Cash In On Cannabis Promotions: Prepare for 4/20

Companies that deal in cannabis or that want to cash in on the marketing potential of marijuana, your big day is just around the corner. April 20^th is ultimate “holiday” for pot and it’s time to turn 4/20 into a blow out day for your brand.

These rushIMPRINT tips will help you prepare for the upcoming hazy holiday, whether your business is directly tied to cannabis or you’re loosely affiliated and looking to tap into this customer base.

Prepare Early

The time to start preparing is now. While April 20^th will be a big day for dispensaries, a lot of consumers will be stocking up beforehand to avoid crowds or because they’re planners. This means that you have to be ready with your sales and promotions well in advance. If you’re not a dispensary, early buzz and hype creates excitement and aligns your brand with the upcoming event in a positive way.

Know Your Audience

Understanding who you’re marketing to and doing some serious segmentation to customize the messages you send is critical. One-size-fits-all marketing doesn’t work for this group. Sure, a sweeping discount of 20% off might work for a dispensary but reaching customers and creating a resonating marketing campaign that they relate to takes more.

For those businesses outside of cannabis distribution, this takes even more work. Approaching your audience through segments means deciding who is interested in this avenue and then doing a deep dive into the characteristics of that group to effectively market.

Pick Your Voice

When you’ve defined your audience, you get great insight on how to speak to them. For some companies this is relatively easy because the audience and brand are already well-established, and the voice doesn’t change. Other companies will find that this part is tricky.

Will you use a pun-filled, humorous voice? Or is your audience more interested in medical marijuana rather than recreational cannabis use? This might mean that a serious and comforting voice is better suited for your promotions. Once you’ve hit on the appropriate voice, it’s time to decide if it’s an authentic representation of your brand and your established reputation.

Promotion Impressions

Tying in branded promotional material is a great way to make the connection. Thoughtful cannabis marketing items keep making an impression well beyond that first connection. These are two concepts that work best when paired together. At rushIMPRINT we carry a number of cannabis promotional products and smoking accessories that are designed to be used repeatedly. Each time they make a new impression on the user they reinforce your meassage and remind them of your brand.

Know the Laws

Because the decriminalization of marijuana is still relatively new to some areas and not allowed in others, knowing how you can market is a critical step. There are local compliance laws to consider and national restrictions. It pays to stay on top of these regulations, or you could face some hefty fines.

Interestingly, these laws and restrictions are often limited to traditional marketing methods, which means that social media is an open realm that allows for more freedoms. Influencers can be very important as can creative and clever marketing that is more likely to become viral.

When it comes to promotional marketing, there are federal laws about what can be sent through the mail, since marijuana is still illegal in a federal sense. But luckily, you don’t have to worry about what those laws are if you use rushIMPRINT. We’ve researched them all and you can be sure that our products are legal and can be mailed without issue.

Use the Momentum

If you’re going to harness the excitement around 420, you certainly don’t want to drop the reins on April 21^st. The main reason to celebrate this date and use it as a marketing platform is so you create buzz about your business. Letting go of that group and not following up can make all of the hard work at the front end meaningless. Instead, consider your marketing plan from beginning to end and way into the future. Once you’ve got them – keep them.

Try a Cross-Promotion

This is an ideal time to try something new and to reach a broader base. If you’re a dispensary, look for another industry that plays hand-in-hand with yours. If you’re outside of the industry you might be that company who could work well with a dispensary to promote both of your businesses. Work on a tie-in that will make the most of the 420 date and beyond. Cross-promotional marijuana marketing is a great way to split costs and tap into fresh markets.

Don’t Approach It Lightly

The 420 temptation for dispensaries and other businesses who share an audience is hard to resist, but this endeavor shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if you’re taking a lighthearted approach to this holiday, a solid marketing strategy is necessary.

Also, you want to be able to stand behind your marketing ideas as they’re a reflection of your brand. If you drop off, then you’re losing some credibility when it comes to that newly acquired audience. Similarly, if you jump on board without giving it enough thought, you might lose the trust of your loyal customers. Like all marketing efforts, your return on investment (ROI) needs to be top of mind, making those marketing dollars work for you no matter what the promotion.

If you’re ready and you know that marketing your brand on 420 is going to raise it to a new high, then by all means, give it a go! Connect with our team at rushIMPRINT for your promotional marketing needs. Simply, give us a call at 1 (866) 277-7874 or pop over to our website and start a live chat with me or another one of our customer service reps. We’re happy to get your 420 promotions rolling.