newsagency marketing | newsXpress Blog

newsXpress on Facebook

newsXpress has established a page on Facebook, the social networking site being used by close to 100 million people worldwide. The newsXpress page will be used as a meeting place for newsXpress members and others connected with the group – suppliers, employees of members and former employees of members.

newsXpress will use the Facebook page in a way which is in keeping with the social context of Facebook – to connect people through the common link of an interest in newsXpress.

As the first newsagency marketing group in Australia to use Facebook, newsXpress is demonstrating an understanding of the importance of social media and the value of this medium for facilitating new conversations.

Anyone is welcome to become a fan of newsXpress on Facebook – search for newsXpress, once you are at the page click on become a fan. fans are kept up to date with newsXpress news through Facebook.

Branding the businessa

As newsXpress expands and more members complete shop fits, the brand itself is strengthened. There is nothing like a well-designed, professionally executed, new shop fit to best represent a retail brand.

newsXpress Gateway City in Western Australia is a good example of excellent representation of all that the newsXpress brand stands for. Owen and Robyn have created an strong design with appropriate flexibility to enable the business to evolve along with the needs of the marketplace. This is backed by a good mix of products and exceptional service.

newsXpress offers a range of assistance and advice to members as they approach shopfits. This ranges from feedback based on our experience in the newsagency channel through to access to specialist designed who understand the newsXpress mission and how to best represent this in a new shopfit design.

Trusting what we offer newsagents

newsXpress does not lock newsagents into a long contract. Our members can resign from our newsagent marketing group on thirty days notice. This is how it has always been and we do not plan on changing.

That we do not lock newsagents into a five year contract is a measure of our confidence to help newsXpress newsagents drive tremendous success from their relationship with us.

Newsagents considering joining a marketing group ought to question the length of any contract and be suspicious of anything longer than thirty days.

First online members meeting

We are proud to have hosted our first online newsXpress members meeting today. Ben Kay, our National Merchandise Manager, presented our Back To School and Christmas campaigns to members participating from their own businesses around the country. He also took questions about these and other merchandise initiatives from the group. Being online, people can participate in these meetings from anywhere. While online member meetings will never replace our face to face meetings, they are an excellent supplement for people who cannot attend or for businesses owners to involve employees without a high travel and time cost.

Members meeting for Melbourne

We are following up our National Conference with member meetings in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. These will recap conference highlights, outline back to school and other forthcoming campaigns and preview several key initiatives. They will also provide an excellent opportunity for member dialogue with the newsXpress Directors and senior staff.

The first members meeting will be in Melbourne on October 16. Any newsagent considering joining newsXpress is most welcome to attend – it is a good opportunity to see the group in action and hear about our plans for an exciting 2009.

New website coming

Development of a new website for newsXpress is well under way. The new site will be a complete replacement of the current newsXpress website. It will deliver new consumer and member functionality as well as present a bright and exciting new face for newsXpress.

The new site will be released in stages with the full functionality we intend for the site not being completely released until the first quarter of next year. There are some exciting innovations coming which will help newsXpress newsagents continue to lead the newsagent channel in year on year same store growth.

Connecting remote members

In what we understand to be a first for a newsagency marketing group, newsXpress is proud to announce two online member meetings – making it even easier for remote newsagents to more actively participate in the newsXpress experience. The first two online newsXpress member meetings will be October 14 and 15 at 11am and 2pm respectively.

Offering opportunities for like-minded newsagents to get together and share ideas is a key reason newsagents join newsXpress. We run regular capital city bases members meetings as well as regular regional cluster meetings. The new online member meetings will enable members across various states engage with others they see less frequently.

Using world-class online meeting management technology, the online meetings will operate almost as if everyone is in the one room. Our head Office team will present our Back to School and other upcoming campaigns as well as facilitate open dialogue among members.

If the first two online members meetings receive positive feedback newsXpress will schedule more for 2009.

Hearing from members

An important aspect of the National newsXpress Conference last week on the Gold Coast was the Show and Tell presentations from members. Five members spoke about specific experiences relating back to their newsXpress involvement. These presentations included:

Jim Carlile from newsXpress Buderim speaking about the importance of alignment of all in the group behind the brand and the brands it supports. Jim spoke about his experience with Terry White Chemists and how alignment was successfully used to strengthen that group and its members into a successful retail group.

Nici Hilder spoke about how they grew card and related sales at newsXpress Castle Towers, taking us through through several major transitions of their business to the showpiece newsagency her family has today at the Castle Towers centre in NSW. Nici shared some important learnings applicable to everyone.

Jarryd Moore spoke – connecting with the about how to communicate with Gen. Y. he connected with the keynote address from Peter Sheehan. Jarryd spoke from personal experience is methods which help improve communication between employers and Gey Y employees including mobile phones, email, websites and even My Space.

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.

Building a stronger newsagency business

The newsXpress conference sessions over two days were very well attended and the speakers highly rated. Key suppliers such as Tracey Wright, Managing Director of Hallmark Cards, Eugene Varricchio, Group General Manager – retail Sales & Distribution ACP Magazines and Vicki Rossi, Retail Sales & Circulation Director Pacific Magazines shared invaluable insights into their businesses and the performance of newsXpress newsagencies compared to other retailers. Business development speakers such as Gary Bertwistle, Peter Irvine, Peter Sheehan and Damian Knoblanche provided us with business ideas and insights we can use to strengthen our individual businesses and the newsXpress network more completely. It has been two days of business and personal recharge.

Peter Sheehan kicks off newsXpress conference

Peter Sheehan was the keynote speaker opening the first ever newsXpress national conference yesterday on the Gold Coast. A packed conference room listened as Peter talked about the challenges newsagents face and shared some strategies we can use to address these in pursuit of evolutionary business models. Peter also presented two well attended workshops in the afternoon on Generation Y – providing excellent insights into working with and serving this sometimes challenging generation.

newsXpress is committed to provide its members with excellent learning and motivational opportunities.

Sea World opener for newsXpress conference

Attendees at the inaugural newsXpress National Conference were treated to a night at Sea World on the Gold Coast last night as the opening event. Following a wonderful show by Sea World’s dolphins and their handlers during which two members got to play with the dolphins, we headed off for a wonderful meal looking over part of the Sea World park. The night was a relaxing and inspirational start to the conference.

The night was all the more special because the location of the evening had been kept secret.

At newsXpress we understand that surprise is important, especially in retail where customers expect the same old same old. Bringing surprise into retail helps a business navitage to greater success.

Welcome Pelican Waters

newsXpress thrilled to welcome the new shop at Pelican Waters which had its Grand Opening last weekend. Karen Sutton from newsXpress was on hand to train the team and provide support for the opening.

Store openings are an important part of the newsXpress process. They help newsagents put the past behind them and focus on building a brighter future for the business around the principles of newsXpress. This is where our in-store training is important. It brings the owners and their team together and focuses on the newsXpress difference. Our experts are able to draw on considerable experience from other stores and offer a range of strategies around which the business can grow in the future.

Suppliers get behind our store openings by providing prizes, marketing material and other support. They are keen to help our members and our group. This is because a newsXpress store, for many suppliers, will deliver above industry average sales growth.

Karen is our national account manager, handling all newsXpress prospect inquiries. If you are interested in newsXpress, please make contact with Karen.

We announce ‘newsXpress Echuca’ …OPEN!

newsXpress Echuca is the latest Victorian regional member to rebrand and open. The Dye Family certainly engaged the community with a month of activity commencing with the sponsorship of a regional conference and culminating with the Gala Opening last Friday.

An alreadt great store has been further improved with the pro-active owners seeing strong growth in Hallmark cards and related product ranges, magazines and Canson Art. Their fun opening day was obvious to all as highlighted by the enthusiastic team. An ever popular sausage sizzle, promotional give-aways and the nromal newsXpress activities provided a great start.

Congratualtions to Steve, Liz, Andrea, Jo-anne and all the team at newsXpress Echuca!

newsXpress Bairnsdale opens its doors

newsXpress Bairnsdale opened under the newsXpress brand on Saturday and everyone came to town.

Promotions giving away free petrol, Accomodation, Show Bags, Lucky Dips etc were supported by Hallmark Forever Friends Bear, Coco the Clown (How do they make motorbikes out of Balloons?) and a lovely chamber ensemble of local musicians filled in a great day that could not even be marred by the cold, wind and rain!

Many people entered the store for the first time and were eager to come back again. This positive feeling was only strengthened thanks tothe local Lions club and the 300 + delicious sausages they gave away out the front of the store.

newsXpress Bairnsdale proprietors Gina and Taz epitomise the newsXpress mantra. As new members, their particiaption is strong and they are subsequently reaping the rewards for their efforts!

Congratualtions on a great day!

newsXpress Kin Kora promote ‘Dad’s Nuts’

newsXpress Kin Kora are always at the forefront of innovative and visually stunning merchandising. Early indications are that Father’s Day will be no different as seen in the following pictures.

Sarah and the team have fully embraced the exciting and delicious range of Morish Nuts, and in particular the newsXpress exclusive ‘Dad’s Nuts’ pack. Also seen is the Hallmark Alliance marketing material with the fantastic Jag watch on offer as a prize in each store.

The Branding evolution of newsXpress Woden

newsXpress Woden joined newsXpress last November and in that time have gone through some massive changes in their business.

Proprietors Anthony and Nik McCormack firstly established uniform and customer service changes while embracing newsXpress supplier arrangements and promotions. Then last week the transformation was complete with an impressive newsXpress influenced shop fit.

The proud entrepreneurs are pictured below with their adorable kids.

INCREASING MARKET SHARE THROUGH ‘NEW MONEY’

Newsagents relying on “old money revenue” streams may be experiencing a sharp decline in sales as consumer confidence dips.

newsXpress continues to lead the market with innovative new money drivers. None better than our HOT ink! program. It’s a complete marketing and merchandise strategy which continues to evolve.

Proprietors within the group continue to come forward with amazing stories.

“I can’t believe how much our traditional stationery sales have grown since introducing HOT ink!”

“I am about to break out our Ink and technology sales from Stationery as it is growing so fast”

“Ink & Technology will be my number 1 dept soon exceeding greeting card sales”

“Technology products which are mostly ink now represent 40% of my stationery sales”

“The advertising is what is bringing new people through my door”

“Customers can’t believe we are more competitive than the bigger stores”

“With everything done for me, all I have to do is order the stock put it on the shelf and concentrate on serving my customers, how easy is that?”

“HOT ink! Has helped restore my faith in my newsagency”

Innovation, marketing and ramping up advertising is the key to building market share. The retailers that do this come out the other end bigger and better than ever! With HOT ink! 8 about to hit the streets nationally, HOT ink! 9 & 10 are not far behind. Watch this space for more innovation from newsXpress in the technology area.

Come and experience the difference

In a bold move to help newsagents find a brighter future, newsXpress has made places available for non newsXpress members at its inaugural conference on the Gold Coast in September. The agenda packed with presentations which will provide practical advice for newsagents. Peter Sheehan, author of the book excellent Flip will present the conference Keynote speech. Flip is about what newsagents need to know – how to turn a business on its ear for a brighter future.

Included in the very practical agenda is a series of Show & Tell sessions where newsagents speak from practical experience on innovation in their businesses, workshops on visual merchandising, a session of understanding Gen Y and a session on how to run a successful staff incentive program. All practical ideas you will be abl to take and use right away.

If you are looking to re-energise yourself and your newsagency and are considering joining the newsXpress marketing group this conference would be a good way to experience the newsXpress difference. A limited number of positions are available for non-newsXpress members. For further information please email paulw@newsxpress.com.au. Non members will have access to all conference sessions except for one which is for members only.

Adapting to suit changing needs of consumers

Brett and Alexandra Carey of newsXpress Deception Bay have done a magnificent job combining two very different promotions and also introducing a new ‘kid’s corner’ initiative.

The Care & Friendship Promotion exclusive to newsXpress through the Hallmark Alliance relationship builds sales by encouraging customers to purchase multiple products in the Forever Friends and Welloington Bear range – the prize a giant 36″ cuddly Forever Friends Bear!

The ABW Mid-Year Book promotion as seen in the photos has proved a great success throughout our network of stores.

And finally the introduction of a ‘kiddies corner’ which encourages greater duration of time shopping the store, while also providing a conscientious and creative local community service.