Challenge
Cann, one of the pioneering startups in the cannabinoid-infused beverage market, was founded by an executive team that understands the value of data. “We are taught that dynamic insights lie in the data,” states Sebastian Richard, Senior Director at Cann. “The data we collect inspires us to dive into more in-depth market research that determines how we sell to major demographics.”
The Cann Sales and Marketing teams recognize that the Cannabis industry requires extra effort to gain a sustainable market foothold. “Cannabis data is old or misaligned, and lacks a centralized structure,” notes Richard. “There are 600-900 accounts in California alone, and many are single-site operators who wear multiple hats.”
Repsly was selected by Cann to serve as its source of truth for both the Sales and Marketing teams, centralizing dispensary-level contextual data, sales performance, and all promotional assets under one collaborative umbrella. “Everything is geared behind driving revenue,” says Richard “Promotions, sales, and marketing are all under the goal of moving the needle on revenue.” He adds,” Formalizing the way we pitch up and activate in the field was an essential part of adopting Repsly.”
Mastering the Personal Touch
Richard also states that at its heart, “cannabis is definitely a people game,” and consequently it's vitally important that Brand Ambassadors meet expectations for the frequency and quality of their account visits. Repsly not only simplified activity tracking for their field teams, but also provided all of the contextual information needed to make the the best impression. Richard says, “post-Repsly, the fundamental goal is to accomplish all tasks, and add color and context to the account profile. Who opens and closes? Who is the manager during certain hours? What gifting preferences are appealing to them. Knowledge sharing and insight has been essential to their success.”
This utility extends to quantifiable data as well. Richard says, “Brand ambassadors use [Repsly] religiously - accumulating sell-through data and competitive intel. This data collection enables them to learn where their most productive partnerships lie.”
Building a Collaborative Knowledge Platform
Repsly’s knowledge hub has also been useful for bridging the information gap between Cann’s Sales and Marketing teams. Richard recalls, “Collaboration was varied before, and data was input on Google Sheets. Repsly has allowed these departments to understand their role around key tasks like visual merchandising and Brand Ambassador material distribution. Repsly allows uniform access to key sales and marketing assets, so they can be leveraged immediately.”
Finding What Works
Cann’s data-driven mindset has led the team to take full advantage of Repsly’s form creation and performance reporting feature sets. Richard notes that “Repsly’s form data is highly customizable and helps point us toward specific outcomes.” The methods that Cann retail execution leaders leverage to parse performance data is already paying operational dividends.
Richard states, “‘Does this work?’ is our most frequently asked question. [Prior to Repsly], we had a hard time assessing ROI…Repsly’s ability to start capturing the effect of the work we’re doing helps us justify marketing decisions and ensure they are worthwhile investments to make.”
Richard adds, “Repsly can be leaned on to help identify actionable market trends. This initial data inspires us to dive into more in-depth market research that determines how we sell to major demographics. The power of insight Repsly provides makes it feel like you can see through brick walls.”
Looking Toward the Future
The positive feedback that Cann has seen from its Brand Ambassadors and marketing team has motivated them to expand its usage into 2022 and beyond. “The goal is to have Repsly be a dominant part of our organizational process in 2022,” says Richard. His confidence in Repsly’s institutional knowledge is a significant factor in that expansion. “Our points of contact in Sales and Client Service are always there whenever we need them. They understand the questions that need to be asked about our business and provide the best possible user experience.”
