Industry Insights: How to Attract New Customers to Your Cannabis Brand

By focusing on education, innovation, and the consumer experience, cannabis brands can build strong connections with new audiences.

Whether it’s appealing to shoppers who are loyal to your competitors, encouraging current customers to try new products, or the tricky task of appealing to cannabis holdouts, getting people to simply TRY your products will always be a crucial first step. 

A 2023 Rolling Stone article explored a much-needed paradigm shift the cannabis industry needs to undergo to attract new customers.¹ It involved a customer-centric approach, with a deep understanding of consumer preferences, needs, and pain points. In an ideal world, this would inform product development from day one, but that’s not always the case. 

The ideas discussed in that article remain relevant today, and it’s definitely worth a read. In the meantime, brands seeking to establish a foothold in the cannabis market must develop strategies to overcome the barriers that prevent new customers from trying their products.

Read on to discover solutions to some of the most common barriers, so you can attract new consumers and turn them into raving fans.

Cannabis Education and Advocacy Are Pivotal

No matter the product category, education and advocacy are essential. This is especially true for reaching newcomers to cannabis, where education isn’t optional, it’s foundational.

While cannabis is becoming more widely accepted, there are some consumers who simply aren’t interested in trial for various reasons. However, Mintel explains that promoting education, addressing common concerns, and highlighting positive consumer experiences are strategies most likely to reduce misinformation and stigma while connecting with the undecided and canna-curious segments.²

Mintel explains that promoting education, addressing common concerns, and highlighting positive consumer experiences are strategies most likely to connect with the undecided and canna-curious segments. 

Clearing up misinformation builds trust and gives new audiences the confidence to explore cannabis for the first time. This can include dosing guidance, ingredient transparency, and onset of effects, among others. 

Education can take various forms, including community engagement at the dispensary level, budtender education, targeted messaging, and participation in regional and/or national advocacy programs.

Benefit from Switching Behaviors with Product Variety: Potency, Size, Flavor, Format, and More

A lack of brand loyalty may seem like a bad thing, but consumer switching behaviors create opportunities for brands hoping to make a new impression. Younger consumers, in particular, are more likely to switch products and brands to cut costs. 

Mintel explains that while this does create a loyalty issue, “it also boosts awareness of other brands that offer more than just lower prices. Bundles, more potent products or new sizes/formats can encourage trial and attract new customers.” Both brands and dispensaries that offer an optimal product mix can transform cost-cutting behaviors into positive shopping experiences that attract new customers and encourage trial.

While product attraction is still largely driven by price and recommendations from friends and family, 47% of surveyed recreational cannabis consumers reported that “appealing flavor” was the most compelling motivation for product trial. When broken down by age, 52% of Gen Z consumers also reported flavor as a significant motivator, but 34% cited “appealing packaging” and 33% cited “appealing format.”³

Brands can easily infuse current products with new flavors and aromas, providing a quick and cost-effective method to add product variety. Conversely, brands with more recognizable or signature flavors can expand into new product formats while retaining their most popular offerings.

Whether it’s formulating a new concentrate with flavors consumers already love, offering different sizes and potencies of current products, or expanding into non-inhalable options like edibles and drinkables, creating a robust product portfolio can attract new customers and encourage additional purchases from existing ones.

Low-Dose Products Appeal to Consumers Interested in Microdosing

An increasing number of consumers are interested in cannabis products that allow them to microdose. For some, smaller doses offer more control over their experience and any potential side effects. 

Low dose options meet demand from inexperienced and casual consumers who may have concerns about side effects. Additionally, these products align with the needs of “wellness-focused consumers who want the benefits of cannabis without negative side effects.”⁴

In a 2024 Mintel report about recreational cannabis users, they found that “31% of cannabis consumers are interested in products with fewer side effects.” Older adults, in particular, are more likely to have concerns regarding strength and psychoactivity, but low-dose options can act as an accessible entry point.

Some consumers microdose to avoid impairment during their daily activities, and others see it as an easy way to explore different cannabis cultivars and their effects. Limited-edition flavors in a low-dose format could be a beneficial strategy for brands who need to test the performance of new flavors before committing to a larger production scale.

Appeal to Recreational Cannabis Users By Leaning Into the “Fun” Factor

While consumers over the age of 45 are more focused on functional, fast-acting products, “adults aged 22-44 show interest in new flavors and cannabinoids, reflective of their experimental nature and interest in having fun.”

Recreation has long been, and will likely continue to be, a primary driver among core consumers. So, products that enhance recreational experiences in some capacity will appeal to this group. Strategies may include emphasizing “occasion,” telling a story that resonates with core audiences, and leaning into trending flavors and/or strains.

Brands that market their “preferred product occasion” will set themselves apart and create more positive experiences. There are so many different cannabis products with different effects, and some of them are going to be more enjoyable on specific occasions. Some products are designed for use at specific times of day, for specific activities, or during specific events. 

Other strategies might involve leaning into the consumer demand for experiential aspects and social consumption. For retail, this could mean designing fun on-site consumption areas. Brands can host events, collaborate with complementary brands, and create messaging that emphasizes the social aspect of cannabis.

For example, a 2024 partnership between cannabis company Veriheal and gaming company OpTic Gaming gave gamers cannabis education while helping them to obtain medical cards. “Such collaborations highlight the potential for brands to connect wellness, gaming and cannabis in a way that balances fun with health.”²

Products that align with the social behaviors of a particular demographic can appeal to both current consumers and non-users who may have yet to figure out where cannabis fits into their routine.

Abstrax Tech | Attract New Cannabis Consumers with Expertly Formulated Products

From the authenticity of our Signature Series profiles, to breakthrough discoveries in Cheesy Cannabis, to the world’s first USDA Certified Organic Live Hemp Terpenes, we will always be at the forefront of cannabis aroma science — and we’re ready to help you apply our research to your products.

Have a signature flavor? Want custom experiences? Cultivar-specific aromas? With our expert formulation assistance, a database of over 1,000 strain profiles, and our high-intensity Cloudburst Technology, we can help you create endless flavor variations that keep your customers on the edge of their seats.

We’ll help you deliver the same flavor in multiple applications to cement your signature flavor across product types, from the best-tasting vapes and gummies to thirst-quenching THC beverages. Between our industry-changing Gellies and our water-soluble flavor solutions, we possess the technology and expertise to help you formulate products that attract new consumers and turn them into raving fans.

Schedule a free consultation with our formulation experts and enhance your product portfolio today!

1. Westerbur, S. (2023, June 29). Breaking Barriers: Pioneering a Consumer-Centric Approach to Cannabis Products and Market Expansion. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/breaking-barriers-pioneering-consumer-approach-cannabis-products-market-expansion-1234780059/

2. O'Donnell, Fiona. (2024, September 09). Recreational Cannabis Consumer – US – 2024. [Market Report]. Mintel. https://www.mintel.com/ 

3. DiGirolamo, Vince. (2024, December 31). Cannabis Retail: Positioning and Marketing – US – 2024. [Market Report]. Mintel. https://www.mintel.com/ 

4. O'Donnell, Fiona. (2023, July 27). Cannabis and Health - US - 2023. [Market Report]. Mintel. https://www.mintel.com/

Appeal to Consumers with New and Trending Flavors and Cultivars

SHOP Super Boof

Don’t let the name fool you. Leafly’s 2024 Strain of the Year may sound goofy, but Super Boof has won hearts, minds, and multiple awards with notes of fruit-forward cherry, subtle berries, and dank Tangie gas. Embrace the boof!

SHOP Bacio Gelato

Out of the tens of thousands of cultivars we’ve analyzed, Bacio Gelato reigns supreme as the gassiest strain ever measured. Created in partnership with Mario Guzman of Sherbinskis, this is the world’s only authentic and official Gelato terpene profile.

SHOP Banana Mac

Banana Mac brings the downtime you deserve after a long day. Put your feet up and let loud citrus and pine lift the weight off your shoulders while the rumbling base of earthy hemp and ripe banana dissolves any lingering worries.

SHOP Juiceman

Who knew crossing Fabuloso and Papaya would create such an ecstatically sweet aroma? Juiceman lives up to its name with a medley of lush berries, apples, and stone fruit over a bright base of clean petroleum orange.

SHOP Grape Dosi #4

Only an exotic fusion of Grape Pie and Dosidos could create an aroma so provocative. Grape Dosi #4 melds the sweetness of dark berries and grapes with a dank base that’s part gas, part savory earthy musk, and entirely irresistible.

SHOP Papaya Peach

Descended from Papaya and a cross of Granola Funk and Peach Oz, Papaya Peach is loud, fuel-forward, and tropical. Enjoy the surprisingly smooth combo of stone fruit, tangerine, and mandarine orange atop layers of dank, earthy wood.

SHOP Blue RNTZ

Meet the slickest member of the dank RNTZ family. It takes the deep earthy musk and bright fruit of its lineage and adds tantalizing notes of dark blueberries and tart blackberries. Blue RNTZ is one smooth operator.

SHOP Gumball

Gumball adds the ferocity of Fireball to those Bubblegum florals for a surprisingly elevated take on its namesake. It’s a bit unconventional, but the sublime combo of chewy pink candy and dank earthy gas is nothing short of perfection.

SHOP Lychee Jelly

Nostalgic to some and wildly exotic to others, Lychee Jelly captures the startlingly tart and sweet notes of this musky tropical fruit. One taste of its luscious florals and you’ll be chasing that candy-like jelly flavor in every sandwich.

SHOP Marshmallow Puff

Can an aroma be fluffy? Can it have a texture that’s soft, spongy, and somehow sticks to your teeth? Marshmallow Puff can! Indulge in the creamy, rich vanilla flavor of this high-intensity confection.