Carter Foster is a marketing professional with over nine years of experience blending strategy and creativity into impactful brand stories. Now leading the charge as Brand Manager for East Coast Cannabis, Carter swapped his marketing agency life for cannabis marketing in Maine. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, he now lives in southern Maine with his family and pets.

Marketing in the cannabis industry is nascent, so many companies haven’t hired a marketing professional or agency yet. As more states legalize the sale and use of recreational cannabis, marketing is crucial for market differentiation. How can you break into the marketing space with evergreen strategies amid legislation?

As a brand manager for a dispensary in Maine, branding expert Carter Foster must understand the restrictions around promoting cannabis products in the state and online. Since Maine doesn’t allow billboard promotions and Meta restricts explicit sales and promotions about cannabis on its platforms, Carter and his team employ unique graphics and clever copywriting to direct consumers to online and in-store promotions. Companies can also leverage foundational strategies like consistently posting about company initiatives on social media. Integrating relevant consumer trends into your marketing and branding is also essential in building a reputable presence in the industry.

Join Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson in this episode of Marketing That POPs as they interview Carter Foster, the Brand Manager at East Coast Cannabis, about marketing strategies for dispensaries. Carter explains the importance of maintaining consistent customer communication, how to promote discounts strategically, and East Coast Cannabis’ brand partnership with Mike Tyson and clever merchandise.

Michele Ringelberg is the Owner and CEO of ThrivePOP, a digital marketing agency specializing in the cannabis, technology, and manufacturing industries. As a certified Hubspot Gold Partner, a Google Ad Certified Partner, and a WBENC-Certified woman business owner, she helps B2B and B2C businesses scale by implementing marketing tactics that generate leads and traffic. Michele also volunteers for the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) Marketing & Advertising Committee, where she educates business owners about marketing in the cannabis industry.

Olivia Johnson is the Director of Marketing and Content Strategy at ThrivePOP. She began as a Digital Traffic Manager and has been with the company for five years. Before ThrivePOP, Olivia was a Project Coordinator at 40 VISUALS, where she managed new business development and project timelines.

In this episode…

Despite what’s conveyed in dystopian and futuristic movies, AI isn’t going to become sentient and take over the world anytime soon. For now, AI relies on human input to generate content marketing ideas and personalize the customer experience. How can you ensure you leverage AI productively?

Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson can scarcely imagine a time when marketers brainstormed concepts manually or the customer experience was a nice-to-have feature for innovative brands. They maintain that AI’s highest potential lies in personalizing the customer journey through product recommendations and customized marketing messages. This includes positioning relevant products in front of your target audience and utilizing automation to send blast email and SMS promotions. Personalization demonstrates a keen understanding of the customer’s needs and desires, and AI can eliminate the guesswork in identifying these preferences.

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, hosts Olivia Johnson and Michele Ringelberg of ThrivePOP continue their discussion about AI, focusing on its potential to transform the customer experience. Together, they share how to stay ahead of the curve with resonant marketing campaigns, the future of an AI-driven customer experience, and what marketing was like before AI.

Michele Ringelberg is the Owner and CEO of ThrivePOP, a digital marketing agency specializing in the cannabis, technology, and manufacturing industries. As a certified Hubspot Gold Partner, a Google Ad Certified Partner, and a WBENC-Certified woman business owner, she helps B2B and B2C businesses scale by implementing marketing tactics that generate leads and traffic. Michele also volunteers for the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) Marketing & Advertising Committee, where she educates business owners about marketing in the cannabis industry.

Olivia Johnson is the Director of Marketing and Content Strategy at ThrivePOP. She began as a Digital Traffic Manager and has been with the company for five years. Before ThrivePOP, Olivia was a Project Coordinator at 40 VISUALS, where she managed new business development and project timelines.

In this episode…

People’s most common fear concerning AI is that it will take over their positions, but AI is only as intelligent as the information we input, so it requires human creativity. AI is optimal when used as an idea-generation tool and enhanced with a brand’s personal touch. How can you leverage AI to elevate your marketing efforts?

Some of the most well-known brands utilize AI to improve the customer experience and provide personalized recommendations. For instance, Netflix’s AI tool can curate a list of movies and TV shows based on the watcher’s preferences, whereas Wayfair uses AI and augmented reality so consumers can fill a space with furniture. Experts Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson have experimented with various tools for marketing campaigns and initiatives. Olivia recommends using generative AI tools like ChatGPT for content creation, like vlogs, social posts, and even video scripts. Michele likes using Semrush to analyze trends and competitor campaigns. No matter the tool you choose, integrating your brand voice is crucial for any AI-driven campaign.

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson talk about how to use AI to suit your company’s goals. Together, they share the do’s and don’ts of AI experimentation, various use cases for AI, the types of AI models, and why you shouldn’t worry about AI overtaking your job.