If you sell THC beverages, first-party data is your safety net. Algorithms change. Retail shelves rotate. What does not go away is a list of people who asked to hear from you. The challenge is building that list in a category with real rules and real consequences. You want capture that respects age and consent, messages that teach rather than hype, and a cadence that earns repeat purchase without tripping compliance wires.
This is a practical plan to stand up compliant email and SMS that actually drives revenue. You will leave with an age-gated capture model, a handful of flows you can ship this month, and a way to measure whether the work is paying for itself.
Start with age-gating and consent you can prove
Treat consent like inventory. You should know where it came from, when it was added, and what you are allowed to do with it. Put an age gate on your site and landing pages. Keep consent language clear and specific. If someone signs up for email, say that. If you offer SMS, present it as a separate, optional checkbox with the correct disclosures. Store timestamp, IP, source, and the copy shown at the time of signup. If you are collecting in person at events or tastings, use a QR that lands on the same opt-in flow so the record is clean.
Double opt-in for SMS is not glamorous, but it is safer. Include easy opt-out language in every message. Honor quiet hours that apply in your markets. Keep a central do-not-market list that syncs across all tools so you do not accidentally contact someone who asked you not to. When in doubt, ask your counsel and keep the paper trail.
Build a welcome flow that teaches and earns trust
Most cannabis brands sprint to promotions and skip the basics. Your welcome flow should feel like a friendly tasting room host. Over the first week, send a short message that thanks them for joining, a note that helps them pick a dose with confidence, and a story that explains when your drinks fit their day. Keep messages short, plain, and visual. Link to a simple locator if you do not sell online. If you can, ask one question that helps you segment later, like preferred dose or typical occasion.
A clean three-message sequence is enough to start. Message one says hello and sets expectations for what you will send. Message two explains dose and onset so the first experience goes well. Message three points them to “find a store near me” and highlights a hero SKU. If your legal team allows, include one short testimonial line that describes the experience without medical claims. The goal is confidence, not hype.
Nudge the second purchase with reorder and win-back
Velocity depends on repeat behavior. Even without perfect point-of-sale data, you can influence the second and third purchase with simple timing. If you sell DTC where allowed, trigger a reorder reminder based on pack size and average consumption. If you sell only through retailers, send a gentle “restock checklist” at the interval that fits your product. A shopper who buys a four-pack once a month will respond to a light reminder and a locator link more than to a discount they did not need.
Win-back messages should feel human. If someone has not opened in a while, ask if they still want to hear from you. Offer two or three reasons to stick around, like new flavors, store openings in their area, or early access to tasting events. If they do not click, let them go. A smaller list that engages will outperform a bloated one that triggers filters.
Turn availability into a reason to subscribe
Nothing drives action like “it is in stock near you.” Build retailer availability alerts for your top markets. On the site, let a visitor choose a preferred store or zip code. When product lands, send a short alert with the store name, hours, and a link to directions. If your partners agree, coordinate a small tasting window and note it in the message. Keep alerts factual. Use them sparingly so people trust that an alert means something is actually available.
For wholesale relationships, availability alerts double as a proof of pull-through. You can show buyers how many subscribers in their area engaged with alerts and how traffic spiked on your locator. That story helps you protect shelf space when a new brand wants your slot.
Segment lightly and set a sane frequency
Segmentation does not need to be complex to be effective. Three signals go a long way: location, dose preference, and engagement. Location keeps messages relevant. Dose preference helps you recommend the right SKUs and educational content. Engagement helps you decide who should hear from you weekly and who should only receive major updates. If someone has not opened three messages in a row, ease off. If someone engages with every alert, keep them close.
Frequency depends on your calendar and your markets. A useful rhythm is a weekly or biweekly email that teaches or announces something real, plus event or availability alerts as they happen. SMS is best for time-sensitive notes. Use it when an alert matters today or when you are hosting a tasting nearby. If your messages start to feel like noise, stop and recalibrate.
Write like a guide, not a billboard
Compliance is easier when your copy is clear and helpful. Lead with facts: dose, flavor, when to drink it, how it feels, where to find it. Avoid medical claims. Use images that look like real life, not staged extremes. Link to pages that answer common questions in two or three sentences. If you include a quote, make it short and grounded. If you mention effects, frame them as experience, not treatment. This tone builds trust with subscribers and keeps your messages welcome in their inbox.
Measure outcomes that prove value
Focus your scorecard on signals that predict revenue. Track list growth by source so you can see which events, QR codes, or pages pull best. Watch open rate and click-through rate, but prioritize locator clicks, directions, and calls. If you sell online where it is legal, track add to cart and checkout. For SMS, watch reply rate and opt-outs as carefully as clicks. On the business side, look at reorder rate by market and the time between first and second purchase. A simple “units per store per week” view next to subscriber growth gives you a clean read on whether owned channels support velocity.
A plan you can ship this month
Choose one capture point for email and one for SMS. Put them behind an age gate with clear consent language. Write a three-message welcome that covers expectations, dose, and where to buy. Set a basic reorder or restock reminder. Build one availability alert for a single metro where you know shipments are landing. Segment by location and engagement only. Review performance after two weeks. If the signals look healthy, expand.
Owned channels will not replace retail execution, but they will make every launch more resilient. When you earn the right to stay in someone’s pocket, you spend less reacting to algorithms and more time building a brand that lasts.If you want help setting up compliant flows or a light data model that ties messages to real outcomes, see how we handle lifecycle. We can share a Compliant Flows Kit you can adapt to your markets and launch in a few days.