Author: mark

I am a Director of newsXpress, a marketing group for newsagents keen for a bright future. You can reach me on +61 418 321 338 or mark[at]towersystems.com.au

And it’s into Back to School for newsXpress

BacktoSchoolWith the New Year just a few days old, many newsXpress members have been busy setting up for Back to School 2013, putting in place excellent displays and capping and skirting these with newsXpress exclusive collateral promoting the season.

newsXpress preferred suppliers have offered a range of cool products to augment the traditional Back to School offering. This helps newsXpress members position their businesses beyond the traditional and through this extend their relevance beyond what shoppers expect.

Of course, bundled in with back to School are the Back to Work and Back to Uni opportunities. In both segments, newsXpress preferred suppliers offer excellent products with which to reach new shoppers.

newsXpress Australia Day competition opportunity

nxadaynewsXpress members have been provided with an opportunity to run a local competition connecting with Australia Day.

Offered as part of our exclusive local area marketing suite, our Australia Day competition is a wonderful way for newsXpress members to connect with their local community on this important and treasured national day.

We know that newsXpress members love being local and they embrace local community connection opportunities.

Our Australia Day competition is simple – entrants are asked to draw or write about what Australia Day means to them. Judging is local. Prizes are local. This is a perfect local store, local area marketing opportunity.

this is another excellent example of the newsXpress difference in action … helping newsXpress members to engage with their customers and local area in an exclusive and creative way.

newsXpress members promoting marie claire magazine

nxmcThe latest issue of marie claire magazine is being promoted across the newsXpress network right now. It’s packed with excellent content plus bonuses.

FREE Aveeno Moisturiser, plus 20% off online fashion hub ASOS – wonderful bonuses.

newsXpress customers are sure to love the 24-page marie claire at work special with career tips, style hits and the secrets of successful women. They will also have the chance to WIN a $1,000 beauty-floor shopping spree by voting in the Prix de marie claire Readers’ Choice Awards.

The launch of this special issue has been promoted with emails to tens of thousands of shoppers located near newsXpress stores – with emails detailing local store locations.

newsXpress members loving our new help service

Late in 2012 newsXpress launched a new help service. This new service is in addition to our exclusive Retail Development Manager in-store service.

The new help service makes it even easier for newsXpress members to leverage the national resources of the group … providing easy access to a range of key people in the business.

The help service is freeing our RDM team from day to day queries and enabling them to take on new responsibilities focussed on helping newsXpress members to grow stronger and more valuable businesses.

We understand the new help service to be another newsXpress exclusive among marketing groups.

Connecting with Australia Day

adaynewsXpress members have been given a range of opportunities and ways with which to connect with Australia Day. From use our email footer through to several preferred supplier connections, newsXpress members are able to source product and promote their connection with the day. This is important as it demonstrates local relevance in a way often neglected by larger retailers.

newsXpress 2013 conference bookings filling

newsXpress members from across Australia are booking to attend and participate in our 2013 conference. With travel subsidised by newsXpress, we are making it easier for members to share in this important event.

The agenda is developing as practical and insightful with excellent business growth opportunities to flow. Equally important is the networking opportunities plus the exclusive buying opportunities at the conference and the newsXpress exclusive buying tour of the Toy Fair the day prior to the conference.

newsXpress 2013 National Conference. Tuesday March 5th, 2013. Melbourne Cricket Ground.  9.00am -5.00pm.

2013 Conference Cocktail Evening.  Rivers Edge.  7.30 pm – midnight.

Both events are fully funded by newsXpress.

Newsagents joining newsXpress newsagency marketing group

nxnewstoresnewsXpress ended 2012 with some terrific businesses joining our newsagency marketing group.  These latest newsagency member acquisitions capped a busy year of member acquisitions for newsXpress … across a number of states.

newsXpress welcomes member businesses of all sizes in all situations – capital city, country and rural … high street, regional centre and major capital centre.  Our membership base is spread across these platforms.

The key we look for in  newsXpress members is people who are proactive, who want to grow their businesses and who enjoy pursuing change.  These principles are central to the unique newsXpress offer.

So, welcome new newsXpress members – may 2013 be a year of wonderful growth and valued friendship as you become more connected with the newsXpress family.

newsXpress funds members to attend national conference

newsXpress earlier this month announced details of funding to be provided to newsXpress members to help cover travel costs for getting to our national conference in March 2013.

The funds being provided by newsXpress to members along with free conference attendance and free attendance at our cocktail party will make accessing the conference easier for newsXpress members.

The agenda is coming together with some excellent opportunities being lined up to make the event inspirational and valuable for newsXpress members.

The conference agenda will be augmented with some valuable buying opportunities. This year’s conference resulted in members accessing product and making truly valuable margin dollars through the year as a result of their buying.

This will be the newsagency conference of the year not to be missed. It will showcase exclusive opportunities which will help newsXpress members build stronger and valuable newsagency businesses.

newsXpress publishers post Christmas sale advice video

vidLast week, newsXpress published a brief training and motivation video for newsXpress members discussing post Christmas sale opportunities. This video, the second this month from newsXpress, is a resource for members and their employees … something to be usedto help all team members get the most of Christmas and post-Christmas opportunities.

Using video training is another newsXpress leadership initiative – helping newsXpress members and their teams to be better informed and equipped to make the most of the season.

Member feedback has been terrific.

January In Store offers newsletter for newsXpress stores

nxnlnewsXpress last week published its January 2013 In Store Offers newsletter for members, providing access to another excellent marketing tool for use through the month.

This latest newsletter reflects the professional standards of newsXpress, giving our members something with which to personally promote their businesses across the counter and through direct mail. It’s an excellent resource members tell us they love.

This latest issue is promoting fun summer products from newsXpress as well as New Year opportunities.

newsXpress members enjoyed the Mayan calendar opportunity

On our newsXpress private Facebook page we shared an opportunity for some fun yesterday. Members who engaged report a terrific sales result and plenty of fun to boot.

Through this promotion, newsXpress demonstrated a wicked sense of humour and an attention to commercial opportunities around world events (or non events).

It’s another newsXpress (fun) difference.

Hallmark and newsXpress helping to improve child literacy

hmkbigsbynewsXpress and Hallmark are together promoting an excellent range of story books and story buddies across the newsXpress retail network.

Bigsby is one of the new release story book / story buddy products from Hallmark. Promoted nationally in our network, this terrific product is an excellent help to guide parents and children to enjoy reading.  It helps kids enjoy reading and storytelling … setting them up for their more formal education.

newsXpress merchandise team delivers value for newsXpress members

agebdayThe newsXpress merchandise team continues to expand category and segment product offers to newsXpress members.

From corporate store learnings to work in showrooms with suppliers, the merch team has expanded its work on behalf of members.

We create photos and supporting advice and documentation to help newsXpress members to make the most of the display opportunities and bring in-store professional displays and product offers and through these to drive commercial outcomes.

The photo shows one of a series of gift displays created for our newsXpress Southland corporate store.

Melting Snowman a sell out hit for Christmas

snowmannewsXpress members have achieved stunning results with this Melting Snowman product. The newsXpress advice has helped members to drive excellent basket building sales from the sales counter.

The success with this product is an excellent example of newsXpress members encouraging each other and getting supplier support to make the very most of the opportunity.  talk about a win win.

newsXpress members share ideas all the time through private communication channels … ideas that help them make more money more often.

Promoting cards for Christmas and school holidays

cardsnewsXpress members are embracing the opportunity with this range of branded playing cards.

Toy Story, Thomas the Tank Engine and Dora the Explorer are some of the brands being used to promote these cards.  This is an excellent brand connection for the card range.

newsXpress Southland, one of our corporate stores, has the range on show near the counter – driving shopper impulse purchases of the items.

These cards make an excellent Birthday or Christmas gift.

newsXpress Shoreline promoting calendars

calrosesnewsXpress Shoreline, like many newsXpress members is promoting the 2013 calendar range with this well-placed stand on the dance floor.

Capped with newsXpress collateral, the stand is working a treat to drive sales of calendars for the business.

newsXpress offers a unique range of services around calendars from ranging advice to VM to floor placement. This is a core newsXpress service designed to help newsXpress members turn inventory into cash.

Calendar sales already this year are strong based on reports from newsXpress members. Great results for a great margin category.

newsXpress announces national conference details

newsXpress has announced details of its 2013 national conference. To be held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Members Lounge, the conference presents an excellent opportunity to get inside the inner sanctum of one of the world’s most famous sporting venues.

The content will be newsXpress exclusive and specific and exciting. The full day will be capped with a cocktail party where we can all relax and let our hair down and celebrate good business.