As a dispensary owner you have a lot to think about...permits, legal, security, employees, growing great bud and often times the customer becomes an after-thought. "If we build it - they will come" generally works, at least for a while.
When people leave your store - what do they tell their friends? What kind of impression have you left?
Why will they be back? In the long run, how is the customer experience contributing to your brand?

SInce we're talking about YOUR BRAND, have you ever wondered if your name reflects your space?  And does your space reflect your name? And more importantly, what's memorable about the experience for your customer?

For more information about the "Customer Experience" contact Pot Shop Designs - or check out this article about Hunting for the Perfect Experience -  Dick’s Sporting Goods creates an outdoorsman’s paradise for its new Field & Stream concept

So excited about the flurry of calls that Pot Shop Designs has been getting from Denver dispensaries owners who are expanding their medical marijuana shops to include recreational sales. Several Seattle based dispensaries are also realizing the importance of interior design, pre-construction planning and the need for a solid branding strategy.  I was delighted to hear that one client wanted to create a "memorable experience" for his clients and be the Go-To Pot Shop in the market place.  That's what I'm talking about!
BRING IT ON!

A pot-treprenuers journey is not an easy one. You may be a maverick, but you need to be able to follow rules. It's a risky business, but isn't that what entrepreneurship is all about? Great tips for #marijuana start-ups from Entrepreneur Magazine.
more here

If you haven't already checked out the NYTimes 6-part series on the legalization of #Marijuana, we highly recommend it.  Very insightful on all levels. I was especially interested in part 6 on Regulation. By looking back at how the alcohol industry evolved after prohibition, it gives lawmakers and citizens an opportunity to analyze the future of marijuana laws.
"Lawmakers should not repeat the mistakes they made on alcohol in recent years, taxing it too lightly and allowing the industry to become highly concentrated. (Just two companies control about 75 percent of the American beer market today.)" read more
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/opinion/high-time-rules-for-the-marijuana-market.html?op-nav

What's the difference between a household brand and just another product?  Strategy. You may not have a gazillion dollar advertising budget... But for just a moment, pretend that you do. As the pot industry grows, you want to stand above the crowd. How would you invest your resources to support your brand?

Marijuana is not exempt from sound branding strategy. In fact, it is more important to be impeccable with your brand than in most other product segments, as this renegade industry becomes more mainstream, each individual store or product will reflect on the overall "marijuana" brand.
Industry leaders stress caution when positioning your dispensary, product or service.

For a more in-depth read check out FastCoDesign article.

6 Branding Lessons from the Pioneers of Weed Design Four experts in cannabis culture explain how to brand a high-demand, once-illegal product.

What would you like your local pot shop to look and feel like? We'd love to hear your ideas.
Here's some thought starters...

What amenities are important to you?
Couches, private rooms, pipes & accessories, art, clothing & toys. Do you want to browse & shop - or order & bolt?

Do you want it to feel like a cafe, a theme park, a liquor store or a backstage green room?

How would you like the "product" displayed?

What impressed you the most about the best dispensary you've been to?

Add your comments below. Thanks for your input. Check back to see what we create.

Industry mavericks are on the front lines working to make marijuana mainstream. Strains have crazy names with counter-culture logos. Dispensaries have unmemorable names related to medicine and health. Logos and packaging are undergoing an identity crisis. Branding experts are exploring ideas to rebrand the entire cannabis industry.

Cannabis is not just for stoners anymore and dispensary owners will need to consider this for future success. Let's look 10 years down the road... will Trainwreck, Green Crack & Chemdawg stand the test of time? Will the government and corporate America embrace the irreverent attitude that fueled this market?
And just as important, will it resonate with future consumers?

As the industry progresses and infiltrates all 50 states, the overall "branding" of cannabis related business and products will be important to the success of the end of prohibition. Imagine if Jack Daniels had been called Death Wish.

Food for thought  click here

Canna Law Blog article  - because Branding is important.