Push Notification Best Practices for Cannabis Dispensaries

How to Send the Right Message, at the Right Time, Without Breaking Compliance

Push notifications are becoming a game-changer for cannabis dispensaries. With SMS restrictions tightening and email open rates dropping, push offers a direct, instant, and high-converting way to stay connected with your customers, without the compliance chaos.

But just sending a push isn’t enough. To drive results, you need to send the right push. Here's how to do it.

1. Segment Your Audience

Don’t blast. Target.

One of the biggest mistakes dispensaries make is sending the same push notification to every subscriber. Personalization is key to performance.

Best practices:

• Segment by location (different promos by store)

• Segment by loyalty tier (VIPs vs new shoppers)

• Segment by past behavior (what they’ve viewed or bought)

Example:
“Hey [First Name], we’ve restocked your favorite - OG Kush. Tap to reserve before it’s gone.” (Personalized + behavioral)

2. Time It Right

When you send matters almost as much as what you send.

Push notifications are immediate – so make sure you are catching your audience at the right moment.

Best practices:

• Schedule campaigns around peak purchase hours (e.g., lunchtime, after work)

• Use real-time triggers like abandoned carts or loyalty milestones

• Avoid late-night pushes unless it fits your audience's behavior

Pro tip:
Test send times to find your dispensary’s “sweet spot.”

3. Focus on One Clear Action

Keep it short. Keep it sharp.

Push notifications aren’t emails. You’ve got 40–60 characters to spark interest and drive a tap.

Best practices:

• Stick to one CTA per message (e.g., "Shop Now," "Claim Offer")

• Use urgency (“Only 20 left!” or “Ends Tonight!”)

• Add emojis sparingly to catch the eye (🔥, 🌿, ⏳)

4. Automate What Matters

Set it and scale it.

Your best push campaigns don’t have to be manual. Automate based on customer actions.

High-performing automation ideas:

• Abandoned cart reminder (after 30–60 minutes)

• Loyalty reward unlocked (trigger on point milestone)

• Product back in stock

• Birthday reward

Automation keeps customers engaged without you lifting a finger and converts way better than generic blasts.

5. Make Opt-In Effortless

No app? No problem.

Unlike SMS, push notifications don’t need phone numbers or forms. But your opt-in flow still matters.

Best practices:

• Use a one-click web opt-in on your site

• Offer a reason to opt in (discount, early drops, loyalty perks)

• Add opt-in prompts post-purchase or during checkout

Sticky Cards makes this easy – no app required, no dev team needed.

Bonus: Skip the Compliance Headaches

Push notifications don’t fall under 10DLC or SMS regulations.

That means:

• No phone number registration

• No per-message fees

• No carrier filtering

Just pure, direct marketing. Delivered instantly.

Final Thought: Push Smart, Not Hard

Push notifications aren’t just another channel – they’re your best chance to get real-time, high-ROI engagement. But like any powerful tool, success comes down to how you use them.

Start small. Test. Segment. Automate. And always send with purpose.

Want to See It in Action?

Sticky Cards helps dispensaries automate high-converting push campaigns in minutes – no code, no compliance drama.

Schedule a Demo to Learn More