How to Plan a Smarter Cannabis Marketing Budget
Marketing costs in cannabis are rising - but that doesn’t mean you need to overspend. With new compliance hurdles and limited ad platforms, retailers are rethinking how they invest in loyalty, retention, and reach.
If you want to win in 2025, your cannabis marketing budget should be lean, compliant, and automation-first.
What Dispensaries Are Spending
Here’s what dispensary owners are budgeting for monthly marketing:
Type of Store | Avg. Monthly Budget |
|---|---|
New store | $2,000–$4,000/month |
Established single location | $1,200–$2,500/month |
Multi-location operator | $5,000–$25,000/month |
But spending more doesn’t mean better results. Retention-first tools like wallet loyalty provide higher ROI than paid ads or SMS campaigns.
Where Cannabis Retailers Waste Budget
Avoid these common traps:
Overpaying for SMS: 10DLC fees + blocked messages
Loyalty tools that don’t integrate with POS
Paid ads that don’t reach cannabis audiences
Underperforming email and text engagement rates
Sticky Cards: Loyalty That Fits Your Budget
Sticky Cards helps you retain more customers while staying compliant - without blowing your budget on SMS or non-integrated platforms.
Wallet-Based Loyalty Pricing:
$299 - $499/mo for 1 location
+ $100/mo per additional location
Includes wallet-based loyalty cards, push notifications, POS sync, real-time rewards, and reporting.
Geofence Add-On (Optional):
$50/mo per geofence location
Trigger wallet alerts when customers are nearby your selected location - no SMS needed.
No app. No 10DLC. No carrier fees. Just wallet loyalty that lives on your customer’s lock screen.
What to Budget for in 2025 (Sticky Cards Example)
Category | Budget | Description |
|---|---|---|
Sticky Cards Loyalty | $299-$499/mo | Wallet-based rewards, auto-issued |
Extra Locations | +$100/mo each | For additional dispensaries |
Geofence Alerts | +$50/mo each | Additional location-based reach |
Email Platform | $200–$300/mo | Newsletters, re-engagement |
Event Marketing | $300–$500/mo | Product drops, in-store |
For under $1,200/mo, most retailers can build a compliant and conversion-ready stack that scales with their stores.
Cannabis Loyalty > Ads or SMS
Acquisition is expensive and limited. Retention is where the ROI lives. Wallet-based loyalty with Sticky Cards means:
Higher engagement than email or SMS
No SMS fees or blocked messages
No 10DLC registration required
Real-time offers - automatically issued in your customer's lock screen
