What is Green Wednesday?
Green Wednesday falls the day before Thanksgiving and is the second highest sales day for cannabis businesses in the U.S. behind 4/20. First coined by Eaze in 2016 when the company realized a significant sales bump, it’s since become an unofficial cannabis industry holiday that gives dispensaries a Black Friday-like bump in sales in Q4. For many dispensaries, Green Wednesday represents an opportunity to head into the final month of the year on a strong note.
Green Wednesday drives cannabis sales
Green Wednesday was a smashing success for the cannabis industry in 2021, driving $98.2 million in sales revenue for cannabis businesses, according to enterprise software company Akerna. That represented 38.5% of the $254.7 million in revenue generated over the entirety of the four-day period surrounding Thanksgiving that year.
That trend held true from the previous year, when data analytics firm BDSA found that California cannabis businesses experienced a 40% increase in sales revenue on Green Wednesday compared to average daily sales revenue, and a nearly 50% increase compared to typical Wednesdays in November. Additionally, the average transaction value was more than 8% higher than usual at $65 per transaction, compared to the $60 per transaction.
Virtually all major types of cannabis products received a bump in sales on Green Wednesdays past, but some benefited more than others. According to data from Headset.io, edibles led the pack with a 67% increase in sales versus typical daily sales. Capsules also saw a significant bump of 52%, followed by topicals and tinctures at 39%.
In 2022, Green Wednesday is expected to drive big revenue yet again. So, how can you make sure your brand is well-positioned to take advantage? It all comes back to strategic marketing designed to inform and engage your customers.
Cannabis marketing ideas for Green Wednesday
To take advantage of the boost in sales, you can create incentives for customers to shop at your location and use the following marketing tactics to spread the word.
- Develop Green Wednesday web content: In the lead up to Green Wednesday, you can create specific SEO web content to get customers excited. Whether it’s a blog page explaining Green Wednesday or a landing page that features all your deals on that day, developing web content optimized for search engines gives you a great foundation to drive traffic to your site and for establishing a broader Green Wednesday marketing campaign. It also gives you a place to direct customers so they can learn more about what you’re offering on Green Wednesday.
- Create an omnichannel Green Wednesday marketing campaign: Taking advantage of multiple marketing channels can help you reach your target audience wherever they are. From social media to email marketing campaigns to targeted advertising, refine your content and deploy it to meet your customers where they are. To get the most out of your marketing campaigns, repurpose content for the platforms you’re using, and make sure it is consistent when it comes to your brand’s appearance, voice, and mission. This way, your Green Wednesday event is a cohesive campaign and not just a one-off sales opportunity.
- Offer discounts and promotions to customers: Green Wednesday is becoming a holiday in its own right, so it’s a great time to offer customers discounts or run special promotions. The data shows that customers are ready to spend more than usual on Green Wednesday, and you can incentivize them by creating deals for purchases over a certain dollar amount or offering popular products at a reduced rate. Once you have your discounts and promotions in place, get the word out by leveraging all your marketing channels to reach the widest possible audience (within compliance with your state’s guidelines, of course).
- Offer Green Wednesday bundles: Offering curated Green Wednesday bundles that include a variety of cannabis products perfect for celebrating Thanksgiving is a fun way to get customers engaged and to try out something new. Consider adding lesser known products in with the big sellers. You never know – some of your customers might just find their new favorite items in a special holiday bundle!
- Host a Green Wednesday event: If you really want to get into the holiday spirit, you can host a Green Wednesday event with music, activities, and fun! Hosting events can be a great way to generate buzz around your cannabis brand, and Green Wednesday offers the perfect opportunity. Bring your customers in for more than just a sale with an experience they’ll be excited to share with friends and family during Thanksgiving dinner.
There are, of course, a litany of creative marketing ideas you can deploy on Green Wednesday (and year round) to raise awareness of and engagement with your brand. In addition to the fundamental marketing approaches of optimizing your website, building a social media audience, and catering to your email subscribers, think outside the box to offer your customers a truly unique experience. Just make sure whatever you plan to offer is in line with what your state’s regulatory requirements lay out.
Cannabis marketing done right on Green Wednesday and beyond
Running a cannabis business is a full time job, but marketing is a critically important function. If you want to be sure your Green Wednesday campaigns are successful and your brand is set up for success year round, help from a cannabis marketing agency like CannaContent can be your trusted partner.
From content marketing created by award winning journalists and SEO experts to highly engaging social campaigns and memorable graphic design, CannaContent offers a full service digital marketing team that can reach your target audience wherever they’re most active. And with partnerships with other trusted vendors and professionals across the industry, we can build a winning solution that reaches all your customers, wherever they may be.