How In-Store Events Help Your Dispensary Get Noticed
The cannabis industry is more competitive than ever. With new dispensaries opening regularly and strict rules around advertising, dispensaries have to get creative to stay visible and relevant. One of the most powerful and often underused tools in a dispensary’s marketing toolbox? In-store events.
Unlike static ads or social media posts, events create real-time, face-to-face engagement that helps build emotional connections with your audience. They give your dispensary personality, build buzz, and turn casual shoppers into loyal customers. In a world full of digital noise, live experiences cut through and leave a lasting impression.
Platforms like HighDay make it easier for cannabis retailers to plan, promote, and track these events helping you connect the dots between your in-store experiences and your digital presence.
The Power of Personal Connection
In-store events allow you to go beyond the transactional and build relationships with your customers. These experiences give people a reason to visit your dispensary beyond just buying products. They come to learn, connect, and engage.
Whether it’s a product demo, a “Cannabis 101” class, or a Q&A with a local grower, these interactions:
- Build trust and education
- Encourage meaningful conversations
- Make your staff feel more approachable
- Create positive word-of-mouth referrals
When people feel like your dispensary cares about their wellness, their questions, and their experience, they’re far more likely to return and bring friends with them.
With HighDay’s two‑way web chat, you can answer questions leading up to the event, share detailed info, and build anticipation. And HighDay’s SMS and Email Marketing tools can follow up with event attendees, send targeted messages, and continue building that personal connection long after the event ends.
Types of Events That Attract and Convert
The best in-store events are those that reflect your brand values and resonate with your local community. Think about what makes your dispensary unique then design events that amplify that.
Some ideas that work well:
- Educational events: “Intro to Terpenes,” “CBD for Sleep,” or compliance-friendly product knowledge sessions.
- Wellness activations: Yoga and CBD, meditation nights, or healthy cooking demos using hemp-based ingredients.
- Cultural/community events: Artist pop-ups, 420-themed parties, or collaborations with local musicians or chefs.
- Social impact events: Expungement clinics, sustainability workshops, or partnerships with nonprofits.
HighDay’s Landing Pages & Funnels allow you to create tailored event pages that tell your brand story, with built‑in RSVPs, making promotion seamless .
Event Promotion: Make Noise Before the Doors Open
Hosting an event is only half the work, the other half is making sure people show up. Dispensaries sometimes under-promote their events, assuming walk-in traffic will do the job. But you need to actively spread the word if you want your event to succeed.
Here’s how to boost visibility:
- Use all your owned channels: website, SMS, email, and social media.
- Promote in-store: signage, Budtender mentions, flyers in bags.
- Partner with event collaborators or brands to co-market.
- Encourage RSVP or registration to track interest and build momentum.
With HighDay’s Social Media Poster, SMS and Email Marketing tool, dispensaries can easily manage multichannel event promotions from one dashboard and track which outreach efforts are driving the most interest.
From Buzz to Business: Events That Drive Loyalty
Yes, events bring people in but the real win is how they turn new customers into loyal fans. Events let customers see what your brand stands for, how your staff interacts, and how much care goes into your products. That builds trust which leads to return visits and referrals.
Plus, they’re a great way to:
- Encourage loyalty signups
- Increase average basket size during promotions
- Introduce new or lesser-known products
- Capture content for social media and email marketing
HighDay can help you track attendance and engagement, so you can follow up with personalized offers, thank-you messages, or surveys that keep customers engaged and coming back for more.
Conclusion: Be the Dispensary People Talk About
Your dispensary is more than just a place to buy weed. It’s a space to learn, connect, and belong. In-store events bring that to life. Transforming your shop from a transactional space into a community destination.
They help you:
- Get noticed by new customers
- Deepen loyalty with current ones
- Create content and buzz
- Build long-term brand equity
And with HighDay in your corner, managing and scaling these events becomes far more manageable. From ideation to promotion to post-event engagement, HighDay helps dispensaries turn every event into a growth opportunity.