In the times of COVID-19, it can be a bit tough to get excited about the 420 holiday... especially if your essential business is facing hardship. However, if you're still providing services online or your a dispensary that's still opening its doors everyday, a 420 sale may be just what you need to give your business a jumpstart. Today, we’re spending some time looking at your digital marketing approach so you can finetune it to get the most from your 420 sale. While most of the businesses we work with are brick-and-mortar shops, it’s hard to find stores that don’t have some sort of online presence these days. That’s because there’s big money to be made in the digital world… if you’re doing it right, of course. And with COVID-19 leaving many businesses shuttered for an unspecified amount of time, digital marketing might be your only option. So, whether you're new to digital marketing or simply want some fresh ideas, here are a few ways you can use it to get the word out about your big 420 sale. 

Using Social Media for Optimal Reach

How often do you post to your social media accounts? It may seem like there’s no science to how you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and everything in between. However, analysts have looked into it and, though they don’t always agree, it’s still easy to find hard data that supports the best days and times to post to your social media accounts. If only it were so simple. While this is a great generalization and can point you to a good place to start, you should be considering your specific audience and when they’d most likely be checking into their accounts. Not to mention the fact that COVID-19 has stranded a lot more people at home in states of quarantine so these stats are likely no longer accurate. If you haven’t already developed your own schedule for posting to social media, we recommend testing different days and times and figuring out for yourself when your customers are most prone to engagement. You may even want to purchase ads on social media to get the word out about your big sale or event, though this can require a bit of finesse in this industry. Regardless of your scenario, if you’re not using social media to get the word out about your event, you’re blowing a major opportunity.

Your Blog Should Be Must-Read Material

Does your shop have a dedicated blog? It absolutely should! Not only that but you should be updating it no less than 2 times a week with keyword-rich original content. It’s SEO 101 and your 420 business thrives off of it just as much as businesses in any other industry. We can’t stress the importance of original content enough. This shouldn’t be something that you just copy from another source… Google algorithms are wise to that. Take the time to draft genuine original blog posts that keep the flavor of your brand while hyping your upcoming event and sale or simply use it to provide a hot tip that you feel would benefit your customers. You want your 420 blog to be must-read material that reinforces your knowledge and authority and, therefore, trustworthiness as a business.

They Call It an Email Blast for a Reason

A well-written email blast can give you a nice sales spike for the 420 holiday (or really any day). An enticing subject line is key and there are plenty of blogs devoted to how to craft an irresistible email subject. Your email blasts should be short and catchy but give plenty of details about your 420 sale or event. Visuals within the email can really help it pop too so you may want to work with a graphic designer if you don’t quite trust your own skills. Of course, all of this is assuming you have a decent email list already collected. If you haven’t built an email list of customer emails, there are plenty of blogs devoted to showing you where to start.

420 Ad Space

If you want to put some serious money into advertising your 420 event online, you could always purchase ad space on major industry sites like Leafly, High Times or Weedmaps. This can run up a pretty serious tab, so don’t expect to go into this method with a modest investment; nor should you expect a guaranteed return. Digital advertising is a risk that can pay off big or find you face down in the mud, so if you’re planning to go this route, make sure you’re providing a fire ad that has your sincere belief behind it. It should be unique, radiate the essence of your brand and give the hottest details about your 420 promotion.

Since digital marketing doesn’t necessarily require any fees or software purchases, nothing should be holding you back from taking any or all of these vital steps toward promoting your 420 sale. While these techniques can definitely give you a nice surge for the 420 holiday, you should be practicing SEO and other forms of digital marketing on an ongoing basis… especially with so much business being driven online while the country is in quarantine. The benefits still translate to brand awareness and sales. Best of all, you can do this kind of marketing from your quarantine spot as long as you have a solid internet connection. It doesn’t get more convenient than that!

With many of us pushing 3 weeks deep into some state of quarantine, it’s safe to say that none of us have ever seen anything quite like this in our lifetime. Even with pockets of our industry finding some sense of financial solace in being deemed “essential” by the powers that be during this pandemic crisis, it’s an uncertain moment in history and we’re being forced to think fast in hopes of landing on our collective feet. Consumed by worries about our loved ones and mounting thoughts of economic dread, it can be easy to get swept up in feelings of hopelessness. However, we’re here to remind you that there is always hope. At Master-Minded, we’re no strangers to the hustle and we’re largely in the same boat as all of you, doing what we can to serve our community while keeping our own lights on. Today, we’re sharing with you 3 government programs that can help you to keep your ship afloat in this often-frightening pandemic along with a strategy that can help you make sure you’re using your dollars the most wisely.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan

This loan comes straight from the Small Business Association’s website and is designed to offer relief through low interest loans granted to small businesses trying to weather emergencies and disasters. And, yes, COVID-19 definitely rates as a disaster. Will this money fall right into your lap? Not likely, but even a Money Tree requires that you climb out on a limb and start picking or, at the very least, give it a good shake. According to the site, you can use these low interest loans “to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.” So, if you’re worried about keeping the lights on, this loan can literally help you with that. Currently, small business interest rates are set at 3.75% with non-profits at the lower rate of 2.75%.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan

Don’t have time to wait on that Economic Injury Disaster Loan? Fear not; you can actually request an advance on it that will put $10,000 in your company’s coffers within 3 to 5 business days. The Emergency Economic Injury Grant is fairly simple to fill out in comparison to the larger Economic Injury Disaster Loan from which it is derived. As long as you have less than 500 employees, you’re pretty much golden. While $10K may not be an awful lot, it’s definitely not an amount you want to just leave on the table. This is free money after all, and you’d be surprised how far $10,000 can stretch in times of crisis. There is a bit of confusion surrounding this $10K advance, since it is called a grant and not a loan but is pulled from a loan. Reports from financial experts that have frequented seminars put on by the Small Business Association swear that this $10K is actually a grant and does not have to be repaid.

Payroll Guarantee Loan

The final program on our list is a Payroll Guarantee Loan that, unlike the other 2 solutions listed here, requires a bank visit. This federally supported program offers some big benefits including forgiving up to 8 weeks of your small business’s payroll, not to mention rent and utilities. Sound too good to be true? It’s all a part of the COVID-19 relief package the federal government passed. While your bank may still be waiting to get their forms in order, it may be a good idea to give them a call today and set up an appointment to review your options with the Payroll Guarantee Loan.

You’re Still Responsible for Your Inventory

With these loans and grants serving to cover the costs of payroll, debts, bills, rent and utilities, what’s really left? One word: inventory. That seems to be the one thing that this federal aid package doesn’t cover. It only makes sense then that your money should be going toward keeping your inventory fresh. We’ve spoken firsthand to small businesses inside and outside our industry who have made it clear that rent is their top priority, or payroll or any number of things that you can actually have covered for weeks at a time by these federal programs. The federal stipulations are clear: their money can only be used for what they’ve designated and that does not include inventory. So, if you want to use these programs in the savviest, most immediately beneficial manner, you’ll let those grant dollars cover everything else and designate your own cash to make sure your inventory remains stocked. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a fully functional business that has absolutely nothing to sell.

When you leave your essential business for the day and return home to the people you love, the worry doesn’t go away. In fact, our jobs may be the only thing giving us reprieve from the anxiety of a situation that we can’t control. But we’re in this together and we can’t succumb to hopelessness. Programs like those highlighted above prove we don’t have to stop moving and stagnate in fear over the things we can’t control. We can still do something about our situation and continue to move forward with the hope that we’ll make it through to the other side of this… with our loved ones at our side and our businesses intact.

At Master-Minded, we’re proud to be a wholesaler of both the Magical Butter Machine and the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser. Both are impressive home use infusion machines in their own right, but we still often get asked why we’d offer both. Sure, at their core, they’re both infusers. But, in most cases, your customers would agree that there is a gulf of difference between the Magical Butter Machine and the Herbal Infuser. In today’s blog, we discuss what sets these two convenient infusers apart and which type of customer will likely gravitate to which model so you can market accordingly.

The Primary Difference Between the Herbal Infuser and Magical Butter Machine

You could easily compare the Magical Butter Machine to driving stick whereas the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser is more like an automatic transmission. But that might be oversimplifying the comparison. Perhaps one of our own account managers, Brian Crawford, put it best when he said:

“The Herbal Infuser is like an iPhone. It’s super user-friendly, quick and easy to learn with its preset modes, whereas the Magical Butter Machine is like an Android phone. It provides you with more customizable options to cater to your specific needs.”

Differences Between Presets and Controls

While the creators of the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser took the time to figure out the optimal settings for different infusions, their machine also locks the user into presets that combine temperature and duration. Simplicity is built-in but control is sacrificed. All of the Herbal Infuser team’s research is condensed into 3 presets: Mighty Fast 1 (45 minutes), Mighty Fast 2 (90 minutes) and Mighty Long (4 hours). Though you’re treated to a book of Magical Butter Machine recipes right out of the box (and an online search turns up plenty more), it’s good to have a little more of an idea of what you’re doing when working with the Magical Butter Machine or, at the very least, a healthy sense of adventure. The Magical Butter Machine features 4 duration presets: butter, oil, tincture and other. On top of these duration presets, the device also includes 5 separate temperature controls.

Minimum and Maximum Infusion Durations

If you’re looking for infused goodies as quickly as possible, the Herbal Infuser can deliver just the slightest bit more quickly with a preset control that churns out results in 45 minutes. By comparison, the Magical Butter Machine can produce butter within an hour at its quickest setting. While both Herbal Infuser and Magical Butter Machine are universally acclaimed for their potent results, good things take time and infusion is no exception to that rule. The longest setting that the Herbal Infuser offers is a 4-hour infusion while the Magical Butter Machine is capable of a lengthy 8-hour infusion.

A Similar, Space-Efficient Design

Both the Magical Butter Machine and Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser share a similar shape akin to a coffee flagon. You can count on both designs to easily fit on any kitchen countertop and offer an efficiency of space that allows them to be easily tucked out of the way when not in use. A major appeal of both models is their tendency to streamline the infusion process with minimal mess, making the entire process simpler and less taxing on time, effort and money. 

On average, you can expect the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser to appeal more to no-fuss customers who just want to press a button and get results without any trial-and-error. The Herbal Infuser team already did this work for them. However, customers that like to customize their experiences and experiment will most likely be more drawn to the heightened control offered by the Magical Butter Machine. While an Android vs. iPhone comparison may be a generalization, it also paints a pretty accurate portrait of the primary difference between two quality infusers: convenience vs. control.

We’ve never seen anything like the COVID-19 novel coronavirus (nor the world’s reaction to it) in our lifetime. It’s a truly universal issue that’s forcing the reevaluation of completely different facets of life, from how we function as a society to how we do business. Fortunately, at Master-Minded, we have a solid foundation that allows us to not only hold our ground but move forward, bringing our trusted service to companies that have been impacted by COVID-19 yet still play a vital role in helping the world push through this confusing time. Our industry is unique in its focus on a product that can be taken recreationally or medicinally. In the time of a pandemic, both are crucial. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as your business tries to navigate the landscape of this unique time.

Yes, Social Distancing Should Be Followed

What best practices should businesses in this industry be following to stop the spread of COVID-19? NORML said it best in their recent letter, but we’ll summarize a few of the points that really stood out to us. The first, and possibly most obvious, is to practice social distancing. An early contender for Top Buzzword of 2020, “social distancing” is the reason we’ve seen so many big events cancelled in the entertainment industry and why major cities across the U.S. are asking bars and restaurants to close. Things change quickly. Just last week, we published a blog about attracting record numbers to your business by planning a huge 420 event, and now we can safely say that this is not the best year to be planning any enormous 420 celebrations. Fortunately, even before social distancing and self-quarantine were suggested, most dispensaries have been great about regulating crowd size. So, you can expect that things will be a little less in your control this 420 season.

Keep it to Yourself

For those of us who enjoy our own products, remember that sharing does not mean caring anymore. Many of us love the community spirit so unique to this industry, but the best thing you can do for your community now is use private devices like personal rigs, Focus V CARTA, etc. and resist your reflex to share. Also, make sure anything you used is properly wiped down with high percentage isopropyl alcohol. You may even want to make the switch to edible consumption of your medicine, using products like the Magical Butter Machine or Herbal Infuser to help you with recipes to keep your self-quarantine efforts more interesting. COVID-19 can impact people with respiratory illnesses more severely, so a lot of smokers and vapers are making a temporary switch to edibles.

The Supply Chain is Not Disrupted

We’ve been sent photos of long lines wrapping around dispensaries as the same hysteria that’s seen panicked shoppers clearing grocery store aisles extends into other industries. Many patients who use these products medicinally are at risk of running out of medication if this hoarding mentality starts to leave dispensary shelves cleared. It’s important to keep in mind that the supply chain has not been disrupted and that more stock is on the way. Though it doesn’t appear that dispensaries and smoke shops have been cleared like grocery stores, a surge in sales has been recorded in the wake of COVID-19.

It’s okay to be nervous or afraid going into this situation, whether you’re worrying from the point of view of an individual, a business or both. Right now, everyone is worried about something whether that be how to navigate the rush on grocery stores, how to pay bills when they’re not working, or how to make sure they’re family and friends don’t get sick. It’s important in these times of all-around uncertainty to continue following the suggestions of the CDC, not to mention your local health department. COVID-19 is an issue unlike any we’ve ever seen in our lifetime but following guidelines will allow us to see it through. Chances are that many businesses in our industry will remain open through the worst of the quarantine, providing people with peace of mind and prescribed medicine when they need it most. Therefore, it’s imperative that we take this seriously and take stringent measures to maintain the health and safety of our employees, our customers, our patients and ourselves.

It’s never too early to start preparing for 420 (especially in a year when 420 lasts the entire month of April). For a lot of businesses in the industry, particularly those directly dealing with the sale of medical or recreational products, 420 is a significantly lucrative time of the year. However, going into the holiday unprepared can hurt your sales potential while making your experience unnecessarily stressful. To help ease your strain, we’re putting together a series of blogs that can help your business stay organized, allowing you to get the most from the 420 rush.  Even if you’re an industry veteran, these tips can give you new perspective that will help you optimize your approach. Today, we’ll discuss how you can use the revelry of 420 to draw more exposure to your business by making your business the place to be this 420.

The Power of Community

They don’t call it the 420 “community” for nothing. Sure, you’ve got your own individual vision and that’s key in setting yourself ahead of the pack. But let’s not forget that there are plenty of times when a little teamwork goes a longer way. The 420 holiday gives us some of the most lucrative synergistic opportunities of the year. You’ve no doubt established some solid relationships with your vendors over the years. Now is the time to strengthen that bond by inviting them to be a part of your 420 festivities. If your vendor has a great product, inviting them to set up a table at your 420 celebration builds on your relationship while adding further value to your event.

The Way to a Customer’s Heart is Through Their Stomach

If your business is located in a metropolitan area, hiring a food truck for your event can be an easy way to generate a crowd. No food trucks available in your area? Pizza has historically been a crowd pleaser and reinforcements are easy to have delivered to you. No matter where your business is situated, food and refreshments of some sort are essential for not just getting your customers there but keeping them there. 420 is supposed to be a celebration and nothing says “party” like delicious, readily available food.

Never Underestimate the Appeal of Free Stuff

Likewise, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who will turn down a freebie. A big-ticket giveaway presented in a lottery or raffle style situation can draw a great buzz and equally large crowd. Here are just a few examples of big-ticket items that would be perfect for a giveaway if you’re looking to drive up attendance to your 420 celebration:

Focus V Carta Smart Rig

Rio Portable Dab Rig

Rosin Tech Go™ Portable Rosin Press

Magical Butter Machine

The Herbal Infuser

But if you focus freebies on just a single big-ticket item, you’re missing the opportunity to leave a larger portion of your customer base feeling good about their experience with a gift bag. You can try to get enough for everyone or incentivize it (ie. first 100 customers get a free gift bag). These of course should be packed with small, inexpensive products: mini chillum pipes, plastic herb grinders, lighters, concentrate jars, etc. Remember, presentation is everything with swag bags so don’t miss the opportunity to work in your branding as much as possible.

Get Interactive with a 420 Contest

If you feel like a giveaway is too easy, you can engage with your customers through a contest of some sort with a big-ticket item as the prize. Your creativity is the only limit! You could make it a 420-themed art contest with some of your favorite vendors as judges, award a prize for the best 420-themed costume or even further your digital presence by tying entry to Instagram shares or something similar. However you choose to frame it, a contest demands your customers’ attention. Just remember to keep the rules simple and the prize impressive.

The Pied Piper 2020

Whether you’re inviting local musicians to play or hiring a DJ, music can breathe some much-needed life into your 420 event. In many cases, special licenses will be needed to host a live performance, so make sure to do your homework on your city’s requirements if you plan on going that route. A DJ can be a much easier, if not more affordable option as long as they’re dropping some decent wax on the table. At the very least, you’ll want to put together a fire playlist to keep toes tapping.

What’s Good for the ‘Gram…

A well-made backdrop can provide the perfect spot for 420 Instagram opportunities. It’s also a great place to work in your brand again. Some places like to suggest hashtags which isn’t a bad idea, but keep in mind that this should feel fun and not like a sales pitch. Get creative and infuse the art with the essence of your business. If it’s sincere and impressive, people won’t need you to convince them to share it. Plus, it allows your customers to fully integrate into your experience.

Chances are that your business has the 420 deals to keep those sales figures impressive. But remember that 420 is a holiday that will be celebrated across the country and your deals will be in direct competition with all the others out there. Outside of the deals you set, the best way you can ensure the crowd chooses your 420 event over someone else’s is through making yours the most fun. Whether you use one of the above methods or, better yet, a combination of them, you’ll want to make sure people are talking about your 420 event long after the smoke has settled.