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

newsXpress Singleton heights: newsXpress Retailer of the Year

singleton.JPGnewsXpress Singleton Heights was announced 2009 newsXpress Retailer of the Year along with newsXpress Whittlesea at our Awards dinner last week.  We could not separate these two businesses for engagement with newsXpress and their embrace of offers, promotions, business operation initiatives and all things newsXpress. They have done this with terrific energy and achieving excellent results. They seek out change and push it to the limit. They drive newsXpress to help them in many exciting and challenging ways.  Jarryd Moore has demonstrated what a Gen Y business can achieve.

Jarryd is photographed with newsXpress Director Graham Randall and Krista, a manager from the business.

newsXpress Whittlesea: Retailer of the Year

whittlesea.JPGnewsXpress Whittlesea was announced as 2009 newsXpress Retailer of the Year along with newsXpress Singleton Heights.  We could not separate these two businesses for engagement with newsXpress and their embrace of offers, promotions, business operation initiatives and all things newsXpress. They have done this with the backdrop of being in the heart of a region of Victoria devastated by bushfires earlier this year. Throughout, they have remained focused on building their business through proactive engagement with newsXpress. From our in store BDM presence to our product offers, they are making the most of newsXpress. Congratulations to Neil and Robyn Ritchie from newsXpress Whittlesea.

Neil and Robyn are photographed with newsXpress Director Graham Randall.

newsXpress Wetherill Park: Card Retailer of the Year

wetherill.JPGnewsXpress Wetherill Park has won the 2009 newsXpress Card Retailer of the Year Award. They achieved great sales growth through carefulattention to the card department and a close relationship with suppliers. Theirresults are a true stand out and based on an already strong sales base.Their success proves what can be done through proactive engagement with cardsuppliers and in-store through displays and promotions. Congratulations to Ginella Di Franco and Antonella Postaj and their team.

Antonella and Ginella are photographed with newsXpress Director Graham Randall.

newsXpress Woden: Calendar Retailer of the Year

woden.JPGnewsXpress Woden took out the 2009 newsXpress Calendar Retailer of the Year award at our Awards dinner last week. o Nic and Anthony from newsXpress Woden in Canberra have wholly embraced the calendarXpress range and strategies from newsXpress. As a result, they have achieved excellent year on year sales growth in unit sales aswell as in revenue. The growth achieved is truly stunning – and all on the baack of newsXpress initiatives.  Congratulations to Anthony and Nic McCormack and their team.

Nic and Anthony are photographed with newsXoress Director Graham Randall.

newsXpress Eli Waters: Magazine Retailer of the Year

eliwaters.JPGnewsXpress Eli Waters took out the 2009 newsXpress magazine Retailer of the Year Award at our Awards Dinner last week. On the back of a tough year for magazines, the team at newsXpress Eli waters has achieved for themselves an excellent year of double digit growth. They embraced the newsXpress principles of beacon Branding, Co-location and the newsXpress Magazine Club Card. They attribute their success in the magazine department to these newsXpress initiatives. Congratulations to Allan and Stella Wickham and the team.

Allan and Stella are photograhed with newsXpress Director Graham Randall.

newsXpress Beechworth: Stationery Retailer of the Year

beechworth.JPGCongratualtions to the team at newsXpress Beechworth for taking our the 2009 newsXpress Stationery Retailer of the Year Award. newsXpress Beechworth has been awarded for sales revenue growth in the stationery category, not including ink, on a same store year on year basis. newsXpress Beechworth in Victoria has achieved excellent results from within the business in a tough climate for the town. This award honours that sales growth and the commitment of the team atBeechworth to newsXpress stationery strategies. Congratulations to Ian and Tracey McVea and Vaughan and Kerrie Lawrence.

Ian is photograhed with newsXpress Director Graham Randall.

Ron delivers a smooth professional conference

_mg_2310.JPGRon Thorpe was MC for the newsXpress conference last week.  Ron was MC for our first conference last year on the Gold Coast.

Ron brings years of experience working with newsagents and this is evident in his interaction with delegates at the conference.  Ron is also our greeting card expert in the newsXpress team. He has been a resource of tremendous value to newsXpress members over the last two years.

Ron professionalism kept the conference flowing and housekeeping to a minimum.  This ensured a smooth event for all attendees.

Supporting the Lighthouse Foundation

nx_conf09_lighthouse.JPGIn the spirit of putting something back into the community, newsXpress ran a silent auction during our Gala Awards Dinner on Thursday evening.  We raised $5,000 for the Lighthouse Foundation, an organisation which provides a safe and nurturing environment for young people.

Suppliers and some newsXpress staff generously provided items for auction and the entire proceeds go to Lighthouse.  We had watches, wine, a laptop, a gourmet hamper, chocolates and a giant Hallmark Forever Friends bear.

newsXpress is committed to supporting the community corporately and at the store level – it is the community which provides our future.

In addition to supporting Lighthouse at the Awards Dinner and with our Father’s Day promotion, we have also supported the SIDS Red Nose Day campaign as well as the RSPCA Happy Tails campaign.

We are grateful to everyone who bid of Thursday night for the items up for grabs.

The importance of a good magazine product

nx_conf09_nickchan.JPGNick Chan, CEO of Pacific Magazines was an important speaker on day two of our newsXpress Conference in Melbourne this week. The heart of Nick’s presentation and his answers to questions from the audience and James Manning from MediaWeek was that the product itself is key to the success of a magazine. While cover price discounts and tip-ons may drive sales spikes, long-term consumer support is achieved through a consistent product which serves the target demographic.

Having Nick available for the conference and to take questions provided newsXpress members and other newsagents attending an opportunity to talk directly with the CEO of an important supplier to the newsagency channel. This is an opportunity not available to many newsagents.

The newsXpress conference brought together an excellent panel of speakers offering diverse views which will benefit the attending newsagents for months to come.

Supplier engagement at newsXpress conference

nx_conf09_parker.JPGRussell Parker, the Managing Director of Hallmark Cards, was a key speaker on the first day of our conference yesterday.  Many managing Directors would have left it at that – the conference presentation, – and gone.  Russell stayed and actively participated in conference sessions and break-out workshops, adding tremendous insight into issues up for discussion.

newsXpress members and other newsagents participating have enjoyed this level of interaction with Russell and executives from other key suppliers to our group.  This interaction is an important benefit from conferences such as this.

newsXpress Awards Dinner and dancing

nx_conf09_dance.JPGAfter the fun of the formalities of our gala Awards Dinner last night, newsXpress members, suppliers and staff hit the dance floor and kicked up their heels long into the evening.  Michael Pope was our MC.  Michael was fantastic, hilarious and very professional.  He helped us relax and ensured made the evening moved along well.  Matt Hollywood had us in in tears (of laughter) with his comedy / magic act.  Funky Town Express sang and grooved.

Here are the award winners:

newsXpress Employee of the Year Andrew Frith , newsXpress Margaret River and Chloe Liddle, newsXpress Sun Valley
newsXpress Stationery Retailer of the Year newsXpress Beechworth
newsXpress HOT ink! Retailer of the Year newsXpress Melton
newsXpress Card Retailer of the Year newsXpress Wetherill Park
newsXpress Magazine Retailer of the Year newsXpress Eli Waters
newsXpress Calendar Retailer of the Year newsXpress Woden
newsXpress Retailer of the Year newsXpress Singleton Heights and newsXpress Whittlesea
newsXpresser of the Year Warrick Hosking

We will publish more about the awards and more photos over the next few days.

Shane Jacobsen opens newsXpress conference

nx_conf09_shane.JPGShane Jacobsen (the guy behing Kenny, one of the top grossing Australian movies) openes the newsXpress conference yesterday morning with an excellent presetation about being skilled setting traps and having fun.  He kicked off the conference in a perfect and relevant way.  The setup for the rest of day one was excellent.  Shane is photographed here with newsXpress Founding Director Graham Randall.

Cooking with “fast” Ed

nx_ed_food.JPGCooking a terrific appetiser with “Fast” Ed Halmagyi from Better Homes and Gardens last night at our conference opener was Kylie Watt from newsXpress Ascot Vale and Shelley Petersen from newsXpress Sarina.  It was a lot of fun watching them under the pump in the kitchen at the Grand Hyatt and their work being televised throughout the welcome function venue.  We are all lining up for Kylie and Shelley to cook for us again!

Thanks Pacific Magazines

nx_pacific_ed.JPGPacific Magazines hosted the opening evening of the newsXpress National Conference last night in Melbourne.  A feature was cooking and chatting with “Fast” Ed Halmagyi from the Better Homes and Gardens TV show and author of Better Basics which sold very well in newsXpress locations earlier this year.

Ed is pictured here with Vicki Rossi, Pacific Retail sales and Circulation Director, Jane McIlhatton, Pacific National Merchandising Manager and Jessica Batt, Pacific Trade Marketing Manager.

Spring Racing Carnival marketing

newsXpress has sourced marketing collateral for members keen to dress their stores for the popular Spring Racing Carnival.  This collateral and other support from newsXpress and newsXpress suppliers will help participating newsXpress locations have fun with the carnival socially and commercially.

While not a major season in the overall scheme of the newsagency year, this Spring racing carnival support is another way newsXpress helps members connect with all interests in their customer community.

Heading for Melbourne

newsXpress members, other newsagents and newsagent suppliers have started heading for Melbourne to participate in the National Newsagent Conference which starts tomorrow.

For some, the conference tees off ith a Golf Day.  For most attendees, the conference starts tomorrow night with a tastes of Melbourne dinner at the Grand Hyatt hosted by a popular TV chef who’ll cook and entertain.

Today, the entire newsXpress team gets together for a national staff meeting which will include planning for the next year.

We have a busy few days ahead.

First Halloween at newsXpress Cooma

nxp-cooma.jpgHalloween products are available in Cooma in New South Wales for the first time thanks to the team at newsXpress Cooma.  From witches’ hats to devil’s horns to candy buckets, the newsXpress Cooma team has put together a good mix of fun products to help people in town enjoy the fun of Halloween.  They have done this with the help of newsXpress.

It can be daunting going into a season like Halloween for the first time.  Our newsXpress merchandise experts guide the ordering process as well as in-store visual merchandising.

Halloween fun at Watergardens Town Centre

watergardens_halloween.jpgWe have had Halloween products on sale at our Watergardens Town Centre corporate newsXpress store for more than a month.  Sales have been excellent.  Customers are drawn by the stunning display right at the front of the shop created by renee and maintained by our team.  Customers are coming back for more, they love the range.  We have been fortunate to purchase enough stock for this repeat business, especially given that Halloween is still two weeks away.  Everything is selling well including the most expensive costume and party items. Halloween is hot at Watergardens!