General Marketing
 

Conduct local market research. Although you won’t need to lowball customers to win them over – our public image will help with that – you should examine your market area to determine prime areas within your territory. If you follow our Company’s principles, you’ll stack up well against the competition. 

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Begin networking and establish referral accounts. There are businesses in your neighborhood that may be very willing to establish joint marketing or reciprocal marketing with you. This could range from an exchange of business cards and flyers, or of Web coupons, all the way to campaigns where customers get discounts for buying something from you and something from another business, or if they buy something from you they get a discount from the other business. Be positive and enthusiastic as you seek out these opportunities, and you may be amazed at what you find.

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Launch Grand Opening advertising campaign. At this point, it’s time for you to advertise your Shop’s. We don’t tell you how to advertise yourself, but we do require you to spend $1-3K in the first month. You may spend that amount in some combination like this:

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Web ads: $800-$2,000/month
Direct mail local market (e.g.): $400-$800/month
Print ad in the local newspaper: $500-$2,500/month

Press releases

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Write a press release. Whenever you want media coverage, write a press release! 

Your first press release for your grand opening will be issued by the Company

News stories in a reporter's "inbox" (i.e. e-mail) are likely to get priority over others because they save the editor time in finding the story. Reporters with very fast deadlines (e.g. TV and Web) will probably ignore press releases sent via standard mail.

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The reporter who gets a story in the "inbox" will probably want to look at the Web site for more info. Don't put all the info in the e-mail!

(And be sure to leave out binary files such as images.) Make sure all the info is on the Web site before you send the e-mail!

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If the news is dated, or published somewhere else, it won't be published again. (The editors DO check.) If the news isn't newsworthy to the reporter, it won't be published. 

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Press releases are a must when launching a new product or service. A press release should also go out when you open your Shop’s office, change locations or expand your current store or office. Some tips:

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If the news isn't newsworthy to the reporter, it won't be published. Examples of "newsworthy news" include new products (no matter how frequent), new resellers (no matter how frequent), new business moves (e.g. new customer comments, new store/distribution locations,  upcoming events)

Don't follow-up the press release with a phone call. They got it when you sent it.

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Examples of "newsworthy news" include:

•    new products (no matter how frequent)
•    new resellers (no matter how frequent)
•    new business moves (e.g. acquisitions, IPOs, hiring and promotion of executives, mergers)

 

What’s included in a press release:
 

•    compelling subject header (if e-mail) and headline
•    "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE"
•    "five-W" first paragraph (who, what, where, when, why)
•    unbiased commentary (as appropriate and available) (keeping in mind that if you have it you look better)
•    company background info
•    contact information (company and responsible individual)
•    "-30-" or "###" (indicating the end of the release)

 

The Company will create the press releases when you need them.

 

A few other times to send out a press release include

•    Sales
•    Public Seminars (especially when they’re free)
•    Social network meetings (e.g. LinkedIn face-to-face, Tweet-ups, etc.), especially those you host or sponsor
•    Partnerships with local businesses 
•    Sales to larger companies
•    Web site launches or re-launches
•    Participation in charitable activities (e.g. relief efforts, community engagement, etc.)

 

As you can see, you don’t necessarily have to have “hard news” to justify a press release. You might be surprised by the coverage you get. 

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The media are always hungry for feature stories. Tell them about your company's fast growth, new services for employees, flex-time, telecommuting, blogs, social networking, on-site child care, etc. Some company must be featured in every trend story, why shouldn't it be yours? 

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Keep in mind that the media has deadlines: breaking news stories are written maybe one hour prior to publication or broadcast.

 

Features, on the other hand, have deadlines weeks or even months in advance of publication.

 

Also keep in mind that you don’t want to take excessive advantage of your media contacts. If you send press releases too often to the same contact, you will seem like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, and you may find yourself ignored when something important comes up. 

 

Even great ideas fail when nobody knows about them. Your well-prepared marketing plan is the starting point for effective sales. Your Shop’s will have a custom marketing campaign, based on location, demographics, Shop’s size, available media coverage, etc. With the marketing plan in place, much of your effort will be spent on improving sales processes.
 

Company marketing policy
 

As a World Canna Health authorized shop, you benefit from our national and regional brand exposure. Some of the Company’s larger-scale marketing will drive your business as well. Still, capturing your local market is up to you. What works for one location may not work for another.

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Businesses spend billions of dollars yearly to get their message to potential customers. They gather statistics about current and potential markets and analyze those statistics carefully in hopes of improving the results of their next campaign. Yet marketing is also at times unpredictable: who can say which of your ideas has the potential to go viral? What can you do that will make others talk about you?

 

When others talk about you, there is greater power to reach customers than when it’s simply you talking about you.

The first thing we require of you is that any marketing effort you pursue be associated with Company-approved standard logos and brand elements. From there, if you are not working in a manner contrary to Company policy, what you do is more or less up to you. We will supply you with any branded materials you may need to carry out a campaign, though you will be responsible for the cost of those materials.
 

Approved marketing materials
 

Here are the reasons we require you to use our approved marketing materials, which are included in your marketing fee, in your campaigns:

 

•    You are responsible for unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, e.g. photos and images, etc.
•    You are responsible for the reliability of testimonials.
•    You must ensure that customers who deal with your Shop recognize that they are dealing with the Company – this benefits both you and your customers.

 

We further require you to secure our written consent before entering into agreements with other businesses, and before using our Company trademarks and logos, either in the physical plane or on the Internet. We generally grant this written consent routinely, provided your intent in these agreements and brand uses is consistent with Company policy and with your approved marketing plan.

 

If you want to modify our marketing materials in any way, you must submit a formal request in writing to the Company Marketing Officer no less than two weeks before the first intended use. We generally respond to such requests right away, but you must not plan on making any modifications without written approval.
 

Marketing Plans
 

Questions you should consider in crafting a marketing plan:
 

•    You need measurable goals in order to know whether you're effective. How many new customers? How many new inquiries? How soon?
•    You need the right budget to execute a campaign. How much money do you need? How much advance notice do you have to set the money aside? How are you using the money?
•    Are you involved in trade shows or community events, do you have the time to prepare press releases and schedule media events? 
•    Do you have relationships with any press contacts? You will need those relationships for priority treatment.
•    Do you maintain testimonials from satisfied customers? Do you offer customers an incentive for referrals or testimonials?
•    Do you know what's going on in your industry? You can use that knowledge to keep from “reinventing the wheel” in your promotions.
 

Study your competitors and their marketing campaigns. Your marketing should stand out from the competition. Ask yourself:

•    Why did they pick this particular media/publication/radio station over another?
•    What did they emphasize (e.g. price, performance, humor, quality, customer satisfaction, etc.)?
•    Would their ads appeal to our customers?
•    How much are they spending on advertising?
•    Are their ads in the right places? You’ll want to spend your money carefully.
•    Are you competitive with them on quality of product and service? On reputation?

 

You must also study the local market to find specific areas/neighborhoods/zip codes to target, as well as specific customer demographics. Since your prices and available offerings are subject to change, it’s a good idea to repeat these studies two to four times a year. Ask yourself:

 

•    How many competitors – which you have studied above – are in the target area? 
•    What are their strengths and weaknesses? 
•    What types of customers are in your area? What are their specific needs and common concerns?

 

 

A basic marketing plan will address the “4 Ps” of marketing: product, price, place and promotion. Keeping this in mind, here are the basic steps: 

 

1)    Collect information: you’re examining the competition and the market, as indicated above.
2)    Plan the campaign: having researched the market and competition, you can address the campaign based on what you know.
3)    Implement the campaign: once you are committed to a campaign, be diligent and consistent in its execution.
4)    Review the results: there is some trial-and-error involved in marketing, but if you learn from each campaign, you will show constant improvement.

Marketing campaigns
 

We know our market; we know our competition; we have secured Company-approved marketing materials and permission to use them. Now we must decide how.

 

Because these media and communication types differ in both cost and effectiveness in reaching your audience, you must plan in your initial marketing budget which to use and how, and plan to measure their specific impact on your campaign. A rule of thumb that has worked well for similar business ventures is to invest 12-15% of your anticipated first-year revenue in general marketing.
 

Targeted marketing

 

Here is a rough glance at your target market.
 

1)    Medical: 
•    Pain 
•    Sleep
•    Anxiety
•    Other medical issues
 

2)    Local Medical offices: 
•    Chiropractors
•    Pain Clinics
•    Cosmetic surgery
 

3)    Heath: 
•    Spas
•    Gyms
•    Personal Trainers
•    Massage Therapists 
 

4)    Wholesale:  
a)    Health/Vitamin stores
b)    Smoke shops
c)    Local markets/stores
d)    Boutique stores

 

You can’t please everyone, but if you are very good at pleasing someone your marketing efforts will be effective and will improve constantly.

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In summary: pick your target market, pick your media to attract that market, execute the campaign and monitor the results with an eye toward improvement.

 

Having chosen your market and media, you will be interested in the ways the media you choose can be effective for you. Here’s a closer look at several formats: 

 

Newspapers

 

Even during the internet world, people will still read the local newspaper. Plus, as newspapers continue to develop an online presence, your purchase of an ad can allow you to reach readers in multiple media.

 

In print, Sunday papers tend to have the highest circulation, but many more ads. On any day, you must weigh the available readership against the likelihood that your ad will catch their attention. We recommend coupons as the most effective way to catch readers’ attention in the print newspapers; these will also grow in effectiveness online.

 

Though newspapers are very good for building name recognition, they’re expensive: small ad can run several hundred dollars per insertion. Plus, a single ad is almost ineffectual. You need to run your ad for seven to 12 days to really catch an audience.

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We think that, because of the need to run an ad repeatedly, marketing in local and regional newspapers is most effective in your Grand Opening marketing campaign. 

We will assist you in your newspaper ad or coupon development, even including layout. We will create print-ready digital files that can lower the cost of ad placement.

 

For local free papers, you may be able to secure a spot in which you are able to write a health article each week/month. We can help ghost write these for you.

 

Direct mail

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The Company has seen great success with direct mail. Digital technology has enabled direct mail that is targeted with increasing precision and with better-quality graphics, while costs have gone down. We highly recommend this technique for attracting new customers and reminding customers you’ve not seen in a while that you’re still there.

 

Direct mail providers are now able to print advertising pieces that match customer data you may have collected during previous sales calls or on your Web site. They can also canvas specific zip codes or integrate mailing lists of a very specific customer type, such as all the residents of a condo association. This flexibility allows you to become very creative in crafting a message to a target market.

 

Direct mail can address customers by name and reference their previous transactions. And this can be timed to coincide with events, such as offering a discount on winterizing a customer’s car just before the snow falls. This potential for optimization of outreach allows you to experiment. Responses make the database work even better.

 

The downside of direct mail:
•    High cost – perhaps more per customer reached than any other form of mass promotion
•    Waste – paper is thrown away
•    Intrusion – some potential customers resent direct marketing 

 

Non-responses, however, and even complaints can improve the database, making waste decrease and efficiency increase.

We will assist you in your coupon development, even including layout. Contact the Company’s Marketing Officer for help. We even offer print-ready digital files that can lower the cost of coupon printing.

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Postcards

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Postcard marketing is particularly effective in urban areas, where there are many small businesses willing to leave a stack of postcards on the counter. Sturdier than flyers, they can be left anywhere you’d leave a flyer, and will last longer when left in more uncontrolled environments, e.g. on windshields. 

 

These are also particularly effective in event promotion. Usually colorful and eye-catching, they can apply essentially the same design you’d use on a billboard, due to a similar aspect ratio. You’d merely need to include more information than on the billboard, as there are two sides.

 

Postcards, designed properly, can be sent in the mail, or used as a “leave-behind.” We recommend that if you use postcards, you print a coupon on the stamp side, leaving room for users to address and write a short note.

 

We will assist you in your postcard development, even including layout. Contact the Company’s Marketing Officer for help. We even offer print-ready digital files that can lower the cost of printing.

 

Internet/website

 

Because people are gaining confidence in shopping over the Internet, and because so many of us are comfortable searching the Internet as well, you can expect many new customers from this means – perhaps as much as 70% of your new customers. 
 

We will also assist you in developing a Shop’s Web site, so you don’t need to have that expertise or even to hire a contractor to develop one. We’ll begin development as soon as you sign the Shop’s Agreement. We offer experience in design, layout and keyword placement, a critical element in search engine optimization. We also offer a wide variety of resources to help you understand Web site design and SEO.

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If, however, you are consistent with Company policy with design, we have no problem if you work with a local web designer on your site, but you will be responsible for site maintenance; Contact the Company’s Technology Officer for help. 

 

Adding ads on Facebook is also a great way to target your local market, but CBD and cannabis ads are very limited. Facebook ads must be placed indirectly. This is to say, you may need to create a page for Pain or Health Issues or Natural Medicines. CBD should not be mentioned on the Facebook page. Gather contact information by giving away information for people that sign up for downloads, etc. or inviting people to health classes, etc. Once you have contact information, you can invite people to your company Facebook page or to your business. Consider doing short YouTube videos and share on your social media, website and even your own YouTube channel.

 

Signs

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Outdoor advertising is sometimes considered an afterthought in a marketing campaign. But it is also at times the first impression the public gets of your business. At times it is also the way people who are looking for you find you.

 

Company signs. Many businesses don’t have their street address visible from the street. This can be a problem, even when building signs don’t have significant marketing impact. We therefore require that, as a minimum, your address and the Company logo are posted on your door and mailbox, so mail can find you even if you are located in a business park.

 

As indicated in the Vehicle Administration chapter of this Manual, logos and signs on your vehicles, and even on your equipment, are effective marketing tools. If your business is visible from a busy street, you will also benefit from a Company sign.

 

Signs for your Shop’s must bear the Company logo and follow an approved design. Banners, as well as other external attention-grabbers, may be subject to local ordinances, for which you are responsible.

 

Billboards. Outdoor billboards are seen all day, every day. They can’t be turned off like TV or radio or thrown away like print materials.

Those ads will be present each time commuters pass by in their vehicles.

 

Billboard companies typically want customers to sign contracts that commit you to a particular board location for a set length of time, often 6 months or a year. You can, however, get a better deal on unsold “leftovers.” You can sometimes get them with a 30-day contract, yet there may be nobody waiting to take over the board afterwards, so the billboard company can leave your ad up there because to do so is cheaper than painting over it. You can get many free days of advertising this way. 

 

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TV

 

TV advertising is generally the most flexible and expensive of all media outlets. Because of the high expense associated with TV ads, they are often purchased with national marketing funds. If TV advertising will be a component of your marketing campaign, describe the requirements and recommendations here.

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If you should happen to appear in a TV interview, consider:
 

•    What you say must be brief as it will be a sound-bite; try to complete a thought in as few words as possible.
•    News reports are usually ported to the station Web site after broadcast; you can usually get permission to keep or reuse them.
•    Interesting interviews tend to be conversation-starters; they may even result in customers walking in off the street.

 

Local cable company ads can be very inexpensive and worth a look, particularly with the a marketing partner

 

Radio

 

One of the biggest benefits of radio is the ability to target a particular demographic segment. This is especially important if your industry focuses on a particular segment of the market. For example, if your services are geared towards the elderly, focus your radio campaign on a station that caters toward a senior demographic. If you’re targeting young people, you might look at rock or urban stations. There is literally a radio station for every market.

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If you should happen to appear in a broadcast interview, consider:

 

•    A positive report from a radio station may suggest that an advertising relationship with that station would be more economical than it would be otherwise: if your name (and voice) is already known, you can get early saturation of that market.
 

•    You can advertise on radio with prizes as well as money; also an economical option, this works particularly well when the prize is a ticket to a sponsored event, e.g. a concert.
 

•    Sometimes multiple formats are owned by the same broadcast company: if you buy ad time from the company, you are aired on several stations.

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Seminars

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Free seminars speaking about the value of CBD and natural Bioceuticals can be a powerful way to attract new customers. These seminars can be held in meeting rooms at local restaurants, public libraries and other meeting rooms in established business of your partners, for example a local clinic or senior center may want to promote health education as a means of drawing attention to themselves and providing a public service. 

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We have easy to use PowerPoint presentations and flyer and handouts that can easily customized for you. 

 

Community and trade organizations

 

Participating in local business associations such as the Chamber of Commerce or a trade organization in our industry is a valuable method of both networking and learning about the industry and others who work alongside it. 

 

We urge you to support organizations and other charities in your local area. Your customers will love knowing that they are doing business with a good neighbor.

 

Marketing Partnerships

 

Building Partnerships is a terrific way to create an ongoing stream of leads. The most effective partnerships are going to come from businesses and individuals who are seeking the same customer but for a different sale. Partners are not likely to simply send customers your way for the sake of doing so, they will do it for one of two reasons, but mostly for a combination both. They will partner with you to make money. They can carry MioSantéUSA products in their business and sell to their clients or send clients to you. Be very aggressive in sending business to your partners, the more you send the more obligated they will be to send you business or sell product. Every potential partner will agree to for a referral alliance with you but, this will only blossom when you start sending the business in large numbers first. 

Co-Branded Marketing You would provide co-branded floor displays and large postcard type marketing pieces. The Company will assist you in design. Your partners are more likely to use and display such marketing as their name and logo appear.

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Discount Certificates    A great way for your partners to promote their business and your CBD business is by providing them co-branded discount certificates for them to give to their customers and prospects. The certificate can be a cash discount applied to the customer’s purchase or a percentage off the order, compliments of your partner. Your partner can use these marketing pieces to promote their health initiatives and their desire to give back, it is also a great reason for sales people to re-connect with old customers and prospects. The partner can take full credit for the discount coupon as if it was their money they are giving away.  
 
Potential Partnerships 

 

 Chiropractor                    General Practice MD
Dentist                             Health Spa
Medical Specialists          Gym                        
Personal Trainer                Vitamin/Health Food
Specialty Shops                Senior Centers
Massage Therapists          Beauty/Nail Shops
Barber Shops                    Neighborhood Retail Shops
   
Partner Marketing is an extremely strong strategy to work on. As you get ready to implement this, reach out to the Company for detailed assistance and guidance. 

DATABASE MARKETING-TARGET SMART!

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Most businesses have yet to take advantage of database marketing. Those who have invested the time and energy have seen strong results. As competition increases more agencies are relying on database marketing to succeed. 

So why turn to database marketing? Two major reasons include the fact that acquiring new customers is more expensive than keeping old ones and the value of a customer increases significantly over time. The cost of managing information via database marketing has dropped significantly over the past few years. The necessary hardware and software have become increasingly affordable. 

The heart of database marketing is the database, which contains information on customers, promotions and purchases and needs/wants. This information is analyzed to create effective promotions targeted to specific groups of customers. Most business leaders already have customers, promotions and live on the purchases, but the key is integrating these three sources of information into a useful database. 

 

Database marketing can help increase the number of customer visits, increase the customer spending and strengthen and lengthen the customer relationship. Database marketing can also allow for a more efficient use of your marketing dollars! 

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THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF DATABASE MARKETING 

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1. Data  -  You know the old saying, “Garbage in, Garbage out”. It is important to have access to, and to keep, relevant customer information, purchase and promotion information. Collecting data and keeping it current is vital. 

 

2. Tools   -  You will need a reliable, up to date computer and a good functional database software program. Simple database software is

readily available everywhere, you may already have one on your computer. More sophisticated software is available based on your level of expertise. Discuss this with the Company to determine what is best for you.

 

3.Time   -  Reaping the full benefits of database marketing requires time. That time is determined by goals you set. An ongoing commitment of 1 to 2 hours per week will ensure your data is fresh. You may need to put in more time initially if you are starting from scratch, but it will be worth your while! 

 

4. Success   - The desire to succeed in your business will drive you to collect and maintain good data. You will see results if you are committed to creating and maintaining your business database. A database not only contains the name, address and phone number of a contact. 

 

For a marketing database to be effective, it must contain meaningful information!!! 

 

The more information the better off you are when you want to market a specific product. 

 

What data is useful? 

 

1. Customer contact information includes name, address, city, state and zip code. It should also contain a fax number, e-mail address and phone number. You should also note the manner in which the customer likes to be contacted. Some prefer e-mail notification, while others want to receive a phone call or regular mail. 

 

2. Purchase History is a record of past transactions and purchases of your customers even in your prior relationships. Information you may want to consider keeping is a customer number, purchase date, purchase amount, payment type and types of properties. 

 

3. Demographics are information, apart from contact and purchase information, about the personal characteristics, lifestyles and interests of your customers. Information can include, age, gender, income, number of children, and travel patterns and most important, their health issues.

 

4. Promotion information records which customers received which communications. It should include a means to identify the promotion and when it was sent. Promotion information would include self-mailers, Newsletters, Quarterly promotion mailers and other offers. How do I collect information for my database? 

 

One of the easiest ways to collect information is by simply asking or by providing the proper incentives for people to share this information. What’s in it for them? You may want to offer a gift certificate towards future purchases or a drawing for a gift basket of products.  

 

Database marketing helps to strengthen relationships When you have pertinent information about your customers you can communicate with them on a regular basis. Communications would include promotions and products that matched their building and energy needs, greeting cards for birthdays and anniversaries. It would also include general service information like Newsletters and late breaking specials. 

 

How often do you open mail when you know you are not interested in the product, but, how often do you read mail when it pertains to something that interests you?

 

If you take the time to ask your customer if they would like to receive health information and special education on certain ailments, for which they are interested, they will most likely give you permission to contact them. This is called Permission Marketing and is one of the most effective ways to “touch” your customer. 

 

Don’t be afraid that database marketing will be too difficult. Think about this simple 4 step process. 

 

1. Gather customer information-start collecting good data. 

2. Build the database-over the next few months start entering this information in your software. 

3. Send promotions to clients that match the product. 

4. Track Results-make sure you track what promotions worked and what may need some fine-tuning. If you have yet to develop a database, you need to start thinking about doing so TODAY!

ANNOUNCE YOURSELF 

 

Sales are often lost because the people that are most likely to buy products from you may not even know you are a source for CBD and Bioceuticals. As we discussed in an earlier section, you must build your database, including ALL of your contacts, from family, friends, neighbors, current and former co-workers, business associates, people you do business with, from your dry cleaner to the mailman. 

 

For casual acquittances, use the company provided introduction card, to let people know what CBD and Bioceuticals are and why they need to use it and why they need to get it from you. 

 

For those that you have emails for, send them an introduction email, a sample of one is below. 
 

 

 

 

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Date: ___/___/___ 

 

Dear __________________, 

 

Guess what! I’ve started my own business as the owner of MioSantéUSA of (your city). providing powerful Bioceuticals and CBD products for good health, including pain, sleep and anxiety issues. If you or someone you care about has unresolved health issues, I encourage you learn more about the benefits of cannabinoids.  

 

I’m very excited about being able to help people address health issues that are not well treated with common medications but often easily resolved with natural products that do not have nasty side effects or get you high.  

 

I would welcome the chance to speak to you about the amazing health benefits of CBD. If you currently have any health issues, from Pain, Anxiety or even if you are having any difficulty in sleeping, please call me, I think I can help. 

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Sincerely, 

________________________ 
MioSantéUSA

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