Faces Behind the Flower: Unlocking the Power of Cannabis Buyer Personas

The gallery wall. Photo credit: Pinterest via worldwideherbalhub.com

By Shaniece N. Fullove, MPA

In cannabis marketing, knowing who your customer really is can make the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity.

Through my experience working in the cannabis industry—from being a budtender at Columbia Care to brand marketing for Trulieve and GTI—I’ve seen firsthand how understanding the customer shapes success. While product quality is critical, true growth comes from knowing who is on the other side of the purchase. Buyer personas—profiles of typical customers—have become essential tools in shaping sales and marketing strategies. Over the years, companies like Columbia Care, Trulieve, and GTI have worked hard to refine these personas, elevating industry standards and giving dispensaries a framework for creating meaningful connections with their customers.

Why Personas Matter

In cannabis, there isn’t a “set standard” persona that fits every consumer. Instead, brands have identified categories of buyers that reflect different motivations, levels of knowledge, and lifestyle needs. These insights influence everything from how storefronts design promotions to the language budtenders use when engaging with clients on the dispensary floor. By leaning into buyer personas, marketing teams can create assets that resonate emotionally, while sales teams gain the language to build trust and guide purchases.

Key Cannabis Personas

Newbies: Just starting their journey, often seeking education and simple, approachable products.

Old Heads: Long-time consumers—whether from the traditional market or dispensaries—who know strains and expect expertise.

Moms That Toke: Favor discreet formats like gummies and vapes, balancing wellness with everyday life.

Stressed-Out Millennials: Looking for stress relief and variety, choosing everything from flower to edibles.

Boomers (65+): Typically prefer oral or topical products aimed at wellness, sleep, or pain management.

The Takeaway

These personas aren’t rigid rules, but they’ve proven invaluable in aligning sales and marketing. They help brands craft promotions that speak to real people, not just demographics, and equip budtenders with insights to engage authentically. In a competitive, evolving industry, buyer personas ensure the right product finds the right customer—turning curiosity into loyalty and transactions into trust.

Tips for Marketers:

• Develop clear buyer personas for your dispensary or brand, based on real customer data and interactions.

• Train budtenders to recognize and adapt their communication style to each persona.

• Create marketing assets that speak to motivations and lifestyle needs, not just demographics.

• Regularly revisit and update personas as your audience evolves and the market shifts.