Magazines | newsXpress Blog

Driving magazine sales.

newsXpress has been recently briefed by a major magazine publisher on our same store year-on-year growth. newsXpress members who embrace our strategies, and that is most, are achieving considerably above industry average growth. When compared to every other group, we lead in the magazine department in terms of growth. We are proud of this because it is magazines which account for a significant portion of traffic visiting newsagencies.

With seven magazine management and promotion strategies exclusive to newsXpress, our member newsagents are well prepared to continue our success in this category.

Magazine headers drive sales growth

Magazines are included in, on average, half of all purchases made in newsagencies. While the category faces some challenges, we know from our private newsXpress same store year-on-year data analysis that growth can be achieved. newsXpress pursues magazine sales growth through a considered business management strategy. We work closely with our members on a multi-faceted strategy which helps newsXpress newsagents resolve supply issues efficiently, improves the shopper experience and rewards loyalty.

A small but important part of our approach to magazines is our use of newsXpress branded headers in-store. These are placed at the top of each column of magazines. Our magazine headers clearly identify categories, identify the MPA (Magazine Publishers of Australia) code and thereby make title placement by newsagent staff easier and more consistent and make the department look professional.

Shoppers react well to our newsXpress magazine headers – they can more easily find the category they want. We have received complimentary comments about how professional they make the magazine department look.

Magazine headers are part of the starter pack new newsXpress members receive when they join our group. They, along with other magazine elements in our starter pack, allow us to introduce newsXpress strategies to new members as they prepare to re-launch under the newsXpress brand.

The headers are part of the reason newsXpress newsagencies outperform other newsagencies in year-on-year same store magazine sales.

Exclusive Home Beautiful promotion

newsXpress members have benefited from an exclusive promotion in support of Home Beautiful. In addition to exclusive collateral material, one lucky newsXpress customer will win a generous cash prize. This event introduced a new element from traditional magazine promotions, with details of the competiton being directly marketed to consumers using the Home Beautiful database.

newsXpress is grateful to Pacific Magazines for supporting this promotion and helping newsXpress members offer a point of difference.

newsXpress Robina

newsXpress Beechworth

newsXpress Cairns

Magazine strategies pay off at newsXpress

Recent supplier briefings have shown how valuable the seven-point newsXpress magazine management plan is for our members. With newsXpress newsagencies delivering industry-leading growth we are better positioned to weather tough times.

Suppliers respond to our magazine initiatives with exclusive offers and insights which help us work smarter in the highly competitive magazine space.

newsXpress will be devoting time at the next round of member meetings (commencing in Melbourne of October 16) to discuss magazines and provide members with information on strategies which are certain to drive even greater success with magazines.

Proud support from Pacific Magazines

A highlight of the last day of the newsXpress National Conference was the presentation by Zoe Petrou (pictured left) and Jane Peterson-McIllhatton from Pacific Magazines to newsXpress with the completed Better Homes and Gardens painting. This painting was completed over the course of the conference by attendees and the Pacific magazine team. This painting will be proudly displayed on the wall at our Head Office and remind us of our first conference.

Painting together

To celebrate Inaugural newsXpress Conference on the Gold Coast this week and the 30th anniversary of Better Homes and Gardens, the folks at Pacific Magazines invited conference attendees to share in painting something for the wall of the newsXpress Head Office. The photo captures Shelley Petersen of newsXpress Sarina with brush in hand adding her touch to the painting. Some of us less skilled at painting than Shelley were thankful that there were lines to guide our painting.

This was a fun activity from Pacific Magazines for the trade show part of the two day conference.

Annette Sym inspires newsagents

Annette Sym set the newsXpress conference alight yesterday with her presentation on why she sells her Symply Too Good To Be True cookbooks exclusively through newsagents. Her weight loss, personal development, business success story is inspirational and commitment to newsagents and the newsXpress group in particular deeply appreciated.

Annette Sym is one of many speakers at the conference helping us connect with the theme of embracing change and propelling our businesses to a higher level.

Managing magazines in-store

Magazines are important to newsagencies, even more so in newsXpress. From our exclusive MPA category coded magazine header cards through to our unique loyalty program, we actively work this category to our advantage by delivering to our members a cohesive group of strategies and tactics which generate store traffic, increase basket size and make the magazine customer more valuable.

Our intellectual property around magazines is valuable as the results achieved by our members shows. newsXpress newsagents can bank of the success of magazines, for many it is a key financial justification for joining the group.

While others see magazines as a chore, the newsXpress magazine ‘system’ is delivering excellent results and providing our network with an excellent point of difference.

ACP Connections Conference is ‘Bloody Fantastic!’

The 8th Annual ACP Connections Conference and Awards ceremony was held at the majestic Park Hyatt in Melbourne yesterday to much acclaim with newsXpress again stealing the limelight from the gracious hosts.

With a conference theme of ABC – (Attitude, Balance, Collaboration) it indeed seemed as simple as 1,2,3 to Warrick and Jo Hosking from newsXpress Gympie who brought the evening’s festivities to a crescendo and the raucous crowd to their feat with the announcement of their momentous victory in the prestigoius ‘Newsagent of the Year’ title.

The ACP Connections website outlines the highest honour they annually bestow upon a worthy Newsagent as: A recognition of all-round excellence and sales growth. Furthermore the winner shall exhibit ‘best practice’ principles across all areas of their operation, including business planning, technology, store presentation, category management, marketing and promotions, customer service and staff training.

This guideline describes Warrick and Jo to a tee, but doesn’t take into account the infectious enthusiasm and generous brand spruiking that is ingranied to their personalities. They are truly the most worthy of winners and these additional character traits consolidated their back to back victory.

Not to be over looked amongst the hysteria that was the main event was the meritoriuos performance of Philip and Deborah Kobelt from newsXpress Parap who were rightfully acknowledged as Runners-Up. Their commitment to the connections program and unwavering pursuit of innovation in the promotion and merchandise of ACP titles capped a very successful newsXpress night.

Happy newsXpressers:

From back left – Mark & Shelley Petersen, Geoff Hilder, Stephen & Liz Dye, Paul & Maureen Blunden, Ron Thorpe, Mark Nagy, Debbie Kobelt.

Middle Row – Karen Sutton, Fiona & Adrian Matthews

Front Row – Ahn Do (Conference MC and Comedian), Scott Day, Warrick Hosking, Paul Martin, Jarrod Black, Ben Kay, Graham Randall, and Philip Kobelt

newsXpress Orange lead the way

These are some pictures taken at newsXpress Orange last Monday, Karen is seen pictured with Paul & Maureen Blunden’s cute little grandson son Sam in his very special newsXpress T-shirt!

Great innovation all round in Paul & Maureen’s store, they are great ambassadors for newsXpress!

The Stig and Top Gear

The team at newsXpress Ascot Vale understand the appeal of some of the characters of Top Gear and reflected this in their brilliant window display. The headline, The Stig is Here above his image says it all to draw attention to the launch of Top Gear Australia.

newsXpress members understand the importance of retail theatre in driving sales. Few marketing groups attack magazine opportunities like we do at newsXpress – as the folks from Ascot Vale show in their window.

Promoting Top Gear in Gympie

Gympie is an old mining town on the Fraser Coast in Queensland town. It has seven newsagencies. newsXpress Gympie never does anything by halves. Take a look at the sign they installed in front of newsXpress Gympie to pronot the launch of Top Gear, the new magazine from ACP Magazines.

Needless to say, Warrick Hosking at the team at newsXpress Gympie sold out of Top Gear.

‘Top Gear’ a winner in print at newsXpress

The popular SBS Jeremy Clarkson vehicle (pun intended) launched as a magazine in Australia today with many newsXpress stores getting in on the act. Sales so far have been very strong and hopefully will find a long term market once the local production hits the airwaves later this year.

newsXpress Indooroopilly created a typically impressive display utliising the supplied POS aswell as some very apt props.

newsXpress Glendale maximised the shows appeal as a drawcard by setting up a TV screen with episodes showing as part of their Top Gear display. They predict they will run out of supply by tomorrow.

newsXpress Sarina got into the rev head spirit borrowing an FPV GT from Powerhouse Ford in Mackay for the Top Gear launch. Several customers were spotted taking photos and wanting to take the car for a spin around town!

Scott & Cassie from newsXpress Toowong proudly stand before the display that has generated over 40 sales in just two days.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

When you are at the top of your game, how do you keep getting better?

These three stores just get better and better – Amazing. In Japan the word Kaizen means continuous improvement. Well the team at newsXpress Indooroopilly show you how the Kaizen Blitz works and how to bring the extraordinary benefits of this approach to continually improve what already is a stunning operation.

newsXpress Beechworth launches

newsXpress Beechworth was launched on Saturday and left the locals and tourists understanding that small business can make a difference.

Tracy and Ian McVea set up the promotional day with 2 goals:

1. Highlight the newsXpress magazine Loyalty Card offer and grow magazine sales, &

2. Being only 30 minutes drive to a major regional centre, highlight the local offer.

And what a success they made of it…

Magazine sales up over 120% on the day compared to last Saturday. Over 200 magazine Loyalty Cards distributed in a town of only 1840!

Strong acceptance of the HOT ink! offering with even city visitors asking why prices were so good.

Also in attendance on the day was ‘Sparky the Clown’ – what he can do with balloons is amazing! Sparky spent several hours entertaining the big kids with balloon shaping and the little ones with colouring competitions.

newsXpress Beechworth certainly made some noise in Victoria’s premier heritage town in the North East on Saturday.

newsXpress Kin Kora steam ahead while others rest

newsXpress Kin Kora are always at the forefront of promotional activity and post Mother’s Day is no exception.

The ‘Symply Too Good To Be True‘ display has been up for just over a week and has already generated great sales. With Annette Sym touring Gladstone this week we are hoping for another surge in sales. newsXpress has a fantastic two way relationship with Annette , which is certain to see her reward the store for promoting her title with her reciprocating this support when highlighting her products are available in store during her various speaking engagements.

While the rest of the country may never understand the allure, for dyed in the wool Queenslander’s and New South Welshmen nothing is bigger than State of Origin. With the big game 1 clash only a week away Kin Kora have a full range of merchandise and decoration on sale in a prominent location. Sarah mentioned that the jerseys are out and loyalty is stronger than ever, also if there wasn’t upcoming $20million Lotto draws the promo would consume more of the shop. Just wait until you see what they have planned for game 2 in the Sunshine state!

In what has been a busy promotional time they have also created some fantastic in-store posters thanks to their trusted Toshiba photocopier.

newsXpress on Channel Seven

Four newsXpress stores in Central Queensland: Kin Kora, Northside Plaza, Rockhampton & Sun Valley have joined together to produce a
co-operative television advertising strategy.

The following ad will be run for the two weeks leading up to Mother’s Day beginning this Monday, 28th April. While the generic advert featuring the Magazine Range and exclusive Loyalty Club Card; the HOT ink! category; and the Hallmark Greeting Card & Gift products will run at other times.

These adverts were a result of an exceptional collaboration between the stores and newsXpress Marketing department which have produced a professional result which can be utilised in other markets throughout the network.

newsXpress ROSELANDS TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

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.

MR newsXpress BEACON BRANDING

Now that ‘Mr newsXpress‘ Graham Randall is back out on the road serving newsXpressers, he had to learn how to beacon brand. See the “Chairman” in action here at newsXpress Westpoint learning how to do it.

Mary McNeil one of our Business Development Managers was on hand to teach both Graham and the Westpoint team how to beacon brand. As part of our overall 4 point magazine strategy beacon branding has helped newsXpressers lift magazine store on store sales to the highest in the industry in terms on volume per outlet.

We love magazines at newsXpress.

Display solutions at newsXpress Glendale

As written earlier in this blog, newsXpress Glendale commissioned an innovative refit last year. Among the great designs is this solution to your A5 Teenage magazines display dilemmas.