Since RMR has only been actively doing business in the cannabis space for less than a year, I didn’t think we’d get a response to our press request for MJBizCon 2017. Thankfully, the people behind Marijuana Business Daily responded quickly and our request was approved.
In preparation for this event, we decided that our recap should shed light on certain aspects of the conference that really stood out. In a day and age where experience is truly everything, our team walked row by row through the conference searching for interactions with any company who wanted to go above and beyond to make a solid business connection. If you saw us (pictured below in the black crewnecks) at MJBIZCON 2017, reach out and let’s connect. Keep on reading past the photo for our official recap.
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MJBIZCON 2017 RECAP
I spent hours listening to some of the craziest stories and even got walked through some serious lighting processes and nutrient terminology. Talking with various CEOs, marketing directors, and other creative agencies, we learned that content creation, branding, and how to prepare your business for investor opportunities were just a few of the hot topics from each day.
Having had these types of discussions with other businesses, it was clear that many cannabis companies are struggling with locating the right resources to work with. There simply aren’t enough people successfully operating on social media and even less are executing effective marketing and branding. Our partner company, 421Data.com, ran a full report surrounding MJBIZCON 2017 and we found a number of incredibly powerful statistics that confirmed this thought. We won’t share the exact numbers, but the data below shows this industry needs help establishing itself.
Less than 500 companies out of the 800+ that attended have a website.
Less than half of the total companies who attended have a Facebook.
Less than 200 companies are on Twitter.
Less than 150 companies are on LinkedIn.
With little to no support from the likes of Google, Facebook, Instagram, and also very little guidance from local government or current industry resources, the good news is MJ Biz Conference and many of the companies who are involved with this event, are still making significant progress with the normalization of cannabis. When our team walked through the doors, the immediate vibe in the convention center didn’t feel like one produced or filled with the typical “stoner” community. The vast majority of cannabis companies may not be found very easily online, but thankfully we have MJBIZCON to help us bridge that gap.
Watch MJ Biz TV’s Video Recap From Each Day
To me, the branding of this event was similar to that of a tech conference designed for efficient networking. Although space to talk and mingle was quite packed at times, the outdoor areas enabled guests to cool off and continue working. A number of the the company’s promotions actually felt like legitimate activations run by major brands or marketing agencies. Simply passing out free swag is no longer enough when you’re competing against CBD-infused giveaways from companies like FlavRx.
Even though some brands were very impressive, I can’t go so far as to say that any one company had a perfect activation. With so much going on and so many people packed into tight spaces, I can definitely confirm that each of the brands featured below were out there in Vegas providing a high quality service to the industry. If you see any of these companies online or at another event, you definitely need to connect with them for a better understanding of what they bring to the table.
When it comes to conferences, taking the night off really isn’t an option if you’re serious about making big moves. This year, we had the pleasure of attending various types of parties, a few of which were hosted by our friends at Honu, Leafly, and Tarukino. Props to The Travel Joint and Pearl2O for hosting what we consider as the best overall event. A delicious collection of cannabis-infused food and drinks was ultimately the deciding factor.
Thank you to Marijuana Business Daily and the #MJBIZCON2017 staff for providing access to this year’s event. For more information about these events, visit their website.
