It’s March in the Berkshires.

And for cannabis retail, that means it is the starting gun for the biggest cultural holiday we have: April 20. If you’re thinking about 4/20 on April 1, you’re already late. And if your entire plan is “more deals,” you’re missing the point (and potentially training your customers to treat your brand like a clearance aisle where they just have to wait till the last second to engage).

April 20 is both a cultural touchstone in the cannabis community, and a major retail moment for local businesses in the industry. In the Berkshires, where small retailers live and die on trust, repetition, and reputation, 4/20 should function like a seasonal tentpole the way restaurants handle Valentine’s Day, or the way Main Street shops in New England in late September handle foliage season. It’s a chance to welcome new faces, re-earn locals, and remind the community you’re a serious business bringing real value to the landscape.

Which is why the first thing cannabis retailers should be focusing on in March is less promo calendar and more spring cleaning. Literally. Actually cleaning the “body” of your business head, shoulders, feet and toes. Spraying cologne is what you do when you want to cover up without doing the work. Spring cleaning is what you do when you respect the people you’re serving in your business.

So make a difference every customer can feel the moment they walk in. Start outside. (It sounds basic, but basics are where trust is won.) Are your windows clean from the harsh winter we’ve had this year? Is your signage lit, clean and legible? Does the entrance look cared for? Are there dead planters, broken lights, and visual external markers that say “we stopped paying attention”? How’s your parking flow, your walkway. What is the experience of a customer on the first 10 steps heading into the store?

Then go inside and do the same honest inventory. Is the space clean in a way that feels intentional? Is it warm yet organized, versus cold and disheveled? Are your displays curated or chaotic? Can a customer quickly understand what you offer and know where to start? Is your menu readable and your offerings flow logical? Is there consistency to your intentionality at every stage of the sale in the store? Are your staff greeting people with enthusiasm or like bored gatekeepers?

Call it retail discipline, the kind that makes a customer feel safe, welcomed, and confident they’re in the right place. And in a regulated industry, trust is the backbone of your business. In a small county like the Berkshires where word travels fast, it’s everything.

It’s worth noting the temptation that shows up every April like clockwork: the deal war. Every year, retailers convince themselves that the way to win 4/20 is to out-discount each other. Bigger markdowns. Escalating discounts for the hope that volume makes up for margin. But that strategy comes with a cost: you’re teaching customers to wait for a discount instead of choosing you for who you are. You’re flattening your brand into a price tag waiting to be slashed.

Deals can still be part of 4/20. Our company has won accolades and year over year “best dispensary” awards by customers for our selection and customer service, but also the value they get for their dollar.

We put a lot of stock into communicating that, because in a tight economy, value matters. People are watching their spending, and they should. But deals shouldn’t be your identity, and they shouldn’t be the only reason someone walks through your door on 4/20. The retailers who make a real impact here in the Berkshires are the ones who treat 4/20 like a celebration and an invitation.

That means leaning into what makes this county special: a local business ecosystem that people actually want to support, and then think about what you can build around the retail moment.

Things that have worked for us in the past continue to work. Bring in a local coffee partner for a pop-up in the weeks leading up to 4/20.

Showcase Berkshire artisans and makers. Partner with a food truck and create a community-forward, weekend feel. Host a loyalty appreciation moment that feels like gratitude, not a gimmick. Highlight local small businesses inside your store in ways that surprise customers—rotating spotlights, featured vendors, limited collaborations, and so on.

As a woman-led employee-owned independent business, we love showing love to similar local businesses, and our customers often tell us they appreciate those kinds of intentional decisions. You just need to give people a reason to remember you, and experience is what people talk about.

A discount is forgotten by dinner. A great interaction, a welcoming environment, a staff member who actually listens, seeing your brand out in the community sponsoring local events in a thoughtful way makes the store feel alive, and that’s what gets repeated to others.

At Canna Provisions, we’re thinking about this the same way we think about any real retail season: prepare early, freshen up the space, and show customers we’re paying attention. We’re doing that work in Lee right now, and we’re excited to bring that same Berkshire-first approach to our soon-to-open Pittsfield location. Because the goal isn’t just to sell products. The goal is to earn trust, year after year, town by town, and customer by customer.

And if you’re a consumer reading this, here’s what I’d tell you to look for as 4/20 approaches: don’t just chase the loudest discount. Look for the retailers who are investing in the experience, who are collaborating locally, who are welcoming you in, who are building something sustainable.

If you want a head’s up on what’s coming, sign up for store email lists and loyalty programs. The best offers are often built for the customers who actually show up consistently not just once a year for a headline deal).

So March is the month to decide what kind of business you’re going to be. If you’re a cannabis operator in Berkshire County, treat this spring like an opportunity to grow up as a retailer. Make your store worth visiting even when there isn’t a sale banner on the front door.

4/20 comes every year; March is the month to decide if you’re going to win it.