CBD: Education, word-of-mouth key to success 

TACOMA, Wash. – When it comes to selling CBD products, provider Destinae Graham believes in putting your money where your mouth is. 

“I’m a firm believer in, how can you sell unless you’ve personally tried it?’” said Graham, division manager for Tacoma, Wash.-based American Medical Company & Supply. “I personally was struggling with plantar fasciitis. I had been wearing braces, getting x-rays. (Muscle Mx) gave me some samples, and by day four of using it, I didn’t struggle. I used it for two weeks and it’s completely gone.” 

April 2021 marks two years since American Medical Company, which went completely retail just ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, began offering Muscle Mx CBD products, which include balms, tinctures, lotion and gummies. 

Graham says the business has grown through word of mouth - and employees are well-trained to spot customers that might benefit from CBD products. It helps being a provider that offers health care products, rather than a big-box store or even a dispensary. 

“Any time someone mentions aches and pains, we bring it up,” she said. “We already have people coming in with ailments - not like at Target where you go to get bedding. People are coming in here because something is going not so good. I tell staff to pay attention.” 

Muscle Mx, which has been selling in the DME market since about 2018, also provides a lot of support, says co-founder and CEO Mike Baghoomian. 

“We sit down and discuss the benefits of Muscle Mx, so they have a better understanding of it,” he said. “We give samples to try out. It all comes down to how the store educates their customers. If they are confident, they are more comfortable recommending it to their customers.” 

In addition to shopping at an HME store they trust, many seniors are looking for natural relief, says Baghoomian. 

“Topical pain relief management is a huge growing segment,” he said. “As the population is getting older, there is arthritis, deterioration - they are experiencing pain. They can turn to prescription-based (treatments) or over-the-counter topicals. CBD provides a route to go as a healthy natural alternative.”