The day is most definitely highlighted in the calendar if you’re in the cannabis business: 4/20 is sneaking up fast. Dispensaries nationwide are bracing for a flood of foot traffic, all the deals, and loads of festivities. Retailers and brands are all in—hoping to cash in on this annual goldmine for just about every part of the cannabis industry. Is your dispensary prepared?

With 2024’s record-breaking sales as proof, recreational dispensaries are strategizing harder than ever for 4/20 2025. So now’s the time to get your own game plan laid out. Think of this as your friendly nudge to get ahead.

Your 4/20 checklist should cover the essentials. To make sure the biggest cannabis holiday of the year goes off without a hitch, we’ve pulled together a 4/20 checklist below.

Quick 4/20 Checklist

1. Stock Up the Inventory Stash

2. Plan Targeted Deals

3. Build a Blazing Marketing Campaign

4. Light Up 4/20 on Your Website and Menu

5. Prepare Your Dispensary for the Event

6. Make Sure Your Staff Is Good to Go

7. Plan for Navigating Compliance and Safety

8. Tap Into 4/20 Data to Support Future Success

1. Stock Up the Inventory Stash

Prep your dispensary for 4/20 by stocking up now—for the day and all month long. Running out of a promoted product is a no-go when customers walk in expecting deals. So be sure to secure the stock you believe you will need from vendors early on.

If you’re struggling to pin down how much to invest in certain brands and products, check last year’s sales and trends to guide your picks. Stock flower, edibles, vapes, concentrates, tinctures, and the usuals, but it is also a good time to make sure you are good to go in terms of accessories and merch.

Try to build an inventory that includes products at different price points. People will be looking for good deals, for sure, but they will also be more likely to give a new product a try or splurge on a higher-end flower or brand during 4/20.

Confirm whether vendors can deliver inventory as you need it or make arrangements for additional storage for popular products. Some suppliers may even toss in 420 discounts, so take advantage while you can.

2. Plan Targeted Deals

Price compression is pushing dispensaries to rethink 4/20 discounts. Good news—you don’t need to slash hard to attract customers on 4/20; the average discount during 4/20 doesn’t have to be huge, only enticing.

A few good ideas to consider:

• Bundles – Customers tend to use more cannabis around April 20th, so bundle deals are always attractive.

• Accessories – You can also bundle cannabis products with accessories. For example, pair flower with a lighter—it ups perceived value even if the accessory is not a high-value item.

• Go simple – BOGOs and mix-and-match deals tend to outshine complex discounts—customers love clarity.

• Be strategic – Focus on high-margin items and time promos to reach most shoppers based on your usual traffic flow during business hours.

• Segmentation – Use sales data to target loyal regulars, newbies, or fans of specific types of products with deals that fit their vibe.

• VIP Perks – If you have a loyalty or rewards program, toss VIPs perks like early access or swag.

3. Build a Blazing Marketing Campaign

Get your dispensary buzzing for 4/20 with a lit marketing plan! Today’s cannabis fans expect you to hit them up across all their favorite channels—let’s make it happen with a good marketing strategy for 4/20 planning.

Email and Text Alerts

Fire off emails weeks early to hype up your 4/20 deals—keep it chill with a few fun updates before and during that explain what your dispensary has got in the works for the big event. Texting your loyalty members is also a good idea. No need to spam, but make sure you send out the details at least once or twice leading up to the day the sales begin, so customers know what’s to come.

Social Media Presence

Your customers are scrolling socials, so meet them there. Make use of the social pages you have (and where allowed) to get the word out about whatever plans you have for 4/20. Aim for a collection of posts bound to gain traction organically, as well as frequent posts about special 4/20 deals and events.

Joint Marketing with Brand Partners

Consider partnering with other cannabis brands to build co-marketing ad campaigns. If you have a certain cannabis brand in your dispensary looking for a 4/20 boost, get your heads together and craft a plan so you’re both promoting each other. For example, the brand could mention your dispensary in a 4/20 email, so customers know where to find products, and you could agree to offer a special deal in the dispensary.

In-Store Signage

Highlight your 4/20 specials with clear signage in the dispensary. It is always a good idea to start advertising about upcoming 4/20 plans a few weeks in advance. Customers who stop in will remember the visuals and likely return to the dispensary during the week of 4/20.

Word-of-Mouth

A good recommendation goes a long way, especially when it comes to the customers visiting the dispensary in person. Train your staff to encourage customers to tell friends about your upcoming 4/20 deals and planned events.

4. Light Up 4/20 on Your Website and Menu

As 4/20 nears, take some time to make sure everything about your website design and functionality is good to go. If you’re already good as far as digital presence, drop a dedicated deals page, so customers can go straight to what they are most interested in.

It’s also a good idea to add special 4/20 banners and labels to certain products, or even offer planned event details on the home page.

Don’t sleep on SEO leading up to 4/20, either. This can be your ticket to climbing Google’s ranks and reeling in more clicks from prospective customers. Craft a blog or two optimized with 420-related terminology. Additionally, make sure your Google My Business setup is flawless, as this is key for local visibility as customers are searching for dispensaries with the best deals.

5. Prepare Your Dispensary for the Event

Get ready for a 4/20 stampede! Slap QR codes at checkouts for reviews and loyalty signups. Make sure the store is tidy, easy to roam, and eye-catching with 420-themed displays. Keep in mind, you will likely see a lot of new faces, so be prepared to make the best impression.

Have you considered complementary events? Free munchies, live tunes, or swag could draw crowds—just rethink your layout early to accommodate any planned adjustments.

If you have multiple checkout points, consider designating one for order-ahead pickups, and contemplate longer hours—generally, 2 pm to 6 pm is peak shopping time for dispensaries, but extra time could snag last-minute shoppers.

6. Make Sure Your Staff Is Good to Go

Check your staffing levels—do you have enough hands on deck to keep things chill and safe? Hiring a few temps may help by keeping traffic flowing smoothly and customers happy with their experience as guests.

Before the big day, make sure part of your 4/20 preparation involves budtender training. Prep them for upselling the deals you have on the menu. A little nudge from your crew could turn a $5 buy into a $15 purchase. Do a quick group training sesh on chatting up first-timers who very well could be making their way to a dispensary for the first time.

Lastly, don’t forget to keep staff morale high; 4/20 can be the busiest season and the most stressful for your employees. Keep the vibes high with staff perks for the week—think free munchies, lunch for the entire crew, or even a few themed workdays or games.

7. Plan for Navigating Compliance and Safety

Without question, 4/20 is a busy time for dispensaries. It can be even more important than usual to keep compliance front and center because there is a higher likelihood of the volume of store interaction leading to a misstep.

As you craft promos or plan events, double-check local and state laws to stay golden. Expect and plan for longer lines, more traffic, and more products being pulled from locked displays for customer examination.

Tech glitches can spark chaos, so prep an outage SOP for just-in-case scenarios. Verify ages, track inventory to avoid overselling, and brush up on our cannabis compliance checklist. Test your POS, update software, and ensure systems are go.

8. Tap Into 4/20 Data to Support Future Success

Last but not least, 4/20 is an excellent chance to learn a ton about your customers, how they shop, what entices them to buy certain products, and what to expect in the months ahead.

With crowds pouring in, make plans to track what sells, who’s buying what, and how they shop. This data can be extremely valuable when making product plans down the road, and even for the next big 4/20 preparation.

Make 4/20 2025 the Best One Yet for Your Dispensary

Few holidays make waves in cannabis quite like 4/20, so this is always an exciting cannabis holiday.