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

Flexible planograms from 3M

fhn_3m_oct09.JPGClose to 100 newsXpress locations now have 3M planograms.

Ranging in size from 1 metre to three metres, these planograms deliver a professionally displayed range of Post-IT, Command and Scotch products to our stores.

newsXpress developed these and other planograms to bring store level evidence of our brand commitment, to reinforce the newsXpress unique selling proposition and to drive sales. This is happening much to the delight of newsXpress members.

The 3M planograms are a great example of the newsXpress difference in action.

HOT Ink! sale drives traffic

nx_sale_collateral.JPGThe latest HOT Ink! sale in newsXpress stores has driven excellent sales results based on reports from stores.  Driven around brands – HP, Canon, Epson, Brother and Lexmark – the sale was to 1 million homes across Australia. In addition to brand commitment, newsXpress pitched price competitiveness, excellent customer service and range – all key factors to the regular ink and toner consumer.

HOT Ink! is an exclusive to newsXpress initiative.  In addition to special buying opportunities, newsXpress members receive exceptional back-office support, marketing collateral, out of store marketing and access to good ink business growth strategies.

Promoting diaries at Crows Nest

nx_diaries_crows.jpgnewsXpress Crows Nest is promoting diaries in their window using the free marketing collateral provided by newsXpress.  The simple pitch of the poster in the window facing a busy street makes the offer clear and certain to pull traffic. newsXpress coollateral helps our members better zone their offers in-store and in display areas – such as the window at newsXpress Crows Nest.

Embracing the Twilight brand

twilight_posters.jpgnewsXpress members in NSW are cleverly using the posters supplied for the Sunday Telegraph tomorrow to promote newsXpress supplied Twilight themed product.  The photo shows a display at the entrance to newsXpress Bondi Eastgate.  They are promoting the new moon board game which many newsXpress stores across the country are selling.

newsXpress has positioned itself to make the most of the considerable promotion around the launch of the new moon movie – through the board game, calendar, gifts and magazines.  We have done this because we understand and value the importance of strong brands.

newsXpress launches Twilight merchandise display competition

newsXpress and two of our suppliers have announced a newsXpress exclusive visual merchandising award for the promotion of NEW MOON branded items. With our game, calendar, gift items and magazines plus the brilliant A0 poster, newsXpress members have a terrific story to tell.

On offer is 6 Gold Class movie vouchers to use to see the “Twilight” saga continue with the release of ‘NEW MOON’.

This is another example of the newsXpress difference – pulling product covering various product categories and from a range of suppliers around a brand franchise which is well represented in more traditional products such as magazines and newspapers.

$30 million lottery superdraw syndicate opportunity

newsXpress has launched three newsXpress exclusive syndicates for the January 2,2010 $30 million lottery superdraw.  These new syndicates continue the success of recent superdraw syndicates which has seen newsXpress members attract new customers and drive deeper lottery shopping baskets.

Connecting members with newsXpress exclusive lottery syndicates is another brand-building opportunity for newsXpress members.

newsXpress releases Conference DVDs

In another first, newsXpress has produced a DVD of highlights from this year’s National Newsagent Conference featuring nine of the key conference sessions.  The DVD is available to newsXpress members only and provides a broader reach of valuable content presented at the conference.

newsXpress has been able to produce the DVD thanks to the help of our Diamond Sponsors: Pacific Magazines, Hallmark Cards and Jenlist.

UHU planogram helps newsXpress stores drive sales

nx_uhu_plan.jpgnewsXpress retailers are benefiting from proactive suppliers investing in the development and deployment of planograms which professionally represent their product.  The photo shows the UHU Glue Centre planogram at newsXpress Riverlink.  UHU has been terrific to work with in finessing the range and developing a planogram which is efficient in space use and proactive in pitching what sells easily in our type of retail situations.

newsXpress is proud to lead on this planogram initiative and thankful to have a great group of suppliers, like UHU, working with our Merchandise team to bring certain success to our retail network.  Planograms are new to newsagencies – they are key to our future success.

newsXpress communication strategy drives sales and margin

communications.jpgnewsXpress Wetherill Park is the latest location to implement the newsXpress exclusive communications products strategy.  This good margin and traffic generating strategy is based around a professional planogram for phone handsets plus better margin mobile recharge and a range of associated products.

We are seeing excellent sales flow from our communications initiative and the work done by our preferred supplier, Jenlist.  The result demonstrates the value of well managed business partnerships.  These are nurtured by our newsXpress merchandise team.

newXpress Eli Waters in the news!

eli_waters.jpgAllan and Stella Wickham of newsXpress Eli Waters made the pages of the Fraser Coast Chronicle  yesterday with news with their win at the newsXpress Awards dinner two weeks ago when they were announced newsXpress Magazine Retailer of the Year for 2009.

This newspaper coverage is excellent promotion of newsXpress Eli Waters, newsXpress and small business success.

We are thrilled to be part of this and congratulate Allan and Stella for their initiative.

Sponsoring the races

nx_mackay_village.jpgnewsXpress Village Mackay was an advertiser at the races yesterday in Mackay. Troy Ross and the team has advertised at the over the last five or six years.  This year they had up to fifty people attending the newsXpress marquee.  Graham Randall, founding Director of newsXpress was there (left in the photo) to support the promotion and engage in some good newsXpress networking.

newsXpress encourages local brand-building marketing initiatives like this.

A merchandise hit for newsXpress

The newsXpress merchandise team loves the success stories they get from newsXpress members. This just in from Sue Neal at newsXpress Ballarat:

In the first day of selling the Lako Digital Key Rings which are part of the newsXpress Christmas offer, we sold 13 units.  These are a product which we did not expect to work in our location.  We originally said no but finally agreed when our newsXpress Business Development Manager explained how he expected they would work for us.  We sold out of the first shipment and urgently sought more stock. Once the extra stock arrived we quickly sold another ten units.  The runaway success of the key rings is that I need to trust more the newsXpress recommendations.

We are thrilled with stories like this as they reinforce the back office processes which focus on sourcing good-margin products for newsXpress members which will be successful in a variety of situations.

Kris Kringle Gifts at newsXpress

nx_kris_kringle.jpgnewsXpress has provided its members with an excellent range of Kris Kringle gifts for the Christmas season this year.  Our merchandise team has carefully selected items for the Krs Kringle gifting opportunity based on thorough market research and assessing what has sold well in previous years.

The Kris Kringle range is in-store now.

The Kris Kringle range and our Christmas gifts are being promoted through newsXpress exclusive catalogues which are being delivered to homes around participating stores over the next week as well as through marketing collateral like this poster.

newsXpress continuously looks for a valuable and rewarding point of difference for our members.  Our approach to Kris Kringle this year is evidence of this commitment in action.  We are hearing from newsXpress members already about the excellent success they are having with some lines.

Kris Kringle is one element of a broader newsXpress Christmas strategy whicl we will cover here in more detail over the coming weeks.

Scaring lottery customers at Seymour

nx_seymour.jpgnewsXpres Seymour got into the Halloween spirit yesterday with staff wearing masks at their lottery counter.  These costumes and the Halloween display elsewhere in the store created a terrific atmosphere for the business.  This is part of what Halloween is about, having fun.  At newsXpress Seymour they certainly did that … and they may have scared a couple of customers along the way.

Halloween shopping at Salamander Bay

nx_salamander.jpgnewsXpress Salamander Bay put on an excellent Halloween show right up to the last minute with an excellent range of costumes, party goods and other items for shoppers wanting to embrace the fun of Halloween this year.

Beyond the good margin Halloween sales opportunity, the display at newsXpress Salamander Bay brought that extra bit of fun into the newsagency and this flows onto sales in other departments.  Retail is theatre after-all.

Halloween fun at newsXpress

nxp-halloween_final.jpgnewsXpress has shown that Scary can be fun with its fresh approach to Halloween this year.  newsXpress stores across Australia have been places of fun and good business over the last few weeks and this past week especially as we drew closer to the big night – TONIGHT! We have made newsXpress stores destination stores for Halloween. Customers love this, newsXpress retail employees love this and newsXpress retailers love this!

Our Halloween strategy has proved again this year to draw new traffic and extend the shopping basket – with good margin product.  This is a great commercial story for newsXpress stores.

Tonight, if you hit the streets for some trick or treat fun or if you head off to a Halloween party, have fun (because Scary can be fun), stay safe and think about newsXpress – we’re your Halloween destination.  Boo!

Brisbane newsXpress members meeting

newsXpress is hosting a members meeting and drinks on Tuesday November 10 starting at 3pm and followed by Christmas drinks. This will be held at the Virginia Golf Club, Elliot Road, Banyo, QLD, 4014.

This will be our final members meeting in Brisbane for 2009.  It is a packed agenda with a couple of newsXpress exclusive announcements which members will not want to miss.

Great Halloween success at Wetherill Park

nx_wetherill_park.jpgThe team at newsXpress Wetherill Park created a stunning display for their first ever engagement with the Halloween season.  The display went up in September and they have sold out of everything, in advance of the big day.

This is an excellent example of using a newsXpress initiative to drive traffic and sales around a good margin story thanks to newsXpress preferred supplier relationships.  newsXpress brings all the elements of a successful campaign together for local action at the store level.

The execution by the team at newsXpress Wetherill Park has been excellent and the results rewarding.

Witches at newsXpress Laidley??!!

nx_laidley.JPGNot really witches, not at all!  Amanda kindly agreed to model the purple witches’ hat – part of the Halloween range at newsXpress Laidley.  Amanda is all smiles standing next to a great display of Halloween product which has been selling well as we approach the big day this Saturday.

newsXpress Laidley has embraced Halloween and represented newsXpress well with thes popular and profitable season.  The know how enjoyable the season can be and the word of mouth value for the business by embracing it.