marketing | newsXpress Blog

Smurf branded products at Knox City

newsXpress Knox at Knox City Shopping Centre in Victoria has an excellent range of Smurf branded product ready for what some say will be the biggest movie launch of the year, the new Smurfs movie.

The range in the photo is just part of the Smurf branded range available at newsXpress Knox.

The Smurf range is selling already.

By leveraging the growing publicity for the new Smurf film, newsXpress members are able to attract new traffic and gain sales from existing shoppers who are already Smurf fans.

newsXpress provided members with access to a broad range of Smurf branded products covering the original branding as well as the branding from the soon to be released movie. Access to much of the product was an exclusive opportunity in the newsagency channel for newsXpress members.

In embracing the Smurf opportunity, newsXpress and newsXpress members have leveraged the tremendous PR and advertising spend around the new Smurf movie. This strategy has worked well for us before and we anticipate that it will work well for us this time. Already we are seeing good sales of Smurf merchandise in participating newsXpress stores.

The other benefit of engaging in the Smurf opportunity is relevance. Carrying this range demonstrates a relevance to today;s opportunities. With so many newsagencies looking tired and like a blast from the past, we know that we need to continue to innovate of range. Doing this on the back of a multi million dollar movie spend is a smart move, a newsXpress move.

The Best Newsagency Marketing Kit Ever

Earlier this year, newsXpress launched the most comprehensive newsagency marketing kit ever. Covering a broad range of marketing options from community engagement to in-store offer promotion, the newsXpress Marketing Toolkit provides newsXpress members with professional posters and collateral which can be easily customised to local needs and situations.

Having had four months to engage with the newsXpress Newsagency Marketing Toolkit, newsXpress members are starting to offer feedback. The most common feedback from newsXpress members is brilliant! and thank you!

newsXpress wants the store level feedback to be in the form of money banked as a result of engaging in embracing opportunities in the Marketing Toolkit.

The Marketing Toolkit perfectly demonstrates the newsXpress difference. It is an excellent example of our commitment to helping newsXpress members drive traffic and increase the average spend of shoppers. It supports strategies and tactics for driving sales of excellent deals available from newsXpress preferred suppliers.

newsXpress has invested considerably in the creation of the collateral in the Marketing Toolkit for newsXpress members. We own all materials and this provides flexibility in how it can be used. It also gives us an excellent base off of which we can create more materials for other campaigns.

The newsXpress marketing team is not resting on its laurels. Since the Marketing toolkit was originally launched earlier this year, a further five marketing campaign opportunities have been released to newsXpress members.

In addition to providing professional and high quality marketing resources, newsXpress also provides advice and guidance on local execution and engagement.

newsXpress Halls Head Wins Cash Award

newsXpress Halls Head won $500 cash for supporting trade suppliers as the newsXpress Trade Fair held in Perth earlier this week. All newsXpress members buying on the day went in the draw and newsXpress halls Head were the lucky winners of a handy $500 in tax free cash. The cash prize brought another fun element to the day.

Facebook innovation

The newsXpress Facebook page has been undergoing a facelift (pun intended) to make better use of this social platform. Details of this innovation and plans for new campaigns around social medial will be presented at our one-day conferences starting next week in Brisbane.

While our Facebook is the most innovative for newsagency marketing groups already, it is set to head into new territory thanks to excellent work being done behind the scenes.

Clever use of text message marketing campaign

Another newsXpress member has made good use of text messaging last month to promote a magazine. newsXpress first introduced this service in partnership with Pacific Magazines in 2009 as part of a broader magazine promotion program. Members who engaged reported excellent results. Access to the service is still available today and, as the recent campaign has shown, it is an excellent and innovative way to connect with customers.

Leveraging technology in this way is important in driving business results as well as showing off the relevance in today;s marketplace of the business.

We sell technology products in newsXpress locations so we feel that it is important to show off how we leverage technology opportunities for ourselves.

Easter Marketing Collateral Shows Off the newsXpress Difference

With Easter products such as aster Eggs being so bright and colourful, the newsXpress creative team made a conscious decision develop collateral which let the products pull focus this year rather than our collateral.

Too often with major seasons, there is a competition between Easter posters and the products which ought to be the focus of customer attention. This is more often the case at Easter, thanks to brightly coloured Easter Eggs.

We found a certain sameness in Easter collateral when we reviewed 2010. This is true this year if you look around retailers and how they are promoting the season. We wanted a newsXpress point of difference.

The result of our consideration is a wonderful set of Easter collateral which beautifully signposts the season yet which does not pull focus from the product which is vital to the commercial success of the season.

We are thrilled with feedback from newsXpress members and new on the multitude of ways they have been using the collateral, especially the bonus collateral provided for the Easter season.

Easter at The Gap, QLD

newsXpress The Gap has a fantastic range of Easter goodies on show right at the front of the newsagency.

Capped by our newsXpress Easter posters, this wonderful range offers Easter treats and gifts for everyone.

The broad range display says something about the wonderful range of Easter products sourced by newsXpress members through newsXpress preferred suppliers.

The display at The Gap is backed by a good range of Easter cards – directly behind the display of Easter treats and gifts. This placement creates a terrific zone of Easter shopping and helps draw more attention to the overall offer.

Easter at Arana Hills

newsXpress Arana Hills is making excellent use of the newsXpress Easter marketing collateral to draw attention to their Easter gift, egg and card offer … on display at the front of the store. Arranging the posters in this way, with visual depth, is more likely to draw attention to the terrific newsXpress collateral.

Early reports indicate that Easter 2011 is delivering good business for newsXpress stores. Gifts, cards and eggs are all selling well … based on feedback from newsXpress members.

Great displays are key to seasonal promotion success, displays like we can see at newsXpress Arana Hills which offer products across a range of product categories in a good location and which can be easily shopped.

My Family stickers from The Sticker Family at Ascot Vale

newsXpress Ascot Vale is promoting the very popular My Family sticker range from The Sticker Family to all customers entering the store. As we are finding right across the newsXpress retail network, sales are strong from existing customers and new traffic.

The pull up banner is proving to be the best way to promote the My Family sticker range as it shows off the range of stickers available.

Since newsXpress brought on this new range of products, uptake among newsXpress members has been excellent, creating a proactive retail network for the My family stickers and showing off the value of the newsXpress network to other suppliers. From the placement of the pull up banners to customer service, newsXpress and newsXpress members are demonstrating the value of working together and respecting the compliance goals of a supplier.

Promoting UFC magazine at Echuca

newsXpress Echuca in Victoria is promoting the launch of UFC magazine with tactical placement of the UFC display unit on the dance floor and facing customers as they enter the store. UFC selling well in newsXpress locations thanks to the collateral provided by ACP and the promotional advice provided y newsXpress to members in advance of the launch of this new sports title.

newsXpress adds value to magazine product launches and promotions thanks to advance information provided in confidence by publishers as well as access to an excellent pool of collateral, some of which is created exclusively within newsXpress.

newsXpress is the only newsagency marketing group with a multi-layered magazine management and sales strategy including the channel’s most successful magazine loyalty program.

Terrific training for newsXpress newsagents

newsXpress newsagents across Australia have been participating is an excellent business building workshops from newsXpress preferred supplier Sanbrook, Australia’s premier party supplier. This hands-on training has been delivered as part of our one day mini conferences. newsXpress members have been learning how to grow the party goods department, how to handle the various components, how to use balloons for terrific in-store displays and how to own this high margin category.

This is the newsXpress difference … we bring a respected supplier to our members with exclusive commercial benefits, we back to up with in-store collateral, we facilitate quality training and we lead by using our corporate stores as test best for developing the new offer.

newsXpress is proud to draw together so many elements to create a holistic solution for members in its approach to party goods. Our work since last year is enabling newsXpress members to fast track their entry into party goods, way beyond the traditional newsagency offer. We deliver access to market intelligence, tips, advice and product ranging knowledge which would take independent newsagents years to build up. Those who attended the recent member meetings saw this first hand.

newsXpress members are embracing the new party opportunity right across Australia. While other newsagents will try and copy and some marketing groups may claim that they have the same offer, what newsXpress has created is exclusive to our group. The products, training, collateral, pricing, ranging, tips and business building advice combines into a newsXpress exclusive package. Brilliant!

Let the newsXpress party begin!

Happy St Patrick’s Day for newsXpress Members

newsXpress has created all new collateral for celebrating St Patrick’s Day 2011. The new material will help newsXpress stores embrace the day and have fun in store while enjoying good sales with the excellent range of St Patrick’s Day products which are available from newsXpress preferred suppliers. newsXpress has it all for St Patrick’s Day: an excellent mix of products, good collateral and ideas for in-store engagement … all designed to have fun and drive sales. Now that’s the newsXpress difference in action.

Great In Store Offers newsletter for February

A week ago, newsXpress members were sent the template for our February In Store Offers newsletter. Without the need for any special software, newsXpress members are able to tailor this as if it has been produced just for their business.

Our In Store Offers newsletter is just one of several marketing channels developed and supported for the newsXpress retail network across the country.

By publishing this newsletter before the end of the month, newsXpress members are able to produce it for inclusion with customer accounts.

Back to School at Macarthur Square

newsXpress Macarthur Square has put on a terrific and large Back to School promoting with an outpost in the shopping centre. Packed with excellent deals tailored for the families in the area, this outpost is a credit to all involved on the newsXpress Macarthur Square team. It generates excellent business, promoted the retail store in the centre and promotes the newsXpress brand. Well done!

newsXpress Southport Park promotes Australia Day

newsXpress Southport Park, like many newsXpress stores, was busy promoting Australia day in the lead up to the big day earlier this week. The promotion included a table of items with while Southport Park customers could help celebrate the day. newsXpress provides access to this and other seasonal promotional material through a supportive preferred suppliers.

newsXpress Singleton Heights promotes Back to School

newsXpress Singleton Heights is promoting Back to School packs for specific years with this terrific poster.

Back to School is different between newsagencies. Some stores offer packs, as they are doing at newsXpress Singleton Heights, others offer a generic yet broad range which competed with the majors while others offer supplementary products of products not commonly part of the BTS offer in majors – like the Crocodile Creek range.

newsXpress supports members engaging with back to School in the way which is most appropriate for their local community. We will and do support our members in this endeavor in any way possible.

The poster being used at newsXpress Singleton Heights is, in our view, a great example of best practice promotion of a localised Back to School offer. Well done to everyone involved.

Tom Hopkins coaches at newsXpress Noosa Heads

World renowned business guru Tom Hopkins has delivered a two hour business coaching session to the team at newsXpress Noosa Heads. Tom had worked previously with Ross and Graeme Marlow and it was through a friendship forged decades ago that the opportunity for the coaching session emerged. The team at newsXpress Noosa Heads embraced the opportunity and has some excellent fresh skills as a result.

The Sunshine Coast Daily has more on this story.

Father’s Day at newsXpress Bairnsdale

Father’s Day features in a terrific window display at newsXpress Bairnsdale.

From books to gifts to the Hallmark sound cards, the Father’s Day story is strong and appealing – bound to attract shoppers to browse the range. Congratulations to everyone at newsXpress Bairnsdale for this display.

In selecting products for Father’s Day 2010, the newsXpress merchandise team took care to cater to a broad cross-section of dads in terms of age, interests and economic conditions. Early indications from newsXpress stores are of strong sales for the season of gifts as well as cards.

Annette Sym at newsXpress Knox

Annette Sym visited our newsXpress Knox store in Victoria last Friday and autographed copies of Symply Too Good To Be True 6 for some of our customers.

Annette is pictured in the photo at the front of the story along with Kym and Belinda. It was a thrill to have Annette in the store and for us to now have personally signed copies of the book for sale.

Symply Too Good To Be True 6 is selling very well for us at newsXpress Knox and so many newsXpress stores across the country. Congratulations to Annette for another terrific success story.

Great uplift in instant lottery ticket sales

newsXpress Watergardens achieved an excellent uplift in sales of instant scratch tickets thanks to this smart front of store display as well as employee engagement with Intralot caps and the offering of a reward for customers buying a certain number of consecutive tickets without achieving at least one win.

There was an immediate and sustained lift in sales as a result of the well co-ordinated and managed campaign. This lift is sales was achieved from existing customers as well as from new customers attracted by the impressive display.

Well done to Renee for developing the campaign with Intralot aand to the team at enwsXpress Watergardens for such a successful campaign which represented newsXpress so well.

newsXpress supports members across a range of product categories including lotteries. This support can be in the form of co-ordinated campaigns like this one at Watergardens or more tactical offers designed to drive basket growth.