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newsXpress Market Fair dates

Next month, newsXpress is hosting Market Fairs around the counter where our members get access to great specials from newsXpress preferred suppliers, receive briefings on a small selection of products and discuss new strategies and opportunities exclusive to newsXpress. These business building sessions are open to newsXpress mebers. Here are the details:

Melbourne 11 Jun 2009, 09:30AM, Flemington The Event Centre – Panorama Room 448 Epsom Road, Flemington

Perth 16 Jun 2009, 09:30AM, Citigate Perth Hotel, 707 Wellington Street, Perth

Sydney 18 Jun 2009, 09:30AM, The Lakes Golf Club, Cnr King Street and Vernon Avenue, Eastlakes

Brisbane 23 Jun 2009, 09:30AM, Brisbane Technology Park, 1 Clunies Ross Court, Eight Mile Plains

Bookings are available online at our website. Access is free but bookings are essential.

Many happy newsXpress customers

newsXpress newsagents have been busy giving away digital cameras this month as in-store draws have been completed for the Hallmark Mother’s Day giveaway. The photo shows Shayne and Roslyn Clarke of newsXpress Cooma with a happy customer receiving her free Sony digital camera. This is a scene repeated across the country in newsXpress locations. Our members appreciate promotions liks this where a local customer is the winner – this reinforces our local connection.

Sensational marketing collateral supporting ink and toner offer

newsXpress has released sensational marketing collateral supporting the latest HOT Ink! ink and toner campaign being run in newsXpress outlets.

The marketing collateral, provided free to participating newsXpress members, includes double sided colour A2 posters (10 per store – 250GSM double sided gloss paper) , colour shelf labels and colour shelf talkers for feature products.

This collateral connects with the colour A4 flyers printed for newsXpress members to distribute to homes and businesses around their stores.

The artwork is a departure from the traditional pricelist type flyer used by newsagents for ink. We tested this approach last time and the consumer reaction was excellent.

It is rare that newsagents have access to such professional and cohesive marketing collateral connecting a campaign from the stock shelves through the store and out to consumer letterboxes and even rarer that such high quality collateral is provided free of charge.

newsXpress is proud to have taken ink and toner marketing to a new level and is certain that newsXpress members who fully embrace the new co-ordinated collateral will reap excellent sales rewards as a result.

The comprehensive and co-ordinated approach newsXpress has taken with HOT Ink! is a perfect example of the newsXpress difference at work. Place this material next to any other for ink and compare for yourself. Our collateral shows an attention to detail and to the needs of newsagency customers in the ink and toner category.

newsXpress backs itself and reviews sales numbers for members after each HOT Ink! campaign. As many said at our recent round of member meetings – HOT Ink! drives excellent traffic to newsXpress stores and generates excellent sales. This new co-ordinated marketing collateral takes us to a new playing field.

That’s Life fairy blesses newsXpress again

Linda, a lucky shopper at newsXpress Canning Vale is the latest newsXpress customer to be blessed with a cheque from the That’s Life fairy as part of their Random Acts of Kindness project. What a lucky break for That’s Life reader Linda! The details are in the That’s Life issue which it out today.

The Random Acts of Kindness project by That’s Life is another reason this magazine is so popular with customers and so popular among newsXpress members. A publisher proactively engaging in our stores in this way and rewarding customers with cash and a feature in the magazine is good news all round.

Phil and Shelley De Giorgio at newsXpress Canning Vale offer a great shopping experience – as the That’s Life fairy shows!

newsXpress launches stock take sale

In response to interest expressed by members, newsXpress last week announced details of an exciting Stocktake Sale for June. The Stocktake Sale, which will be supported by four page A4 flyers and large in-store posters, features six outstanding offers to generate traffic and stimulate sales. The sale has been structured to provide newsXpress members with an excellent opportunity to clear stock prior to the end of financial year stock take. The marketing collateral places newsXpress on a par with major retailers also playing in this space in June.

newsXpress syndicates sell out

The two Golden Casket $20 million superdraw syndicates, including a system 20 syndicate, established among newsXpress locations based in Queensland have SOLD OUT. This is a great example of teamwork among newsXpress members for a common goal. Well done everyone involved!

Book Sale hits the spot

The Book Sale promoted through newsXpress at Easter and beyond has been a great success for many of the participating newsXpress members.

In addition to bringing in new customers, the sale increased the average sale value as well as overall business margin.

newsXpress is focused on a whole of business story when developing promotions. While it is easy to pursue a sales spike based around a discount, the more valuable business is built over time and based around a strategy which brings in new customers, gets more items purchased in each customer visit and does this using better margin product.

Record sign up for HOT ink!

We have achieved record numbers of newsXpress members signing up to participate in our next HOT ink! ink and toner promotions which commences shortly. This will see the HOT ink! brand promoted in letterboxes across the country and in a number of other creative and exclusive ways to drive traffic and drive sales in newsXpress locations.

Our next HOT Ink! promotion will demonstrate to newsXpress members and others who look at our businesses the newsXpress commitment to brand development and the importance of innovation in a highly competitive marketpkace.

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all mums, especially newsagent family mums … mums who own, manage or work in newsagencies. You all play an important role in our businesses, not just newsXpress businesses but all newsagencies, as you do in the role at home to family. Like the family role, we often neglect to take the time to say, thanks mum – to our mums who own, manage and work in our businesses.

Thanks Mums!

Nia Kugel of newsXpress Lowwood reminded us of the important role mums and women play in newsagencies recently, speaking at our Brisbane member’s meeting. Nia spoke from the heart about what being a newsagent and mum and wife means to her. It was a reminder of the place of family, and mums, in our businesses. Nia won Woman Newsagent of the Year last year. This award is sponsored by Pacific Magazines and is an important award for women newsagents, and mums, to consider entering.

Mother’s Day is a good time to remind you of the award. If you are a woman newsagent, consider entering. Click here for the Woman Newsagent of the Year entry form. It is open to all newsagents, not just newsXpress members. We are proud to support this award.

Promoting Halloween in newsagencies

newsXpress this week sent out a range of offers for Halloween 2009.

Designed to create a fun shopping environment and drive good sales, the products include fun Halloween party items through to higher end Halloween gifts.

By pitching the various product offers to our members now, in May, we are providing plenty of time for planning in-store theatre and local events around this growing season.

In our recent round of member meetings we shared details of the commercial value of Halloween 2008. 2009 will be even better for newsXpress members who embrace this optional marketing opportunity.

Perth newsXpress members meeting

Meeting with newsXpress members in Perth yesterday, newsXpress continued the theme of recent member meetings of business networking, discussing newsXpress product offers and working in marketing strategies. We are able to share experiences from a national perspective and thereby develop excellent opportunities beyond their four walls.

NSW newsXpress newsagents meet up

newsXpress members in NSW met at The Lakes Golf Club today to discuss business, marketing strategy, suppler relationships and to talk with representatives from ACP Magazines and Pacific Magazines. The meeting also provided and excellent forum for networking among this group of proactive newsagents.

newsXpress exclusive $20 million superdraw syndicates

Queensland newsXpress members are working together in promoting two syndicates for the $20 million superdraw in Saturday May 16. One syndicate offers a share in a System 20 ticket while the other offers a share in each of four system tickets. These two syndicates are being sold only in participating newsXpress locations. This is an excellent opportunity for newsXpress members to sell high value tickets without the risk of needing to completely fill a syndicate alone.

Win a Sony Cyber Shot Digital Camera

Buy Hallmark Mother’s Day card from a newsXpress newsagency and you could win a Sony Cyber Shot Digital Camera. You Hallmark Mother’s Day card purchase also supports breast cancer research thanks to Hallmark’s financial support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. newsXpress members are proudly supporting the work of the NBCF by proactively promoting their pink ribbon campaign this Mother’s Day.

Available in-store 20th April – 10th May 2009, this promotion is an excellent local marketing initiative from the newsXpress / Hallmark Cards relationship. Each participating newsXpress store has been given a Sony digital camera valued at $229 to give away to one lucky customer.

The total value of the giveaway across the newsXpress group is in excess of $40,000. This could be the most valuable Mother’s Day giveaway in the newsagency channel this year.

newsXpress funds member participation in this digital camera promotion. Our newsXpress members have no additional cost, no marketing levy.

The Promoter is Hallmark Cards Australia Limited of 10 Caribbean Drive, Scoresby VIC, 3179. ABN 85 004 058 646.

NSW Permit No: LTPS/09/002604, ACT Permit No: TP 09/001062, SA Permit No:T09/657,

LTPS/09/002604 TP 09/001062T09/657,

Conference bookings now open

Click on the conference link, on the left side of the home page of the newsXpress website, and you can pre register for our 2009 National Newsagent Conference. This is one of the many interactive facilities available at the newsXpress website for consumers, newsagents and newsagent suppliers.

Through the website, newsXpress is demonstrating how to use online technology to cultivate new business and make existing business more efficient. Our view was that it was important we lead by example.

newsXpress newsagencies are leaders in their own communities and newsXpress is a leader among newsagency marketing and franchise groups. While anyone can claim this, it has been important to us to demonstrate this. Our new website is one way. Our conference is another. By introducing a direct link on our website to that of our conference organiser we are able to help prospective attendees register interest without time consuming paperwork and mailing.

Mutual trust with newsagents

newsXpress does not believe in locking in members to long term contracts. This is why our members may leave at 30 days notice. We would rather newsagents stay with newsXpress because they want to and not because of an onerous contract. That we have grown five times our size in the four years since 2005 indicates we are doing something right.

We have seen situations where newsagents have been refused the right to leave a marketing / franchise group and have had to involve lawyers – with little success. No one wins from such a handcuff approach.

We prefer a friendlier and mutually supportive and trusting relationship. This is why newsXpress is committed to a 30 day notice period. It respects our member newsagents and keeps our mind focused on serving our members and not enforcing a contract.

Perth seminar promoting newsXpress

newsXpress is hosting a free introductory briefing in Perth for prospective newsXpress members on April 30 at 10am.

Any newsagent interested in achieving more from their business is most welcome to attend.

We will outline exclusive to newsXpress deals, exclusive to newsXpress business marketing initiatives and provide an excellent newsagent networking opportunity.

If you want to grow your newsagency then this session is for you.

Click here to download and print a copy of the flyer promoting this event.

Supplier participation in newsXpress member meetings

We have a range of suppliers joining us for our next round of newsXpress member meetings which start next week. Senior managemennt representayives from Golden Casket, Intralot, ACP Magazines, Pacific Magazines and several other suppliers will be available to newsXpress members for discussion, feedback and networking.

The meetings will be held in four states:

Brisbane: Tuesday 21st April Brisbane – 10am, Brisbane Technology Park, Conference Centre,1 Clunies Ross Court,Eight Mile Plains QLD

Melbourne: Thursday 23rd April Melbourne – 10am, Malvern Valley Golf & Reception Centre (Arlington), Golfers Drive, Malvern East VIC

Sydney: Tuesday 28th April Sydney – 10am, The Lakes Golf Club, King Street, Eastlakes NSW

Perth: Thursday 30th April Perth – 12pm (Lunch) 1pm (Meeting), Country Comfort Inter City Perth, 249-263 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont WA

Newsagents considering joining a marketing group would be most welcome to book a place and experience the newsXpress difference first-hand.

Not all suppliers will be at each meeting.

newsXpress member meeting agenda

The agenda for our next round of newsXpress newsagent member meetings will include:

New special deal product opportunities
Local area marketing workshop
Merchandise plans for Q3 2009
Brand compliance – opportunities
Year to date newsXpress group financials
An update on our magazine project
Member open forum