Happy 4/20 week! The industry’s biggest day is finally in sight, and we know dispensaries are getting all their last-minute affairs in order. We’ve got a roundup of some of the best quick ways dispensaries can prepare for a big shopping day (you’re going to want to bookmark this for Green Friday as well).
Confirm and Train on Coupons
Most dispensaries juggle a ton of deals on 4/20. There’s BOGOs, spend GWPs, and other stackable discounts to drive most your area’s cannabis consumers to your shop. In addition to posting on online menus, it’s helpful to have signage or printed materials for your staff to reference.
We like to print all live coupons to one sheet so discounts can be scanned in rather than manually applied. We have an easy tutorial on getting this set up right here.
Pre-Shift Checks
Not all retail groups do pre-shift meetings but leading up to big days like 4/20 they’re helpful. Take a few minutes prior to each shift to get all staff on that shift together, confirm all the deals, and go over other expectations such as dress code or maximum purchase limits or specific calls to action. If your store has specific upsells or products to push, this is a great time to bring it up. Sometimes expectations are unsaid but putting them out officially never hurts.
Get Charged Up
You will kick yourself if you forget this step, but charge all your devices. Every store tablet, every kiosk, everything needs to be ready to go, especially the backup devices. Outside of devices all being fueled up, keep your Wi-Fi powered and protected during the weekend. It may be wise to bring in a portable hotspot if there is any potential for losing internet connection. Having backups on backups will keep the registers ringing all day long, despite any potential problems.
Verify All Pop-Up Presences
4/20 is an all-day event, especially in areas where dispensaries can have extended hours or even be open 24/7. Because of that, your brand ambassadors might need to adjust some schedules to make face at each of their partner stores. Go through your calendar and shoot off confirmation emails to all your partners. If you end up with any gaps in your schedule, you may still have time to reach out to your brand partners to book a pop-up or brand ambassador visit. Big shopping days are ripe for upsells and opportunities for education so brand ambassadors are also eager to keep that schedule full. Some may also be able to bring additional swag items for your shoppers and staff as a 4/20 treat.
Figure Out your Flow
Look through your sales floor and make sure that if you have a large influx of customers, there is a clear path for them to follow to make their purchases. You may need to rent or order stanchions to manage crowds.
If you also have additional visitors such as brand ambassadors, DJs, or displays for the holiday, be sure to create space for them early. You may need to move some other tables or displays to ensure any visitors have enough room for their activation. It’s also a good idea to identify outlets available for your guests.
Stay Stocked
Allocate some extra hours for your inventory team to make sure all backstock and backrooms are well organized and ready to refill. Stores using fulfillment or budtender dispensary models may have different restock procedures. Whatever they are, inventory needs to be constantly ready to replenish all weekend long. Run a report on fast-moving SKUs and, along with GWP or promotionally priced items, make those items easy to access.
…and for After 4/20:
Remember, just a week and a half after 4/20 is the end of the month and soon a big inventory count is just going to sneak up on you. We worked with cannabis compliance expert, Tom McLaughlin, to identify ways to get inventory counts done in under two hours. His first tip? Say goodbye to cardboard boxes. Instead, opt to invest in clear bins. Want nine more tips to expedite your count? Check out the rest of the blog here:
