MJBizMag November-December 2020 - 90

THRIVE
SURVIVE
products that are more often hits than
misses with clientele.
Selecting winning products takes a
disciplined study of sales trends and
constant communication between team
members to ensure inventory levels
strike the right balance.
" From the top down, the ownership
is involved and hands-on, with
meetings and calls and just constant
communication, " said Evan Damareck,
general manager at The Living Room.
Communication includes a weekly
inventory call with Evermore's vice
presidents of processing and cultivation,
the marketing team, wholesale manager,
dispensary manager and Damareck.
" We get on the weekly call to know
what's coming, what's out there, what's
ready now, what's going to lab. It's just
that constant communication with each
other to make sure we're all on the same
page and know what we have and what
can be allotted to the dispensary and
what's going to be allotted to the wholesale
market, " Damareck explained.
He added that " to keep things fresh "
the company orders new products weekly.
" Everything is coming in and moving
out right away, and that means keeping
up on inventory, " Damareck said.
Zuskin noted: " To manage our
inventory, we keep very tight control
over what we have and how much we
have. We are constantly watching how
fast we move through certain items and
what items tend to sit for any length of
time. We relay that back to our inventory
team and then to Evan when we're doing
our ordering. "
Give Plenty of
Customer Discounts
Deals on price are another important
strategy in expanding Evermore's patient
numbers and getting customers to try
new products. The deals are also a way
for the retailer to acknowledge the
impact of the 2020 recession, which
might have affected patients through
layoffs, pay cuts or other means.
" We're doing well, but there are other
people that are not, and we have to be
conscious of that, " Zuskin said.
The Living Room typically offers
discounts for veterans, seniors and
students, but it has added other
daily specials during the coronavirus
pandemic to attract shoppers. The
dispensary also expanded a 22% discount
for veterans-22 reflecting the number
90 Marijuana Business Magazine | November-December 2020
Morey
Zuskin
of daily suicides by veterans-to all
customers in March. The discount
remains in place for now but will
eventually be phased out.
" Probably 95% to 99% of the menu
had a 22% discount for everybody every
day of the week, " Zuskin said.
Pivot to Online
Marketing and
Hosting Social Media Events
The coronavirus pandemic forced The
Living Room to change its marketing
strategy, which had depended on public
events. With many events shifting online
this year, The Living Room launched an
Instagram music series: Once or twice
per week the dispensary hires a DJ or
band to play music for a few hours while
people listen online.
" Most of our efforts have been live
Instagram music sessions and expanding
our footprint online to make sure that
we're reaching as many eyes as we can, "
Zuskin said.
The Living Room
featured extended
discounts during
the recession.
Courtesy Photo
AND
MJBizMag November-December 2020

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