Top 5 Ways Marijuana Dispensaries Can Prepare for 420

April 20th is arguably one of the busiest and best selling days for marijuana dispensaries in the U.S. and Canada. Making sure your cannabis retailer is prepared for an onslaught of customers is essential to making 420 a success at your storefront.

In this article we’ll discuss a few tips for marijuana dispensaries to make the most of this cannabis infused holiday.

Marketing Campaigns

Developing a coordinated marketing campaign is an integral part of making 420 a success at your cannabis retailer. Utilizing your dispensary software to send email and SMS marketing messaging to your existing customers is the first step in raising awareness about the deals during 420. Offering exclusive promo codes for your loyal clientele will compel them to come in to take advantage of the low prices.

Once you’ve reached your regular customers, using social media to engage new clientele is a vital part of any marketing campaign. Creating captivating images and entertaining videos will attract the attention of cannabis users outside of your existing consumer base. Carefully craft your advertising text to clearly communicate to the audience what you’re offering, where you’re located, and when to arrive.

Increase Inventory

One of the primary concerns of marijuana dispensaries on 420 is stocking enough cannabis inventory to meet the demand of consumers. This will be the first 420 in California since the legalization of recreational marijuana, which begs the question will there be enough supply? Cannabis retailers would rather have a surplus than run out of inventory.

There is a way for the owners and managers of marijuana dispensaries to order new inventory using data analytics from your dispensary POS system. Checking sales records from previous years will help estimate the amount of inventory required to service the heavy traffic of 420. IndicaOnline provides dispensary owners with a specific mobile app, Dashboard, to keep track and analyze all of the sales data process through our POS system.

Boost Dispensary Staff

One common mistake cannabis retailers make is not scheduling enough budtenders to work on April 20th. You definitely need at least one sales associate per register but bringing in another couple of assistants to help the budtenders will expedite customers. There are several tasks that assistants can help with including restocking inventory, informing clientele and answering questions.

It’s also helpful to increase the number of receptionists at your dispensary check-in. Having only one person to create new customer profiles, validate age, upload medical recommendations, and add customers to the queue will quickly become overwhelming. Staffing at least two people to manage your customer sign-in protocols will allow a smooth flow of traffic that won’t overload your sales team.

Pre-Sale Discounts

The only issue with sales on 420 is it is limited to only one day. Advertising pre-sale discounts a few days leading up to 420 will allow you to take advantage of customers looking to take advantage of the holiday deals without going to the store on the day.

Sending out email or SMS campaigns to let people know about the 420 pre-sale discounts will give your clientele ample opportunity to come in to make their purchases. Posting these pre-420 promos to social media will also increase engagement and storefront traffic.

Vendor Promos

As an extra incentive to motivate consumers to visit your specific storefront on 420, inviting in popular brand vendors to offer promotional specials on their product can give your dispensary an edge on the competition. Top selling edible, concentrate, and vape companies are typically very interested in sending out a representative to raise awareness.

If you have the floor space and a large following for your dispensary social accounts, cross promotion will be mutually beneficial. Not only are you providing your existing customers with direct access to the vendors but you are also reaching hundreds, possibly thousands of social fans of the vendor brands.