newsXpress held another members meeting at VANA for our Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian members.
With another impressive roll up it was a great session to get members together and talk through some industry issues as well as providing a business development session. We were also shown how the Hallmark newsXpress strategic partnership is providing double digit greeting card growth for the group.
Luke Scott and his team at newsXpress Scott’s Lismore have created a wonderful display of Hallmark and Hipp products as part of their Mother’s Day gift range.
They have used their front of store dancefloor to really capture customer’s imagination with a sea of pink. Even though Mother’s day is still a month away sales are considerably up from the same time last year.
Vinay and the team at newsXpress Roselands have recently re-branded the store. In terms of being a gun retailer, have a look at how they have attacked the greeting card and magazine categories in their store, no wonder they are at the top of the tree in terms of magazine and greeting card volumes.
With over 200 full face magazine pockets at the front of the store and a huge commitment to the Hallmark/newsXpress strategic partnership, this store is a prime example of a successful and still growing newsXpress retail operation.
newsXpress held another meeting in WA in Perth for the metro members and Lyn Mason from Cardpac was also there to talk about her selection of greeting cards Along with Lyn’s presentation, we had a 4 hour meeting discussing local issues and empowering members to build their businesses with new money strategies and the newly launched project XLR8 business building strategy for the network.
This is the second meeting in a week in WA and newsXpress continually supports its members like no other group by conducting state and regional cluster meetings every 6 – 8 weeks all over the country to maintain its position as the premier group in the channel. By bringing learning’s from all around the country, the network of stores and every member can grow their businesses and love to go to work every day.
newsXpress GPO is a convenience based business in Creek St Brisbane. Bradley Dean and the team keep adding new money revenue streams to the business to leverage the huge foot traffic that they have during the week.
By providing inspiration to the customers with gifts from newsXpress approved suppliers Compendium and Jasnor, they have increased the cross-selling opportunities to leverage off the great card sales the store is getting. One helps the other grow and sales are very much on the increase in card and gift within the newsXpress network.
newsXpress Ballarat is a shopping centre based member with significant competition. Their efforts of embracing our strong supplier alliance has shown an almost 18% increase in Valentine’s Day sales over last year.
And how do they know? Simple really. Within 7 days of Valentine’s Day, Hallmark had completed a review of the store sales and determined that newsXpress Ballarat has increased it’s Valentine’s Day sales by 17.94% over last year. Additionally, Hallmark used store photos in their recent sales meeting.
Whilst the store visits might have caused Ballarat to get very quick results, Hallmark will provide valuable feedback of sales performance to every member and then work to ensure these great sales increases are continued.
Giftware sales at newsXpress Albany Creek is a “new money” category, generated by existing customers (traffic flow) purchasing the beautifully presented giftware in the window area.
To further grow sales, Michael and Wendy had new fixtures made, pushed the existing card fixtures back to create a bigger dance floor, and sales have accelerated. Customers appreciate the extra “space” in which to browse the new gift ranges.
Again the creative benefit of the newsXpress structure comes through in these photos. Firstly you can see newsXpress Melton have placed their Hallmark/Alliance Forever Friends Bear on a swing as the centrepiece in the store. The effectiveness of this classic less is more is clear to see with over 150 entries in the Valentine’s day competition.
newsXpress Reservoir are soon to undertake a refit but have done a magnificent job to transform their front window using both the newsXpress and Hallmark marketing materials.
One of the greatest strengths of the newsXpress network is our diversity. Size, background, opinion and style are a few of many attributes which contribute to make newsXpress the progressive group that is challenging deep seated ideas and guiding small business into the 21st century and beyond.
Below is a visual example of how the differences at each store become strengths across the group. Each store have access to the newsXpress Marketing, the Hallmark Alliance material’s, and various supplier deals. How they interpret that for their market and how they present their unique stores each contribute to building the group.
Four Display areas are used for Valentines Day, the window, 2 power ends, plus the very front display area next to the greeting cards, where the Forever Friends Bear give away sits with the large poster behind him.
Chocolate Gems are a big hit, as are the giftware and plush offering.
The Displays are fresh and colour co-ordinated.
newsXpress Windsor have received the fantastic news that they will be promoted into a higher rebate classification in their Hallmark account. This has occurred due to the hard work of Kam and his team to promote the brand through cards, gift & wrap and an increase in sales. A greater emphasis on merchandising, add on sales and range has led Hallmark to recognise these results and provide backdated rebates through 2007.
The ability to work closely with key account managers and the ever present incentive to improve your return has proved an on-going win/win relationship for newsXpress and Hallmark.
newsXpress Scott’s Lismore have gone all out to stamp themselves as the premier retailer in town.
Their Valentine’s Day set up is a great example of how they have gone about this. Giving the promotion prime real estate at the front and centre of the store. They are hoping this produces a good sales result and to show their initiative even further have introduced an opportunity for customers to win their money back with the purchase of any Hallmark Bear.
Since joining the newsXpress group and swapping card suppliers from John Sands to Hallmark, Jim O’Toole at newsXpress Rutherglen has seen his card sales go through the roof.
Marketing is what drives sales and that’s what newsXpress and the Hallmark Alliance partnership does for newsXpress stores, turning newsagents into savvy retailers.
newsXpress Gladstone Park are proof that you can run two marketing campaigns at once. They are currently running the “no stress at newsXpress“ Back to School marketing in conjunction with the newsXpress-Hallmark Valentines Day seasonal marketing. Working multiple parts of the store at once is paying dividends for them with great sales across multiple categories.
Valentine’s Day is traditionally one of the biggest promotions in the year for newsagents whose wide range of cards and gifts attract customers from near and far who wish to express their love to those in their lives.
newsXpress Forest Hill have created a display utilising the newsXpress and Hallmark marketing materials to wonderful effect in their front window and through the store. The giant Hallmark Forever Friends Bear is the prize in the Hallmark Alliance promotion. All newsXpress members receive free access to this program as part of their newsXpress membership.
Below is a feature picture from newsXpress Eumundi displaying the Valentine’s Day range of gifts from Chocolate Gems.
Photo from the 2007 Hallmark Tour to North America – newsXpress stores have supported these study trips for the past 3 years, the (2007) newsXpress stores were:
With the learning’s from the seminars and retail visits newsXpress stores come back and implement what they have learnt which is one of the reasons the newsXpress group is recognised as the leaders in the industry. newsXpress representatives also
identify product in the US which is then brought in exclusively for the group. This study tour and the opportunities it presents for networking, information sharing and product identification is part of the reason why newsXpress entered a strategic partnership with Hallmark. The massive growth in sales proves the arrangement is mutually beneficial! The 2008 tour is planned for July and official invitations will be sent in the next month.
David is President of Hallmark Cards Personal Expression Group and grandson of J.C Hall founder of Hallmark Cards.
Thanks to our work with Hallmark, newsXpress is rolling out a new approach to the merchandising of bags across its network of 120+ retail locations. Here is one example of a store to receive the new treatment:
We know from our work in a variety of test stores that the results are excellent. In addition to increased sales, there is always positive feedback from customers who enjoy the shopping experience more.
With bags replacing traditional wrapping paper sales it is important for newsagents to get their range and display right to demonstrate relevance to consumers. This is where newsXpress helps its members grow their businesses.
newsXpress members have started receiving marketing kits as part of the new Hallmark Alliance Program. newsXpress is funding the $1,250 annual cost of Hallmark Alliance for its members. The first program many members are running with is a free card offer – based on rewarding loyal customers. This program is tied in with the newsXpress Care and Friendship Month.
The newsXpress Hallmark relationship is unique in the newsagency channel in that it goes beyond rebates and promotions. Hallmark and newsXpress share research and other data to the mutual benefit of their stakeholders. This is one reason newsXpress stores are seeing excellent sales growth in the greeting card category.
Here is part o the campaign support for Care and Friendship Month – a greeting card and gift promotion developed and run exclusively for newsXpress newsagencies. All to often in our busy lives we do not take time to say thank you to those who help us: teachers, doctors, priests, friends. We created Care and Friendship Month o focus on saying Thank You. It is designed to help people find the right cards and the right words to show appreciation.
Having started some years ago, this campaign has built a strong following among newsXpress members. They like that they are able to focus attention on cards at a time of the year when card sales are flat. Bu this is not purely a commercial pitch. care and Friendship is also a reminded to our members to appreciate co-workers, family and friends. It reminds us to take a moment out of our busy schedules to show that we care too. For that reminder alone, this newsXpress exclusive program is worthwhile.
Care and Friendship month starts July 1, 2007.
