As temperatures rise and the blanket of winter begins to thaw across the country, the spring season not only brings a breath of fresh air but also signals the coming of the cannabis industry’s favourite holiday: 4/20!
This time-honoured cannabis holiday has historically been the single biggest day of sales each year. According to Headset, last year 4/20 brought in nearly double that of the average sales on the previous four Mondays, at least in the United States.
Properly implementing a tantalizing 4/20 sale has the potential to massively increase how many people come through the door and how much they buy, so don’t miss out!
4/20 Week
Coming into the second year of 4/20 pandemic-style, things look a little bit different than they did in 2019. First of all, retailers should be looking at a week-long celebration, rather than just one day. Due to the new normal of social distancing, customers likely won’t want to wait in line or spend too much time in a crowded store, so the biggest take away this year is to spread out deals and special offerings over the week so that everyone has a chance to take advantage of them.
Who is Shopping?
Normally, sales are bolstered by the customers who come in on a weekly or bi-weekly basis—the old faithfuls. During 4/20, however, it’s new customers who are going to be driving the lion’s share of sales. Obviously, one of the main components of the 4/20 celebration is consuming cannabis in some form, so casual consumers will likely want to take part in the festivities, thus prompting them to buy more than they normally would around this time.
That’s not to say that loyal customers should be ignored—quite the opposite. Your shop regulars who may buy once or twice per month in bulk can be enticed back into the store with exclusive deals, but be careful to not make the deals too good, or they may stock up while the price is low.
Utilizing Loyalty Programs and Email Marketing
This classic holiday is a great time to utilize your store’s loyalty program and email marketing platform. By collecting data and contact information from customers, they can be sent exclusive deals catered to their previous purchases, and you can also communicate general store promotions.
To encourage customers to sign up for an email list or loyalty program, offer them a reward for doing so like exclusive discounts or other fun freebies (as long as it’s not a cannabis product).
Don’t Miss Out
Cannabis’ biggest holiday is a time to celebrate cannabis culture and the folks that worked so hard to make the industry possible, but it can also be a great week for your business.
Remember: start sales early, cater to casual customers but don’t forget the regulars, and utilize all the marketing channels you can think of. Do these things, and the week of 4/20 can bring loads of new faces through the doors and turn them into loyal customers.