. What are some features one should look for when shopping for an SMS service?

Remember when Twitter increased its maximum message length from 140 characters to 280? Having more space to convey your message is important. When comparing SMS services, make sure to check what the maximum character length of an allowed message is. Many services will allow you to create a message longer than 160 characters—which is standard SMS length—but will charge you for another message segment after 160 characters. Some innovative services give you longer messages—up to 240 characters, in fact. The user interface should be simple to use, but also allow for two-way communication, attaching images and the ability to forward responses from customers to another phone number or email address. Also, SMS software should make it easy to export text conversations to your POS or CRM system.

3. What else can one do with SMS, other than send plain text?

The fastest-growing marketing tool in cannabis is the use of images within a text message (referred to as multimedia message segment, or MMS). Recipients are 3x more likely to engage with a retailer who uses images in their marketing, instead of just plain text. QR codes, bar codes and links can be sent in a message, along with a branding image, to enhance response rates further for a specific call to action.

4. What are best practices for managing an SMS program?

First, always, always, always include your business’ name, address—and website, where applicable—hours of operation, and phone number. It is essential for consistent branding and clear and effective communication with your customers. Spacing within a message is also very important. The less cluttered the message, the more effective and impactful it will be. Second, monitor your text inbox. People will text you, and you need to text them back to get their business.

5. What sort of technical support should one expect from an SMS software provider?

Ask for live support as part of any agreement for SMS services. Some SMS vendors offer it as part of their included service, some won’t offer it at all without a minimum volume commitment, and for some, it will require negotiation. While SMS marketing software should not be complicated, at some point you will need assistance. The urgency of texting as a method of communicating also leads us to expect immediate customer support.

For more information, visit northtext.com

The vape industry has a responsibility to help customers understand the need to purchase vape products from licensed retailers to ensure safety and quality. Here, Greentank Technologies founder and CEO Dustin Koffler discusses how retailers can increase consumer confidence and provide them with high-quality vape products.

1. How can the cannabis vape industry bring consumers back to the space following last year’s vape scare?

In the U.S., there are no national regulatory bodies that oversee compliance within the cannabis vape sector. The onus is on vape manufacturers and oil producers to not only create safe products that have been through testing, but also to release the test and ingredient lists to the public. In Canada, stricter regulations and higher-quality manufacturing have already proven to be beneficial to consumer safety.

2. What are the disadvantages of purchasing cannabis vape hardware from direct overseas manufacturers?

More often than not, direct overseas manufacturers are more interested in selling you hardware than being your partner. Greentank has complete control over the entire supply chain as a way to guarantee that every material that goes into your hardware exceeds industry standards.

Not all manufacturers prioritize sourcing food-grade stainless-steel, high-caliber glass, and premium ceramic formulations that won’t leach heavy metals into the final product. Only those truly committed to the future of the cannabis marketplace are partners at our table.

3. What is the biggest mistake that cannabis vape manufacturers are making today?

The biggest mistake is relying on outdated technology, and those that are not leading in customization will be left behind. This is because no two concentrate formulations are exactly the same. Manufacturers need to be adapting their hardware to the needs of clients, moving past a one-size-fits-all approach. Our CTO, Pete Duckett, formally chief engineer at Dyson, is leading the way for us here at Greentank. The difference between hardware that performs on an elite level and hardware that leaves customers unsatisfied is all in the details. Adjusting heating elements, heat settings, airflow resistances, intake hole sizes or all of the above delivers a superior experience.

4. Why do a lot of cannabis vape companies utilize ceramics to heat concentrates?

Ceramic technologies provide far superior temperature control than many of the outdated vapes out there built off the back of wick-based e-cigarette technology. Generally speaking, ceramic heating leads to higher-quality vapor and elevated flavor profiles. Greentank is leading the way with several unique proprietary ceramic formulations that set us apart from the competition and deliver unprecedented taste profiles.

5. What does the future of cannabis vape technology look like?

The future of cannabis vape technology is being propelled forward by those taking the lead.

Every day, we strive to do better than yesterday as we uncover the full potential of the industry. Standardized safety measures, more accurate dose-control features and more transparency relating to ingredients and materials are game-changers. That’s why we have a new in-house, state-of-the-art device lab. As we all build toward the future, we identified the need to look at producing technologies that will take the user experience to the next level.

For more information, visit greentanktech.com

Many people make most or all of their retail purchases with a credit card, raising questions of how dispensary customers can easily pay for product, as major credit card companies won’t accept cannabis transactions. Dama Financial’s Chief Revenue Officer Eric Kaufman talks about payment options—including the Paytender cashless payment solution—for cannabis retailers, why transparency is important and the risks involved with cash transactions.

1. Can dispensaries accept credit cards and still remain compliant?

No. All the major credit companies have announced their stance on cannabis transactions and will not accept them over their networks. Paytender accepts payment via debit card or directly from the customer’s bank account, as these payments do not go over credit payment rails.

2. What credit options can dispensaries offer to customers?

Paytender is developing a credit program that will allow customers to qualify for a line of credit that they can then use at all dispensaries that accept Paytender—in-store, online or at delivery. Paytender will be able to offer this to customers as an alternative to paying with cash.

3. Are most merchant processors in the market transparent, meaning customers and businesses see the cannabis transaction?

Many processors in the market try to hide the cannabis transaction so that the bank doesn’t see it, or they will process them through shell companies. This non-transparency creates constant unease to the business holder, with a fear of being shut down at any moment. Paytender is fully transparent, where the bank, customer and business all see the transaction.

4. Is cash a sustainable payment alternative?

Cash comes with risk, including theft and loss. We’ve seen dispensary sales dip 30% when they don’t accept digital payments. Paytender gives dispensary customers the kind of purchasing experience they have come to expect, which makes the pool of potential customers larger, as many people simply never pay with cash.

5. Is it necessary for processors to hold dispensary earnings?

It is absolutely unnecessary for processors to have rolling reserves, meaning they hold a percentage of the merchant’s sales for an undetermined amount of time before releasing funds. Paytender provides same-day settlement of the merchant’s funds into their compliant merchant bank account. They always have prompt access to their earnings.

For more information, visit damafinancial.com

A trustworthy point of sale (POS) system can make or break a cannabis retail operation. Dave Albert, president of Retail Control Systems, a retail management system provider that offers a cannabis POS platform, discusses what dispensaries should consider when purchasing a POS system and how these systems can help with customer loyalty and marketing.

1. Why should dispensaries consider an enterprise-level POS solution?

In many ways, selling cannabis is just like selling any other product, except for the state regulations you need to adhere to and the state traceability that needs to be integrated with your system. Most POS solutions we see today work OK for cannabis stores when they are just starting out, but what happens when your company grows beyond one or two stores? If you are looking to grow your company, you should definitely consider an enterprise-level POS solution.

2. What are some key factors businesses should consider when seeking a POS solution?

Make sure the system is integrated seamlessly with statewide traceability systems. You don’t want a third-party integration when it comes to auditing inventory. Determine that your customer’s information is secure. Numerous cannabis solutions have recently been involved with data breaches.

Multi-location operators are often blindsided by issues arising because their software doesn’t support location-specific security needs. When local regulations change, you want system admins and power users to be able to make adjustments on the fly.

3. How can a POS solution drive customer loyalty?

Your CRM platform should allow you to leverage customers’ transaction histories. With mobile marketing in particular, that data is important if not essential to market your products effectively and attract repeat business. You should be able to use data to qualify and automatically target customers. Detailed transaction histories allow you to promote product lines and specials to the customer segments they’ll most appeal to.

4. How can a POS solution improve the customer experience?

Consider customer kiosks and digital display integration as part of your business solution. Kiosks will speed up the ordering process and help educate your customers about the product. Built-in email marketing can help target your customers with specific promotions and turn them from a one-time customer into a loyal customer and promoter of your store.

5. What type of support should dispensaries expect before and after installation?

Look for vendors, such as Retail Control Systems, who offer software testing, a discovery, a customizable software configuration, training and a collaborative pilot phase to ensure you’re comfortable with the product before going live. After that, users should have access to daytime and evening support lines so they can address any questions or configuration needs in a timely manner.

For more information on finding the right POS system for your dispensary, visit AntheaRCS.com.