NEWS & PRESS
4/20: Marketing Strategies to Engage Consumers Before and After the Holiday
The smoke has cleared from the puffs on 4/20, but engaging with your audience doesn’t stop on 4/21 and beyond. Ahead of the holiday, it is essential to understand who your audience is and the acceptance status across your area. According to a recent Politico poll, half of Americans think marijuana will be legalized across the country, with 64% saying cannabis no longer carries the stigma it used to have, even believing it can become as common as drinking alcohol. So, how does your brand ensure it can connect with your audience on 4/20 and throughout the year? This blog will cover marketing strategies for 4/20, 2024 4/20 brand campaigns and tips to sustain customer engagement post-4/20.
5 Marketing Strategies for 4/20 to Increase Sales:
On one of the busiest days of the year for dispensaries, they must take advantage of the day by using proactive marketing tactics to increase exposure, in-person and online. Here are five marketing strategies for 4/20 to increase sales.
1) Offer Exclusive 4/20 Promotions and Deals: Provide discounts based on your customers’ past purchases. Using sales data, you can identify the top sellers and give consumers a reason to buy more of what they already love.
2) Improve SEO for Your Product Pages: Advertising cannabis is complicated, but businesses can utilize SEO to create awareness online. When listing your products, adding the top keywords that will generate a lot of traffic to your site and include quality, engaging content is essential.
3) Add Personalization to Your Shopping Experience: Personalization improves consumers’ buying experience, making them feel appreciated. Online, brands can tailor product recommendations to consumers based on purchasing habits, interests, and browsing history, making it convenient. Targeted email campaigns with targeted ads and deals can spark interest and drive purchases.
4) Promote Early: Promote early bird specials and drive anticipation before 4/20. Many people might choose to make purchases throughout April, providing the opportunity to have an outstanding month of repeat customers.
5) Leverage Social Media and Influencer Partnerships: Connect with your cannabis community. By creating eye-catching content, consumers will want to share it with their networks, making your business more visible. User-generated content and influencers have the power to influence their audience by sharing their experiences and how they utilize the products, providing genuine endorsements.
2024 4/20 Brand Campaigns:
As more states have legalized cannabis, we are now at 24, brands are starting to embrace the green leaf. Here are some brand promotions that occurred on 4/20 this year:
• Popeyes: The fast-food chain offered a Munchies Meal, which included Cajun fries, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy, and a $4.20 chicken sandwich deal.
• Jimmy John’s: The chain introduced a Deliciously Dope Dime Bag for those feeling “extra munchy.” The bag included a sandwich stuffed with smoked ham, jalapeno ranch, crispy jalapenos, extra herbs, chips, and a fudge brownie.
• Wing Stop: To satisfy cravings, the company introduced a new flavor called T.H.C. (The Hot Chili Rub). The flavor was available for four days with a choice of a chicken sandwich, boneless wings, tenders, or a Wing Stop Hot Box meal deal.
• BIC Lighters: The lighter brand partnered with stoner legends Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, and Martha Stewart again to provide four hours and twenty minutes of entertainment on its YouTube Channel, sharing their favorite ways to light up.
7 Tips to Sustain Customer Engagement Post 4/20:
The cannabis-associated holiday is one of, if not the biggest, day for cannabis businesses, boosting sales and visibility among consumers. Here are seven tips to turn the celebrations of the holiday into long-term loyalty all year:
1) Thank Your Customers: Thank your customers for participating in your 4/20 promotions through email and social media. Offer additional discounts to make them feel appreciated and give them a reason to return to your business.
2) Share the Holiday Successes: Post a recap on social media with visual content to show a personable side to your business and showcase a community following. This will entice new users to engage and become customers. Reviews and engagement from others are the best and most organic ways to gain positive reviews.
3) Continue Educating: Continue to offer educational opportunities such as workshops, webinars, and printed materials to educate consumers about your products, potential benefits, and how to consume the products. By providing insights, consumers will view you as trustworthy and continue to come to your business as a cannabis information source. The canna-curious may even convert into customers after learning more about the product offerings.
4) Focus on Loyalty: Create a loyalty program to keep your customers returning. The program can offer promotions, reward points, and exclusive offers. To expand its reach, you can offer family and friend discounts to entice more purchases.
5) Host Events Throughout the Year: Events do not have to be as large as a 4/20 campaign. They can be on a lower scale, such as product launches, customer and employee appreciation days, or partnerships with other local businesses to create a community and bring people in more regularly.
6) Utilize Social Media: Continue to update and engage your audience with what is going on with your business, but also utilize the platforms’ functions to gain insights. You can ask questions, take polls, share exclusive content, and feature your customers on stories and grids. By creating this environment, it offers two-way communication.
7) Nail Down a Positive Customer Experience: A social media campaign can be great for a business, but it all starts with the in-person customer experience. Create a great customer experience by having welcoming staff who are knowledgeable and put the consumer’s needs first, provide the highest quality products, and make the customer feel special with personalization.
While 4/20 is undoubtedly a significant event for the cannabis industry, the opportunity to connect with your audience extends beyond one day. Take time to reflect on your campaigns but remember that customer engagement throughout the year will foster long-term loyalty and growth. By leveraging the strategies and tips outlined, you can build meaningful relationships with your customers and find ways to keep your audience engaged. As you prepare for the future, stay proactive and responsive to industry changes and your customers, and you can create a lasting impact that will resonate with them even after the smoke has cleared.