4/20. You know you can expect the biggest turnout of the year. It’s the cannabis industry's hallmark day, after all, and you’ll likely enjoy a surge in customer traffic at your dispensary. At least, if you prepare for it. If you’re looking to capitalize on 4/20, you need to be meticulous. Luckily, we’ve got you. There’s some industry best practices we think you should be aware of to make sure you’re optimized, ready to go, and primed for the influx of customers.
Prepare early – several months in advance is best. You can start by crunching past sales numbers to forecast high-demand products and ensure you have enough on hand.
Of course, every other dispensary will try to do the same, so secure deals with suppliers early to avoid last-minute shortages. And diversity is a strength. Go for a mix of popular strains, edibles, concentrates, and whatever accessories your clientele digs.
If you’ve been open for a while, you probably know your vibe. If not, do some homework. Cater to your customers with an atmosphere they will find inviting - themed decorations and music go a long way. But (more importantly) your layout should be intuitive for your customers and make it easy for them to find what they need.
If your size warrants it, consider an additional point of sale or two – long lines can put a serious dent in traffic. Another option is a pre-order and curbside pickup service if you have the cannabis eCommerce infrastructure for it. Whatever can streamline the shopping experience and help mitigate wait time is a bonus that benefits everyone.
You’ll want to pull out all the stops for marketing. Be as creative as possible, but here’s a few suggestions if you have trouble getting started. Try to –
A retail business is only as good as its customer-facing staff. Get yours ready for a bonanza of foot traffic. Any sort of prep work for better customer service, more product knowledge, and smoother salesmanship (or up-salesmanship) can pay dividends.
Everyone on your staff should be familiar with your 4/20 promotions and ready to process transactions at the double-quick. All the tech/infrastructure advice we suggested above can fail – a crack team of motivated staff can adapt and keep things running smoothly.
Since you're in it for the long haul, immerse yourself in data once the dust settles. Analyze sales, customer feedback, inventory, the works. Identify what went smooth and what needs an update. Attention to detail can help you make future iterations of 4/20 better and better – but you've got to look closely to see the trends.
Data (and a bunch of other functions) is where we can help you the most. Toke’s POS software streamlines everything, from inventory management, compliance, labeling, and transactions to data analysis, employee management, and CRM. Moreover, it will integrate seamlessly with your online store - enhanced in-store and digital customer experiences. Toke handles promotions and loyalty programs, too. It’s got everything that makes sure your dispensary is primed for a killer 4/20 Day and keeps the momentum going every other day of the year.
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