Colorado Connect

Irvin Rosenfeld and I have been out in the field this week. We have done a couple booksignings, but the primary focus is getting Colorado Connect launched, and finding the right supporters for our charter issue.

What do I mean by “right supporters”?

Well….to be blunt, the credible ones. The ones who are in it for the right reasons. The ones who are trying to better the industry for the sake of the patient.  The places where we feel comfortable walking in the door.

You see, we won’t send new patients to places we don’t feel comfortable. Our goal is to develop new patients, grow a larger industry in Colorado, and generate a larger support group. Educate the masses. If we can’t get them across the threshhold of you folks businesses, we will not see an increase in numbers, or support.

Another concern Irvin and I both have is this……many folks out there in this new industry have no idea how to market their business, and strategize for the future. We have had numerous discussions with many in the industry, and this is a common theme.

So….let’s talk marketing for a minute, and strategy.

Yes….I said strategy.

There is a strategy in everything you do in marketing, or at least there should be if you are marketing correctly. One of the biggest concerns we have seen is the desire to simply “battle by ad” over the current patient base. The younger generation of patients seems to be the target audience. “Seems to be” I say, as there really appears to be no marketing going on, just a lot of chestbeating. Before you say “that’s not me” have an honest look at what you are doing. As a matter of fact, dial me or Irvin up and talk about it…..

Expect me to be blunt here folks…..as I have been witnessing the birth and growth in Colorado personally, on the ground, for over 14 months now from the viewpoint of a patient. I talk to and interact with a lot of patients. The patients thirst for knowledge is incredible. They want to learn how to take care of themselves with this amazing plant. They don’t want to be called potheads and demoralized. They want respect for their decision to partake in an alternative therapy.

They deserve it too…..for without the patient we have no industry.

Funny…..been crowing about that for 2 years now in multiple states, and just NOW folks are catching on?

Which leads to another issue. Proactive vs Reactive.

This industry and community is stuck in “react mode” in my honest opinion. We react to things, as opposed to being proactive, where we act in a manner to take control of the situation rather than defend it.

We MUST have an offense too.

One thing  I know about Colorado is this, folks here love their football. Tim Tebow made quite a splash this past season.

Did he accomplish all he did with just a defense? Hell no he didn’t. There was a lot of offensive strategy, and teamwork.

So, let’s just reflect, and see how we can apply that thought to medical cannabis in Colorado. This industry needs to turn into a super star football team, with not just defense, but one hell of an offense too.

How can we do that? Well…..let’s talk about it.

First….how about presentation?

Do you honestly think Irvin would have won his case against the Federal government if he had dressed in the ol tie dye to address courts or solicit support? If he had paraded around with scantily clad women would that have helped him establish a medical necessity? 

Hell no he wouldn’t have……they’d have tossed him out on his kiester as another “pothead” just wanting to get stoned.

When we sit in law enforcement meetings and watch them bring forth the culture publications to discuss at the meeting, we actually have to defend you folks in these meetings. There are ads out there we absolutely cannot and will not defend folks. We have to shrug it off and say “they don’t get it”. Take a look at the past issues of what you have advertised in out there, and defend some of those ads to law enforcement yourself. Explain how medically oriented they are……

Need an example? Here….take a look at what Montana’s 62nd legislative session pulled the Saturday after I distributed the third issue of Montana Connect to the legislative body: Repeal hearing evidence first three minutes

That HURTS not just the advertiser who placed the ad, but EVERY other person in this industry folks. All the way down to the patients.

Especially the patients.

I said I was going to be blunt…….and any of you who know me, know I am not afraid to speak my mind.

With the threat of Federal intervention in Colorado upon us, it’s time to shit or get off the pot people….literally.  You have fought so hard and paid so much money for how many years to do what? Show off? Or succeed and be respected.

I hope to never see in Colorado what happened in Montana on the house floor. I can tell you…it IS happening in law enforcement meetings.

Do you want to cling to culture? Or walk proud medically? You folks have an opportunity here to have the Federal patient on your side with this publication. NO OTHER publication has that, or the connections that come with that affiliation. The credibility and integrity that Irvin lends us is something to be respected, and honored. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the efforts of not only Irvin Rosenfeld, but my personal hero Robert Randall, Federal patient number 1 and forefather to medical cannabis in the nation, in my honest opinion.

That man would spin in his grave today if he could witness what is happening nationally with medical cannabis. I know in my heart he would be ever so pleased to see cannabis getting into the hands of so many needy patients, but he would be horrified by the representation. The discrediting of patients for the sake of culture and crowing would make him crazy.

How many of you have even heard the name Robert C Randall? He pioneered medical cannabis in the nation with his wife Alice O’Leary and was the first patient to receive medical cannabis from the federal government. Meet Bob and Alice here, as well as Dr Grinspoon and more info on Irvin.

Meet my heroes

I hope you folks are as inspired as I am. If you have read their books, Bob’s and Irvin’s, you will completely understand where I am coming from personally. Their fight and success must be not only protected, but heralded, and continued.

You folks have a chance to take part in that now, by supporting Colorado Connect.

We roll to print in February. We will be accepting ads through the end of the month. There are ad sizes for everyone, with rates to allow all to participate. The nonsense I hear of “You’re too expensive” I counter with “My monthly rate and content agreement are actually LESS expensive than the culture publications” and we provide enough content that it takes 2 months to fully absorb.

People collect magazines, and Colorado Connect is intended to be reference material, not a magazine to be cut up for coupons and discarded.

We will be reaching outside the market folks, bringing new folks into our industry. The culture publications do not have that same reach. Folks who are curious are not going to look to them to learn about the industry and walk into your door.

Do you want to continue fighting over the current patient base? Or maybe try to reach outside, and gather more. Build a stronger, more credible industry. Add more warriors to our fight, and help so many more people than we already do.

We shouldn’t have these folks coming to us in their last moments of desperation with their illnesses because they were too fearful to cross your doorstep. It is so much harder to help and treat them later on in disease……again….a need to be proactive.

There are many Coloradoans out there every day being diagnosed with a disease we can help treat. Colorado Connect is designed to reach those very patients at the beginning of their treatments, not as a desperate move in a last ditch effort.

Let’s be PROACTIVE folks. Reach out for new patients, support our elders in our history, and present and promote a credible image. We invite you to join us.

Irvin leaves state this Saturday the 28th.

We will be at a Patients Out of Time fundraiser at Casselmans from 5-8 tonight, January 25th. Patients Out of Time event

We will have insertion orders on hand if you choose to join our team, and you have opportunity to have Irvin handle your account. Irvin is still active in the financial advising industry as well, so be sure to get one of his cards.

We will also be at the Ganja Gala Friday night.

Thursday and Friday we will be in Colorado Springs doing what Colorado Connect does so well……advocacy work. Bob Crouse is a leukemia patient in the Springs who is under prosecution. It is very important to us that no more sick folks become criminals. We hope you will join us.

On Thursday, Irvin and I are guests on this show.

Please tune in your radio dials to 1060am in Denver and 1580am in Colorado Springs for the Consumer Crusader show with Tom Gallagher on the Colorado Radio Network which will be broadcasting a 2 hour program about medical marijuana in Colorado starting at 11am. Hear from us and please participate in the discussion, you can tune in and comment online @ http://www. consumeradvocateshow.com/ – Please tell your friends and ask others to listen in.

THURSDAY JAN 26

CONSUMER CRUSADER RADIO SHOW WITH TOM GALLAGHER @ 11AM 1060am Denver – 1580am Colorado Springs

We hope you will dial in to hear our message.

We look forward to seeing and talking with as many of you as we can over the next few days and weeks. We want your feedback. We are here to help you, please feel free to call.

Hiedi – 720-326-6577
Irvin – 954-536-9011

Let’s Connect!