The 20 Best 420 Marketing Ideas
April 20, also known as 4/20, is the biggest cannabis holiday of the year. On 4/20, countless cannabis connoisseurs partake in their favorite form of cannabis, celebrating the plant and its surrounding culture. 4/20 can be an incredible marketing opportunity for your company, and it’s not too late to assemble a last-minute marketing plan. Here is a list of our favorite tried-and-true 420 marketing strategies.
1. Work with a cannabis PR firm to place your products in 420 gift guides
More and more people give gifts to their smoke circle on 4/20, so featuring your products on a gift guide can dramatically increase sales. Consider working with a cannabis public relations firm to get placed on a list.
2. Optimize your site with an SEO-rich 420 landing page
Ensure your website is up-to-date and add an optimized landing page or section to capture customers conducting 420-related searches. A cannabis SEO agency can help you optimize your website for maximum traffic on 4/20.
3. Ramp up your 420 email marketing
Don’t forget to email everyone on your mailing list about whatever deals, events, or promos you decide to run on 4/20. April 20 is a great time to get the word out and showcase your brand identity. A cannabis marketing agency can help streamline this process for you.
4. Offer 4/20 sales in-store and online
Hosting a sale on April 20 is an excellent way to get customers into your store or onto your website. Make sure you’re prepared for the extra traffic!
5. Celebrate cannabis with an in-person event
If you own a brick-and-mortar business, you can draw customers in by hosting a 4/20 event. Events can be a great place to incorporate other marketing ideas on the list, too.
6. Host a virtual 4/20 event
If you don’t have a brick-and-mortar location or just want to appeal to a wider audience, hosting a virtual event helps encourage interaction with your brand. Livestreams, limited media, and more are all prime ways to draw customers to your website.
7. Sponsor a community event on April 20
You can always become a sponsor if a well-known 4/20 event is already happening in your area. Sponsorship will allow you to benefit from the established event without competing, and it can be a great way to connect with prospective customers.
8. Keep customers coming back with 4/20 coupons
Coupons are a great way to capture return customers. For customers who make a purchase on 4/20, you can offer coupons to be redeemed later to encourage repeat sales.
9. Keep things exciting with a 420 raffle
Raffles are a great way to convince customers to make purchases. You can collect entries all month long and draw winners on 4/20, or spread it out a bit more. Either way, a few raffle ticket purchases per customer add up quickly.
10. Give out 420 freebies to loyal customers
Whether you hand out freebies at the door, save them for return customers, or offer perks at checkout to online shoppers, gifts are a foolproof way to get customers to think positively of your brand — and come back for more.
11. Make things easy on your customers with 420 bundles
Consider putting together 420-themed bundles full of everything your customers need to celebrate the big day. Smoke shops can offer bundled smoking accessories, and restaurants looking to enjoy the fun can even provide a “munchies” bundle.
12. Partner with other 420-friendly businesses
You can increase your customer base by running a promotion in tandem with another company. 4/20 is all about celebrating the cannabis community; there’s no reason your business can’t join in too.
13. 4/20 is the perfect product-release day for established brands
April 20 is a great day to drop new products, too. Releasing the next generation of your flagship product on 4/20 will allow you to generate interest, and the special occasion will give your customers the excuse they need to go shopping. Please note: for new brands, we actually don’t recommend dropping a new product on 4/20. Get in touch with our experienced cannabis public relations experts to learn why.
14. Share the love with giveaways
420-themed giveaways can be hosted online or in person and include any product or service under the sun. Whether you collect shopper information or blast it out to your newsletter subscribers, giveaways are a great way to capture customers’ attention.
15. Get your customers involved
If your company uses social media, 4/20 is a great time to get your community involved in marketing. Ask your followers to share their favorite 420-themed story, memory, or tip, and re-post the best entries.
16. Keep them guessing with 420-themed mystery boxes
Offering grab bags or mystery boxes is a great way to encourage customers to add to their purchases on 4/20. Fill it with small prizes, accessories, and even a coupon to incentivize them to return after the holiday.
17. Get social with 420-themed social media posts
Posting on social media can be a quick and easy way to capitalize on 4/20, too. Whether it’s a promotion or just a fun post, this can be an excellent opportunity to make a splash — who knows, with the help of a cannabis social media marketing firm, you might even go viral.
18. Reward your customers with extra loyalty points
If your company has a loyalty program, 4/20 is a great time to show some appreciation to your members. Add some free loyalty points to help them work toward a 420-friendly reward.
19. Show you care by highlighting cannabis advocacy on 4/20
Though 4/20 is a lot of fun, it’s also important to acknowledge the history of cannabis in this country. Taking a socially conscious approach to your 4/20 marketing might be more on-brand for certain businesses, and customers tend to respond well to ethically minded companies.
20. Release special 420-themed products
Whether it’s a specialized strain, menu item, or t-shirt, releasing a limited-edition product on April 20 can be a great way to attract customers and remind them to return next year.
A Cannabis Marketing Agency Can Help Your Company Celebrate 4/20
Choosing the right strategy for your business can take time and effort with so many options. A professional cannabis marketing firm like NisonCo can help you determine the right approach for your business to maximize traffic on 4/20 and beyond.
The NisonCo public relations and marketing team have more than a decade of experience connecting cannabis companies, nonprofits, and thought leaders with the audiences they want to get in front of. Contact us today to learn how we can do the same for you.
