The holiday season is an excellent opportunity for cannabis dispensaries to engage with customers and boost sales. In a recent conversation with our Account Management and Marketing teams, we discussed a variety of ideas on how to create an impactful dispensary holiday marketing campaign, drive customer traffic, incentivize larger basket sizes, and encourage customers to visit again.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the 10 of our top holiday marketing tips for cannabis dispensaries:
- Special Daily Deals
- Seasonal Holiday Products
- Progressive Discounts
- Bundling Accessories
- Bundling Consumptions Methods
- Employee Incentives
- Raffles & Giveaways
- Gift Cards
- Loyalty Program
- Social Media
1. Special Daily Deals
Create a sense of excitement and anticipation by offering daily deals during the holiday season. Count down to the holiday, create collateral to help promote the specials, partner with special producers or artists, or unlock a special deal schedule for the holidays.
Consistent deals keep customers engaged and curious, encouraging repeat visits to your dispensary. These deals can range from discounts on specific products to bundled packages that cater to various customer preferences. By changing the offers daily, you keep customers interested and provide them with a reason to return frequently throughout the holiday season.
To make the experience even more engaging, consider incorporating a sense of surprise. Instead of revealing all the deals in advance, keep some as a surprise for each day. This element of mystery can build anticipation and excitement among your customer base. Use your website, social media, and in-store displays to promote these daily deals, making sure customers are aware of the holiday special they can look forward to.
2. Seasonal Holiday Products
Introduce unique seasonal holiday products that align with the festive spirit. These can include limited-edition strains, seasonal ingredients in edibles, or holiday-themed branding and packaging around a fun product. Highlight these products in-store and online, and consider offering them at a special price or as part of holiday bundles. Seasonal offerings create a sense of exclusivity and include cannabis in the season of celebration, creating a fresh reason for customers to visit your dispensary. Don’t forget to provide information about the products’ characteristics, effects, and recommended usage, helping customers make informed choices.
To enhance the holiday experience, consider decorating your dispensary with festive decorations and creating an inviting ambiance. Offer holiday-themed packaging for products, creating a sense of gift-giving and celebration. You can also encourage customers to share their holiday experiences and purchases on social media, generating organic buzz and attracting new customers. This not only enhances the customer’s experience but also contributes to the overall holiday atmosphere in your dispensary. By immersing customers in the holiday spirit, you can create a memorable and enjoyable shopping experience, increasing the likelihood of repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
3. Progressive Discounts
To incentivize customers to visit your dispensary over and over again, consider offering progressive discounts throughout the holiday season. For example, customers who visit each week could receive an increasing or compounding discount on their purchases. This could be framed communicated using a holiday themed asset such as a countdown calendar that provides details about growing discounts.
Progressive discounts not only encourage repeat visits but also create a sense of anticipation as customers look forward to increased savings with each visit and which products they are going to use the discounts for. This approach increases the frequency of visits and can give customers a reason to try products they normally would not.
4. Bundling Accessories
Despite potential regulatory constraints, consider offering bundle deals that include cannabis products and cannabis-related accessories. These could be tailored to suit different consumption methods and customer needs, such as providing a complete set of dabbing equipment bundled with some great concentrates.
Additionally, including non-cannabis merchandise and accessories gives an often understated win for dispensary operators, they have good margins! These non-cannabis items can be a real money maker for savvy shops, both by bringing excitement and buzz but also by keeping more of the revenue in house.
Bundles provide added value to customers and can encourage them to consider accessories or merch they might not have considered otherwise. By offering convenience and cost savings through bundles, you enhance the shopping experience and increase customer satisfaction.
5. Bundling Consumption Methods
Create bundles based on consumption methods, catering to various customer preferences. Offer “Smoker’s Bundles,” “Dabber’s Bundles,” “Edibles Bundles,” and more to give people a chance to try a variety of products within the category they prefer. Bundles can also be a combination of consumptions methods. Keep a common thread with your products to make the sales process more compelling, like the same strain in different forms or a collection from high-end local producers.
Customized consumption method bundles not only simplify the shopping process but also help customers discover new products and connects their cannabis experience to the holiday festivities. This approach can also give customers an easy way to share with their friends or family. And of course helps your dispensary’s average order value.
6. Employee Incentives
Budtenders can make or break a dispensary like no other single component. Don’t forget to motivate your budtenders and staff to during the holiday season. Offer incentives or rewards for achieving sales goals or capturing customer information. This can include paid time off, free or discounted products, or other perks.
By incentivizing your employees, you create a motivated and enthusiastic sales team that actively contributes to the dispensary’s success during the holiday season.
Of course they can also actively promote holiday deals and products and directly impact the average order value and likelihood a customer will return, too. Make sure they know all the offers available!
Utilize tools that help track and incentivize employee sales efforts. Some systems allow dispensaries to reward budtenders for selling specific products or meeting sales goals. This can help improve staff engagement and overall sales.
Employee tracking tools provide transparency and motivation for employees, helping them understand their contributions and how they can earn rewards. This, in turn, leads to increased sales and a more committed workforce during the holiday season.
7. Raffles and Giveaways
Consider running raffles and giveaways during the holiday season. Customers can participate in raffles with the purchase of specific products or the number of products. Additionally, hold contests that encourage customers to leave reviews, providing an opportunity for increased engagement and loyalty. Raffles and giveaways create a sense of excitement and reward for customers, encouraging them to participate and make purchases. These activities can generate buzz and attract new customers, increasing the dispensary’s visibility during the holiday season.
8. Gift Cards
Promote the sale of gift cards, which make for great holiday gifts. Include gift cards as part of a bundle deal or offer discounts or incentives for customers who purchase gift cards for others. Gift cards can lead to increased returning customer rates and future sales. They are a convenient and versatile gift option for holiday shoppers, providing an opportunity to introduce new customers to your dispensary while offering a thoughtful and customizable gift.
Gift cards not only increase sales but also give your team multiple chances to earn customers’ loyalty, .
9. Loyalty Program
The holiday season is a prime time for dispensaries to shine, and savvy businesses are turning to strategic loyalty programs to make a lasting impact. Here are five key strategies to ensure your dispensary stands out and thrives this festive season:
- Exclusive Holiday Deals for Members:
- Drive sign-ups and build customer loyalty by offering exclusive deals to members.
- Create a sense of privilege, making customers feel more connected to your dispensary during the festive season.
- Leverage Loyalty for Brand Partnerships:
- Strengthen relationships with brand partners and producers through loyalty programs.
- Negotiate preferred pricing, early access to new products, and exclusive strains for a win-win collaboration.
- Direct Connections and Relationship Building:
- Use loyalty programs as a bridge to connect brands directly with local customers.
- Strengthen relationships and set the stage for dispensaries to make requests and seek additional value from brand partners.
- Branded Merchandise as Rewards:
- Go beyond discounts—offer branded merchandise, such as apparel, as loyalty program rewards.
- Turn customers into walking ambassadors, expanding your dispensary’s reach within the community.
- Boost Average Ticket and Customer Lifetime Value:
- Encourage repeat business and larger purchases with loyalty programs.
- Capitalize on heightened consumer activity during the holiday season for a win-win situation that adds value to customers and positively impacts the dispensary’s bottom line.
This holiday season, transform your dispensary’s success with these loyalty program hacks. From exclusive deals to strategic partnerships and enticing merchandise, these strategies will not only boost sales but also foster lasting connections with your valued customers and brand partners.
10. Social Media
Leverage your social media to announce daily deals, special bundles, and all of the other holiday promotions you’ve put so much time and effort into. Keep customers informed and engaged through these platforms, making it easier for them to plan ahead.
Don’t forget to take the opportunity to increase your social following! Incentivize follows and engagement with in-store prompts, experiences and potential rewards. .
Make Your 2023 Holiday Plans if You Haven’t Already
The holiday season provides a fantastic opportunity for cannabis dispensaries to boost sales and engage with customers creatively. By implementing these holiday marketing tips, you can create a festive and exciting atmosphere that not only drives sales but also brings customers back again and again.
Make the holiday season a memorable and profitable time for your dispensary this year with a strategic plan for your holiday marketing.
