Once we had written Root Knowledge, we wanted to expand on it in a way that would make it a truly effective tool for dispensary management, and so we developed the philosophy that we work from, the Entourage Effect of Retail Training.
What is the Entourage Effect of Retail Training?
Well, in the cannabis world, the “entourage effect” refers to the phenomenon we observe when a person consumes full spectrum items (products that contain a combination of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other active compounds) compared to when a person consumes an isolate, or one single active compound. Everything works better when used together, rather than each compound individually.
Scientists observe that when trying to use CBD isolate, we see there is a higher threshold to achieve peak effectiveness and a shorter window of effective time. That means you need a higher dose that is less effective. Full spectrum CBD, or CBD found in context of a cannabis plant (this is non-isolated), has a lower threshold to work and a longer time of effectiveness in comparison.
(This is why, in general, medical cannabis consultants will recommend consumers use full spectrum products over isolates whenever possible.)
So when we were developing A Trainer’s Guide To Cultivating Dank Budtenders and thinking about how folks learn, we realized the most effective path is its own entourage effect…
Let me explain…
When you sign up for A Trainer’s Guide, you’ll find each training shift divided into three learning components: Learning, Activities, and Observation.
During the Learning portion of the training shift, the budtender would spend about 60 mins working through a module of our retail cannabis training course, Root Knowledge: A Budtender’s Guide to Cannabis.
Then, they’d move into the Activities portion of the training shift, where the trainer would work closely with the budtenders, using the provided pop quiz questions, sales floor activities, and role play scenarios to drive home the knowledge they picked up during the Learning phase.
Finally, for the rest of the shift, the budtender would be paired with a peer for the Observation phase, to observe or to be observed.
On their own, these types of activities can be helpful in teaching your sales crew about product knowledge, but TOGETHER, they work to integrate the new knowledge with the exact products you carry, so your budtenders can be well-versed in every single thing on your shelf.
If you want to see how the Entourage Effect of Retail Training can transform your sales floor, schedule a demo today!