10 tips to organize a successful dispensary event
Hosting a fun event at your dispensary can help you attract new customers for your business. If your attendees feel welcome and comfortable, it is sure to build an organic word-of-mouth marketing for your business. However, not all events are always successful. One needs to plan ahead of time and put in maximum efforts to achieve the results they're hoping for. This blog will explore fun ideas you can use as your dispensary's next event and some tips on hosting a memorable soiree.
Innovative ideas for a dispensary event
No matter what type of cannabis dispensary or marijuana supplies dispensary you have, there are always untapped ways to make your events more creative and unique than others. Here are some innovative event ideas you can use:
1.Cannabis Influencer Meet and Greet
Invite your local cannabis influencers or well-known influencers to come and spend time at your dispensary. This could be anyone - from a celebrity smoker to a popular Instagram or YouTube figure. Some cannabis users have millions of followers and are considered influential by many. Their presence and popularity at your event will help increase the turnout significantly. Make sure all attendees get a chance to meet the influencers and take selfies with them too! If the influencers can promote your product at the event, it will serve as an icing on top of the cake. Such a meet and greet event is sure to attract your loyal customers as well as the loyal fan following of the influencers. An event like this works as a fantastic approach to spread the word about your business to a bigger audience and excite them about your products.
2. A Snack Party
A walking buffet dinner or snack party is a great event for your dispensary! Hire a catering service for the same. Why not host an exclusive snack party with a few special dishes that feature cannabis as the prime ingredient? Guests will love tasting unique recipes while learning more about how cannabis can be incorporated into different types of dishes.
3. Interactive Workshops or Seminars
Hosting interactive workshops or seminars is another great idea for dispensary events. This can be educational, enlightening as well as interactive all at once. Invite experts in the industry from various fields like chefs, growers, processors and others to talk on their areas of expertise. It is known that customers trust budtenders to guide them to the best strains and products that fit their needs. This can be a great way to educate your customers on different aspects of the cannabis world. Such educational events can also keep you and your staff abreast of the latest developments in the field and also, encourage your customers to try out new products and processes for the same.
4. The April 20th or the 4/20 Party
You can host a week-long event that leads up to the April 20th. Dispensaries can take advantage of the influx of people during that time period. On a day when people in the cannabis community smoke together, dispensary owners can consider renting out party buses or spaces. This will give customers who want to smoke an opportunity to do it with friends and have a good time.
5. Product Launches
Why not involve your community to build up the excitement next time you introduce a new strain of cannabis, or a product that consists of brand-new features? Product Launches can be very interesting for the media too. However, make sure you advertise these events well ahead of time. You can use digital signage to customize each event and get people excited.
Tips for a successful dispensary event
Hosting an event at a dispensary can get complicated because of the many laws regulating how and where people can consume cannabis, even in states where it is legalized. Dispensaries need to ensure they follow their state laws perfectly to avoid any hiccups. We've compiled some tips below to help make your planning and organizing process as smooth as possible.
1.Determine the ‘what, why, who and how’ beforehand.
Research is the key to planning a successful event. Find out what kind of events are popular in the community you are targeting. Decide which one suits your dispensary and set your budget for the same. Know what factors will determine if your event is a success or not. Discuss what will be the theme of the event and what is the headcount that you can manage. Chart out the flow of the event and assign responsibilities to your staff.
2. Make sure you do what's required by the law.
Don't start planning an event for your dispensary unless you know of all the legalities involved. This is crucial. Make sure you know what paperwork has to be done and have the right permits, as needed. Even though some states have made cannabis use legal, there are still many regulations dictating how and where it can be consumed. And because it is still illegal at a federal level, you don't want to call any attention to yourself by breaking state laws regarding cannabis consumption. If you plan on hosting a dispensary event, review all the laws regulating the sale and consumption of cannabis beforehand.
3. Stock up on Dispensary Supplies
It cannot be stressed enough that the dispensary should be well-stocked with the products well in advance. Get in touch with your vendors and order in bulk before your event. You are sure to lose sales if your customers can’t find the required product at the time of the event. So, ensure you have enough and extra smoke shop supplies, marijuana accessories and dispensary supplies. Don’t forget to also order marijuana packaging wholesale so that you can pack the products impressively.
4. Get the right setup
If you're planning to host a cannabis-related event in your dispensary, you must ensure that all your guests can safely consume it. That means setting up a designated smoking area with comfortable chairs, accessible marijuana accessories and plenty of ventilation. It is important to ensure that anyone uncalled for is not in the event, therefore proper checking of attendees is required. It's also important to have enough staff so that everyone is well cared for.
5. Have an entertainment plan
Entertaining your guests is the key to a successful event. Any event, big or small, needs excellent music to make it memorable. You can achieve this by reaching out to local bands or DJs who will get your guests up and dancing. It doesn’t have to be an international singer or star; it can very well be a local artist too. If the performers are specifically popular with cannabis users, that's even better! Consider the genre of music you want and try to predict how your attendees will react to that specific artist or type of sound before booking them. A lot goes into organizing an event, so give yourself plenty of time to plan this out.
6. Don’t forget to have drinks and snacks.
Not only does great food go hand-in-hand with cannabis, but it is an essential for dispensary events. By ensuring availability of delicious food and drinks, you are sure to bring in a bigger crowd. Consider adding a variety of finger foods, such as chips and dip, pizza, tacos, among other munchies. And remember the drinks! If you can, have a mixologist come up with signature cocktails. That is sure to please your guests even further.
7. Promote Special Offers and Products
Announcing discounts and offers is a sure shot way to bring in new customers and give your regular ones a reason to keep coming back. Get the word out about deals leading up to the event, so people know it will be worth their time, effort, and money to attend. You can distribute flyers, update your website or social media handles with the event information, or even print out ads in local papers. Consider giving away promotional items in form of branded apparel and novelty items such as sunglasses, wallets, hats, socks, and t-shirts to contest winners or participants. This will ensure your dispensary is remembered long after the event.
8. Plan some fun activities
Having some fun activities planned for your guests to partake in is critical. This could be anything from a trivia night or a bingo game. You want people to remember the event and look forward to attending future ones. Taking advantage of your indoor or outdoor space is an excellent way to add a buzz and excitement to your dispensary, even if you're working with a limited amount of space.
9. Market your event well in advance
Don’t wait for the event week to market your event. It is essential to start building heat at least a month or two in advance. This will ensure you have a good turnout for the event. It will also help you determine an approximate head-count for your event. Leverage the perks of social media marketing, digital marketing, print marketing like flyers, posters and newspapers for the same. You can also send text messages to prospective attendees to inform them about your event.
10. Collect Feedback & Analyze
It is crucial to collect feedback, analyse and improvise to keep hosting successful events in the future. Prompt your attendees to fill in a feedback form over email or text. You can also ask them to rate your event in-person via an anonymous vote in. Lastly, analyse their feedback and avoid the mistakes of the previous event. This will ensure you have a better and smoother event each time!