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

Virgin Mobile Broadband promotion at Wollongbar

newsXpress Wollongbar has been promoting Virgin Mobile Broadband at the entrance to the newsagency, right at the sales counter.  The Virgin Mobile offer is one which has been running right across the newsXpress network as part of a commitment around mobile recharge margin.  This simple tactical placement is all about driving brand awareness and leveraging impulse purchases of the Virgin Mobile Broadband offer.

Introducing gifts at newsXpress Rutherglen

newsXpress Rutherglen slightly trimmed display space allocated to magazines and introduced an expansion to the gift offer in-store – as shown in the photo.

The change at newsXpress Ruthergen was completed as part of magazine range review and the result, thanks to a small shop fitting change is this selection of homewares gifts next to magazines.

While we understand and respect magazines and their very important place in the product mix in a vibrant and growing newsXpress store, occasionally, thanks to a data based range review, we are able to unlock space for more product, This is what has been done at newsXpress Rutherglen – creating a win win … magazine sales growth and gift sales growth.

The move at newsXpress Rutherglen was achieved with a very small capital investment for a good commercial outcome.  This is excellent for the business and for the newsXpress preferred suppliers who now have better representation in the business.

retail today is all about serving the customer. This requires data based business decisions tweaking and finessing your business to serve your customers. This is exactly what is being done at newsXpress Rutherglen.

Promoting New Idea with gifts

newsXpress members were fortunate to be in a position to offer shampoo and conditioner with New Idea from strategic partner Pacific Magazines this week.

This excellent value gift was only available to limited newsagents including all newsXpress stores. It’s a wonderful point of difference for a very popular title, one which newsXpress is happy to endorse and support.

newsXpress stores have been promoting New Idea in an high traffic locations to make the most of the opportunity … such as at the main sales counter at newsXpress Riverlink in Queensland as shown in the photo. The result has been excellent sales!

newsXpress Grovedale display wins award

Congratulations to newsXpress Grovedale for winning an award from ACP magazines for this display for Wheels magazine.

We love this display as it brings to life the magazine it is promoting in a way which will connect with the target purchaser of the title … perfect for visual merchandising.

newsXpress believes in magazines and feels that they play an important role in traffic generation and basked building in newsXpress newsagency businesses across Australia.

Congratulations to everyone at newsXpress Grovedale who made this display happen … it’s excellent!

Promoting Beanie Kids at newsXpress Parkmore

newsXpress Parkmore at Parkmore Shopping Centre in Victoria is promoting Beanie Kids with this excellent in-store display printing the range.

Available from one of our preferred suppliers, the beanie Kid range is developing as a terrific newsXpress success story, delivering excellent traffic growth and basked building sales for each business in which the opportunity is installed.

newsXpress Parkmore is providing excellent space and great customer service for the beanie Kid range.  This is another example of smart engagement around a trusted brand … a great way to grow retail sales on today’s marketplace.

Coca Cola joins newsXpress

newsXpress announced to members last week that Coca Cola had joined our community of preferred suppliers.  This new relationship will bring special deals, promotional opportunities and other commercial benefits to newsXpress members.

The C0ca Cola deal reflects the newsXpress commitment to brand name products which are backed by nation advertising campaigns.

As a group we have no interest in cheap China products which try and differentiate on price. This price based marketplace is packed, shoppers are not loyal and product quality is often poor. National brands reflect quality, value and shopper loyalty.

The newsXpress commitment to brand is proving to be a valuable move.

Welcome Coke to our family!

newsXpress national conference brimming to capacity

With more than one hundred newsXpress newsagencies booked for our national conference in Melbourne next month there is no doubt that it will be the biggest newsagent conference event outside of the ACP Connections conference held last year in Sydney.

We are thrilled with the member support of the conference and the EXCLUSIVE Toy Fair buying events being held the day before the conference.  Tapping into commercially valuable and exclusive buying opportunities at Toy Fair will help newsXpress members to broader their product mix, network and learn from experts about success with toys.

The conference, pre-conference buying day and Eureka Tower Cocktail Party will provide us with an excellent focus for success in 2012 and beyond.  The agenda provides for some value-packed announcements for newsXpress members.

New members for newsXpress

newsXpress will be announcing details of several news members at its conference next month in Melbourne.  The latest new member acquisitions are in New South Wales and Queensland and are as a result of our rigorous member vetting process which looks for proactive newsagents committed to growing their businesses with newsXpress.

The new members are signed up and ready to roll from the start of March.

In addition to looking for members who want to engage with our strategies and programs, we look for members who can add to the body of the group. We know that growth is a collective and mutually respectful experience.

My Family sticker success rolls on for newsXpress stores

newsXpress members continue to enjoy excellent sales success with the My family stickers from The Sticker Family.  The photo shows a family making their purchase selections at one of our member stores just a couple of days ago.  Parents, grandparents and extended families are identifying their family units with the fun stickers on the rear windows of cars, windows at home and on fridges with the wonderful range of fridge magnets.

Key to the success of the My Family stickers is the placement of the pull up banner at the front of the newsagency. Every day it draws shoppers to the business and they purchase not only My Family stickers but also other items in-store.

The Sticker Family range is a tremendous success story for newsXpress, a success story which is loved by customers and newsXpress members alike.

The latest sales data shows that there is tremendous success sill to be had from the My Family sticker range.

It’s a Cadbury Easter

newsXpress members are starting to receive the wonderful range of Cadbury treats for Easter 2012 … delicious treats like those in the photo. newsXpress is fortunate to have the support of Cadbury to help our members access a wonderful range of Easter chocolates on competitive commercial terms. newsXpress members are leveraging this with professional displays in high traffic locations.

newsXpress believes in brands.  Brands are supported with excellent advertising, they are respected by shoppers are often drive good loyalty. Brands are often sought out again and again by shoppers.  Cheap China product does not encourage the same shopper loyalty.

The newsXpress brand strategy will be on show at our national conference next month in Melbourne.

Valentine’s Day a hit at newsXpress Beechworth

Thanks to a wonderful mix of Valentine’s Day cards from Hallmark and an excellent range of Valentine’s Day gifts, newsXpress Beechworth reported excellent results for Valentine’s Day this year.

This simple yet highly effective display facing shoppers declared the season for shoppers at newsXpress Beechworth and help drive the excellent sales result.

Thanks to our roster of close to 120 preferred suppliers in newsXpress we are able to offer a breadth of product supply not only of reasons like Valentine’s day but all year round. Brand name products of a quality which customers love. Our stores are not places for cheap China product which does not engender loyalty and does not support quality. There is no point selling on price as shoppers forget this.

When shoppers are making an emotional purchase, such as for Valentines Day, they want quality … that;s what they found at newsXpress Beechworth.

Success with back to School at newsXpress Ballarat

newsXpress Ballarat is another newsXpress store which reported terrific success with Back to School, and beyond, this year.

Thanks to newsXpress collateral and exclusive newsXpress product offers especially around the Maped range, for which we are the EXCLUSIVE authorised representative in the newsagency channel.

Well done newsXpress Ballarat for promoting back to School and continuing the Maped range as part of the on-going stationery offer.

Promoting the Who Whitney Houston feature

newsXpress Watergardens is promoting the Who tribute to Whitney Houston with this display at the front of the newsagency facing into the shopping mall.

The display is proving to be a success already with customers keen to connect with the passing of the famous diva.

Published by newsXpress strategic partner Pacific magazines, Who is a feature title in newsXpress locations across Australia this weekend as we help our customers connect with this sad story and in memory of such a wonderful and creative life from the singer.

newsXpress respects and supports the importance of magazines in driving traffic to our businesses.  We appreciate the rewarding support from publishers like Pacific Magazines with stock and bonus collateral.

In honour of Whitney Houston

newsXpress newsagents are actively promoting the very special issues of Who magazine and Woman’s Day magazine out today in honour of the life of Whitney Houston who died earlier this week.

Each magazine takes a different approach, offering Whitney fans difference experience in remembering their idol.

Both titles are featuring prominently in newsXpress stores including at newsXpress Riverlink from where the photo is taken.

newsXpress members are fortunate to have access to extra stock of Who to ensure they can achieve full sales potential of the title.

Promoting Madison at Riverlink

newsXpress Riverlink, like many newsXpress stores, is promoting Madison magazine with this bold window display and making the most of the offer with the free sumer tank which comes with this issue.

Making a statement like this and leveraging the free gift with the title presents an excellent opportunity to drive traffic to the newsagency in pursuit of the premium product.

newsXpress members love magazines and the wonderful traffic and incremental business they bring.

Promoting Cooper from Hallmark

newsXpress Watergardens has been successfully promoting Cooper, both the interactive bear as well as the large plush bear with this display at the front of the newsagency facing the shopping mall. Cooper is part of the ever expanding innovation range from Hallmark.  newsXpress stores love it … the traffic and sales generated are wonderful.

As a strategic partner of newsXpress, Hallmark provides our stores with early and erase access to innovating products like Cooper … smart newsXpress members make the most of the opportunity and the bank the valuable results.

Promoting Coke and a magazine

Several newsXpress member newsagencies are running a Coke and a magazine campaign thanks to the wonderful assistance of the marketing team at newsXpress Strategic Partner Pacific Magazines.

The very special Coke and a Pacific magazine offer – New Idea, Who, That’s Life and Famous – is designed as a basket builder and a value reinforcer at the sales counter.

Supported with professional marketing collateral, the offer is a key value-add pitch at the counter of participating newsXpress locations.

This is the first step in an exciting new Coke relationship for newsXpress members … watch this space more deals and offers as they come down the line and onto newsXpress sales counters.

newsXpress will make the most of Whitney Houston special issues

Who magazine out tomorrow is a special Whitney Houston tribute issue.  newsXpress members are receiving bonus collateral as well as access to extra floor stock to enable them reaching their full sales potential. these EXCLUSIVE benefits are part of the newsXpress / Pacific Magazines strategic partnership.  Who magazine sales should be through the roof with this issue.

Woman’s Day is also coming out with a Whitney Houston special issue. This will be out tomorrow for many newsXpress stores rather than the usual Monday on-sale.  details on this were communicated to members in our weekly email communication yesterday.

Promoting Marie Claire magazine

newsXpress stores have been promoting Marie Claire magazine from strategic newsXpress partner Pacific Magazines with displays in prominent positions including aisle ends and other key traffic locations in-store.

The $50 MIMCO voucher with this issue is a key driven of excellent sales … it’s a giveaway which connects beautifully with the Marie Claire reader.

newsXpress members work hard to embrace bonus opportunities like this from partner publishers.

The photo shows the display from newsXpress Ocean Grove where it has been a hit.