Using AI to Understand Your Cannabis Customer Better Than Ever
How machine learning helps track behavior, predict trends, and personalize outreach
Understanding your customer used to be simple—you’d shake hands, ask questions, and read the room. But in today’s digital landscape, your audience is spread across email lists, text campaigns, loyalty apps, and Instagram comments. Reading the room? More like reading thousands of data points. That’s where AI steps in.
At Highly Marketable, we believe better data leads to better decisions—and AI is how cannabis brands finally get the insight they’ve been missing. No guesswork, no vibes-only strategy. Just smart, strategic marketing rooted in real behavior. If you want to meet your customers where they are (and where they’re headed next), this is your roadmap.
What AI Really Means in Cannabis Marketing
Let’s break it down without the jargon: AI is a tool that processes massive amounts of data and turns it into actionable insights. In cannabis marketing, that could mean anything from:
- Predicting which products will sell next month
- Sending personalized promotions based on purchase history
- Identifying when a customer is likely to churn
- Understanding how shoppers move through your website or app
Using AI doesn’t require a degree in data science. You don’t have to be a data expert to take advantage of AI. With the right tools and a smart approach, anyone can put it to work.
Track Behavior in Real Time (Without Being Creepy)
Your customers are talking to you all the time. Not with words, but with clicks, scrolls, likes, and purchases. AI tools help you listen better. By analyzing behavioral data, you can learn things like:
- Which products customers view but don’t buy
- What time of day they’re most likely to open emails
- How often they reorder certain items
- What content keeps them engaged on your blog or social
This isn’t about invading privacy. It’s about respecting attention. When someone clicks on a high-CBD tincture five times in two weeks, they’re basically raising their hand. AI helps you spot that signal and act on it—whether that’s sending a timely discount or surfacing educational content.
Highly Marketable Tip: Use AI-enhanced CRMs like Klaviyo, Springbig, or Alpine IQ to track user actions and trigger personalized messages. It’s like hiring a digital budtender who never sleeps.
Predict Trends Before They Happen
Remember when edibles exploded? Or when customers suddenly became obsessed with terpenes? Trend shifts in cannabis can feel unpredictable—but machine learning can spot them coming.
AI doesn’t just look at what’s happening. It recognizes patterns in what’s happening. That means you can:
- Forecast product demand
- Stock inventory smarter
- Launch campaigns at the right time
- Identify rising keywords and interests before competitors do
And here’s the kicker: the more data you feed it, the smarter it gets. Your dispensary’s POS data, loyalty info, and online behavior all help paint a picture of what’s next.
Highly Marketable Tip: Use tools like Google Trends, SparkToro, or AI-powered SEO platforms to find emerging keywords and customer interests specific to your region.
Personalize Outreach That Actually Converts
Generic emails are the fastest way to your customer’s spam folder. Today’s cannabis consumer expects more—especially when they’ve already told you what they like. AI helps you create personalized experiences at scale.
With AI, you can:
- Send different texts or emails based on purchase history
- Recommend products tailored to past behavior
- Create loyalty offers based on spending patterns
- Re-engage inactive customers with dynamic messaging
It’s the difference between “Hey, we’ve got a sale” and “Hey Sarah, that Blue Dream you love? Hey, it’s 20% off today.” That sounds like a brand that knows how to connect.The other feels like a friend.
Highly Marketable Tip: AI tools like Persado, Jasper, or Seventh Sense can help optimize subject lines, delivery times, and even tone to boost open rates and click-throughs.
AI Tools That Make It Happen
Let’s keep it practical. Here are some AI-driven platforms that cannabis brands can use right now to better understand and engage customers:
- Klaviyo (Email + SMS AI Segmentation)
Great for building personalized flows based on behavior and buying history.
- Springbig (Loyalty + Messaging)
Cannabis-compliant platform that uses AI to deliver targeted rewards and promotions.
- Lucid Green (Consumer Behavior Insights)
Tracks product scans and feedback to understand usage trends and brand loyalty.
- Pineapple Express Delivery + Buddi
For delivery-based dispensaries, these platforms help optimize routes and track customer preferences.
- ChatGPT (Yes, us!)
Use ChatGPT to write email flows, segment strategies, or even generate product descriptions based on behavior tags.
Real-World Scenarios: AI in Action
Need a little inspiration? Here’s what AI-based customer understanding looks like in real life:
- A customer who buys every third Friday receives a “just for you” discount email the Thursday before.
- Someone who hasn’t shopped in 60 days gets a message showing new arrivals based on past purchases.
- A loyal edible buyer gets a blog post about dosage and effects, followed by a CTA to a new infused gummy line.
- Social media behavior is analyzed to see which posts drove the most traffic—and future posts are scheduled accordingly.
It’s not just smart marketing—it’s personalized service. And in a highly regulated, competitive space, service is your brand.
But… Is It Too Robotic?
Not if you do it right. AI shouldn’t replace your voice. It should enhance it.
At Highly Marketable, we combine machine learning with human strategy. We help you find the sweet spot where data-driven insights meet emotionally intelligent messaging. Because your customers are real people—not just data points.
Final Thoughts: Data Is the New Budtender
If your dispensary isn’t using AI to understand your audience, you’re marketing in the dark. AI helps you see the full customer journey—so you can meet your audience with the right message, at the right time, in the right way.
Forget the guesswork. Forget the spray-and-pray emails. The future of cannabis marketing is personalized, predictive, and powered by AI.
Ready to Know Your Customers Better Than Ever?
If you’re tired of guessing what your audience wants, it’s time to upgrade your marketing IQ—with AI. At Highly Marketable, we’ll help you track behavior, spot trends, and send personalized messages that actually convert.
Let’s turn your customer data into dispensary gold.
Schedule a free 20-minute consultation with Highly Marketable and discover how AI can give your cannabis brand the clarity and edge it deserves.
Book your consultation today—because the brands that understand their customers best always come out on top.