4/20 is the biggest day of the year for cannabis retailers, bringing an influx of customers, sales, and brand awareness opportunities. Last year, on 4/20 in the U.S. and Canada, cannabis sales reached $83.6M, and over 6 million units were sold, according to Headset. To maximize success, retailers need a well-executed strategy that spans SEO, digital marketing, customer segmentation, and contingency planning.
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Here’s how you can win 4/20 and keep the momentum going post-holiday:
1. Start Planning Months in Advance
You should start preparing for 4/20 well in advance—ideally at least three months ahead. Some retailers begin planning in December to ensure that apparel, accessories, and other 4/20-related products are ready and on shelves at least a couple of weeks before the big day.
The key is getting ahead of the biggest challenge: communicating deals, inventory, and specific brands or products available at each store.
For email and SMS campaigns, you need enough lead time to finalize promotions, align with your creative team (whether in-house or outsourced), and build out campaign flows. If you want to start teasing 4/20 deals a month in advance, you should already know which promotions will be live on the day itself. That means finalizing your offers at least two months ahead of time, giving your team enough time to produce high-quality marketing assets.
2. Optimize SEO & Website Content for Maximum Visibility
Around 4/20, the search volume is going to spike. The key to SEO success for 4/20 is ensuring you’re optimized for high-intent, year-round keywords. More people will be searching for “dispensary near me” and similar terms, so your site should always be ranking well for those critical searches.
Content marketing should align with what consumers are looking for during 4/20, which differs from their usual shopping behavior. Customers may be buying in larger quantities, seeking out specific deals, and comparing prices across dispensaries more than usual.
To make the most of this, your content should:
- Highlight your promotions in an engaging way across blogs, social media, and your website.
- Understand local competition and what customers expect so your offers stand out.
- Ensure clear and timely messaging so your website, menu, and marketing materials effectively communicate what’s available.
Specifically, for 4/20, deals become a major focus. A lot more consumers will be searching for “420 deals,” so having a dedicated landing page for your promotions is essential. This page should be optimized with relevant keywords (i.e., “420 deals”, “cannabis sales”, “weed”, “pre-rolls”, etc.) to help you rank in search results and attract deal-seeking shoppers. Beyond SEO, you can also leverage this page for email and SMS marketing, ensuring your audience has easy access to your offers.
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3. Supercharge Email & SMS Marketing
Depending on your usual communication cadence with your audience, you should increase your outreach leading up to 4/20. One idea is to double your normal frequency, perhaps.
A countdown campaign is highly effective, gradually building anticipation for your deals. The exact timing depends on your customer base; rural stores with infrequent visitors might start weeks in advance, while urban locations may need a shorter lead-up. Regardless, proactive messaging ensures your audience knows about upcoming promotions.
Dispensaries typically segment customers for email and SMS communications based on shopping frequency and lifecycle stage. For 4/20, you’ll see both:
- Loyal customers who shop regularly but may spend differently during the holiday
- Occasional or lapsed customers who return specifically for 4/20 deals
Tailoring promotions to each group is key. Frequent shoppers might respond well to VIP or bundle deals, while infrequent customers may need special incentives to encourage repeat visits.
4/20 is also a prime opportunity to convert first-time shoppers into long-term customers. With increased foot traffic and deal-seekers, a strong retention strategy—such as post-4/20 follow-ups, loyalty incentives, and personalized offers—can help turn one-time buyers into loyal patrons.
4. Retain Customers Post-4/20
Sales typically drop after 4/20, so it’s crucial to plan ahead. Many retailers overstock and resort to post-4/20 clearance sales, but a more strategic approach is to leverage customer data to drive retention.
Using lifecycle segmentation (Active, Chilling, Absent), retailers can tailor post-4/20 campaigns based on customer behavior:
- Absent customers (lapsed shoppers): Offer aggressive discounts within a week to re-engage them.
- Chilling customers (infrequent shoppers): Provide moderate incentives to encourage another visit.
- Active customers (regular shoppers): Keep them engaged with exclusive offers or loyalty perks.
If initial efforts don’t convert certain segments, escalate offers strategically. For example, increasing discounts for absent customers who don’t respond to the first campaign. This structured follow-up approach maximizes the chance of turning 4/20 deal-seekers into long-term customers.
5. Leverage Underrated Marketing Tactics
One often-overlooked tactic is direct mail, an old-school approach that continues to deliver strong results. Many retailers who try it report great success, yet it remains underutilized in the cannabis space.
Another creative strategy is partnering with local businesses, such as pizza shops or snack vendors, for cross-promotion. This could include co-branded mailers, in-store promotions, or bundle deals that appeal to consumers’ purchasing habits.
For example, you can team up with bars and restaurants to distribute penny pre-roll cards. Essentially, customers who visit a partnering location during the 4/20 week receive a card they can redeem at your store.
Plus, consider using custom coasters in bars and restaurants to keep your brand visible. This ensures patrons see your logo, get directed to your specials page, and learn about your locations.
Another effective strategy is event sponsorship. Partner with a local venue to sponsor a concert or gathering, offering attendees exclusive retail deals. Across different communities, tailor partnerships with local businesses to co-market and maximize visibility leading up to 4/20.
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6. Avoid Common 4/20 Marketing Mistakes
Many retailers overlook common marketing mistakes for 4/20… even after experiencing them in previous years. Planning ahead ensures a smoother, more profitable 4/20. Here’s what to avoid:
Last-Minute Planning: Many dispensaries wait until April 14th to decide on deals, leaving little time for effective promotion. The key is to start early and ensure customers know what to expect well in advance.
Event Logistics Oversight: If you plan to bring in food trucks or special vendors, book them early. Demand skyrockets around 4/20, and waiting too long means missing out on key partnerships.
Tech Failures: System crashes are common on 4/20 due to high traffic. Some dispensaries have had to process transactions on pen and paper for hours. Prepare for potential failures by having backup systems in place.
Menu Failures: Online menus can go down under heavy traffic as well. Consider setting up secondary menus (e.g., Jane embed, Weedmaps) in advance so you can quickly switch if your main system fails.
7. Stock Up to Meet Demand
To meet demand around 4/20, stocking up in advance is key. One strategy that’s worked well for many retailers is preparing for a buildup in sales starting a few days before 4/20. Many consumers prefer to buy ahead of time, avoiding long lines on the actual day.
Depending on when 4/20 falls, we’ve seen big sales spikes starting as early as April 15th or 16th, with strong demand continuing through the week and culminating on 4/20 itself. So plan for a ramp-up leading into the holiday to ensure you have enough inventory to meet customer needs.
8. Optimize Staffing for Peak Traffic
For staffing on high-traffic days like 4/20, you’ll want to use a formula based on the anticipated transaction counts at your store(s). Assess the expected volume for each day and make sure you have enough staff to handle transactions smoothly, avoiding delays while keeping the shopping experience positive.
Also, consider peak traffic times, like 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., when many customers stop by after work during the week. By adjusting staffing levels for these busy periods, you’ll keep operations efficient and ensure a great customer experience.
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9. Offer Competitive Discounts Without Sacrificing Margins
To balance competitive 4/20 deals without sacrificing too much margin, you’ll want to focus on volume. On 4/20 and the days leading up to it, prioritize moving more product, increasing items per cart, and accepting a slight margin hit. It’s a balancing act, but aim to maximize margins on your branded products while recognizing that the volume on 4/20 will be extraordinary.
10. Create an Unforgettable In-Store Experience & Engage the Community
In-store events and promotions that have worked well for retailers include the prize wheel, which customers love for its fun and engaging nature. The prizes you can offer through the wheel include free pre-rolls or apparel, though be careful with giveaways and discounts due to state-specific restrictions.
Food trucks, like ice cream, barbecue, and grilled cheese trucks, are also a hit. You can even try offering free food to customers who show a purchase receipt from your store. On-site experiences like massages are another crowd favorite.
*This article was submitted by guest contributors. The authors are solely responsible for the content.