newsXpress Blog

newsXpress exclusive QCS essentials pack

newsXpress has worked with suppliers to provide our members with access to Queensland Core Skills test (QCS) essentials packs. newsXpress has done this since the newsagency marketing group started. We support the special, newsXpress exclusive, product offer with marketing collateral (see photo) to drive sales.

Our commitment to driving sales success for the QCS packs is another way newsXpress adds considerably more value than a buying group. We source the products, provide the management and marketing strategy and provide marketing collateral to drive sales. It is a complete strategy on which newsXpress newsagents rely.

New electronic product opportunity

newsXpress has started briefing its members about a new electronic product opportunity which is sure to attract new customer traffic and build a more valuable shopping basket.

Developed out of a preferred supplier relationship, there is no cost for participating newsXpress members yet plenty of sales upside.

The opportunity is being outlined at the current round of member meetings.

National Newsagent Conference details released

newsXpress has released details for registration to attend the newsXpress National Newsagent Conference in Melbourne in October. Any newsagent is welcome to come and participate in the only national newsagent conference in 2009 open to all newsagents. Click here for a registration form.

Helping with buying a newsagency

newsXpress is helping several newsagency channel newcomers with buying a newsagency. Our help is in the form of providing background information on newsagencies, what to look for in buying a newsagency, key supplier contacts and access to resources to make taking over the business easier.

Thanks to a broad range of skills within our newsXpress team ranging from advice on shop leases, business management, structure and buying, we are able to help prospective newsagents make decisions which can save time and money on their entry to this channel.

Buying a newsagency for someone new to the business can be daunting. The help from newsXpress can make that easier. The best contact within newsXpress is you are looking to buy a newsagency is one of our Directors, Graham Randall (0419 711 153) or Mark Fletcher (0418 321 338).

The help we provide shows the newsXpress difference at work. It shows the value of a full service newsagency marketing and management support group – over a buying group.

Exclusive supplier offers on show today

newsXpress kicks off its next round of members meetings today in Brisbane with several exclusive supplier opportunities to be presented to newsXpress members. These supplier deals add margin value to the relationship our members have with newsXpress. Two also add value to the back office services newsXpress provides.

We are excited for this round of member meetings and the new supplier-driven opportunities they present to newsXpress members.

Win a Sat. Nav. for Dad this Father’s Day at newsXpress

newsXpress members are set to give away more than 100 Satellite Navigation units as part of our national Father’s Day promotion in association with Hallmark Cards. To get in the running for a Sat. Nav. prize, buy a Hallmark father’s Day card at a participating newsXpress outlet.

The best part of this promotion is that there is a winner in each newsXpress outlet running the competition. This will make one local shopper very happy – in newsXpress stores across Australia.

The prize itself is a bit of fun because of the reluctance of guys to ask for directions.

newsXpress delivers excellent seasonal and other marketing opportunities to its members which help drive traffic and improve shopping basket efficiency. These benefits are bankable and demonstrate the value of our unique newsagency marketing group.

Sydney GNS Market Fair report

The first day of the Sydney GNS Market Fair was good for our newsXpress team. We were represented by four of our team including Karen Sutton (National Sales) and Roger Bortfield (one of our NSW Business Development Managers) pictured on the stand this afternoon. We met plenty of newsagents keen to tap into the business building assistance newsXpress delivers to all members. Our stand and the collateral we handed out demonstrated the newsXpress difference and our focus on building stonger and more viable newsagencies.

The GNS Market Fairs are proving to be a good place for newsXpress to present its offer because many of our preferred suppliers supply through GNS.

newsXpress member meetings start next week

The next round of newsXpress member meetings starts next tuesday in Brisbane. The dates are:

Brisbane Tuesday, 18/8/2009
Melbourne Thursday, 20/8/2009
Sydney Tuesday, 25/8/2009
Perth Tuesday, 1/9/2009.

St this round of meetings we will present four excellent supplier opportunities, open a business bulding discussion on a topic of interest to all newsagents and provide an excellent networking opportunity for proactive newsagents.

These member meetings provide an excellent opportunity for networking among newsXpress members, meeting with key suppliers and discussing newsXpress exclusive strategy.

The value of newsXpress

We are building excellent evidence of the value of the regular face to face meetings our Business Development Managers have with newsXpress members as part of their membership of our group.

Beyond excellent product deals and overall great buying, our newsXpress BDMs work with each newsXpress member to build healthier and more sustainable businesses. The evidence shows that engagement has its rewards. In one case, a newsXpress member points to new revenue streams and a healthier bottom line thanks to regular in-store visits. As he says, he can “bank” the value of the visits.

This is the evidence of the newsXpress difference working.

HOT Ink! trademark approved

newsXpress has received approval for the HOT Ink! ^TM trademark. This is an important recognition for this unique brand under which newsXpress members sell branded ink and toner at highly competitive prices.

Gaining trademark approval was an important part of our plans for the future use of this sub brand within our retail network. It is also evidence of our attention to detail around our assets.

the next HOT Ink! campaign is coming soon. This will provide newsXpress members with another opportunity to compete with national retailers in the ink and toner space and drive additional traffic to newsXpress locations.

Crayola joins newsXpress as preferred supplier

newsXpress is pleased to welcome Crayola as a preferred supplier to members of our group. Crayola is an international market-leading brand in the arts and crafts space and provides newsXpress stores with a complete product offering across their entire range – all available through the GNS warehouses nationally.

GNS Market fair attracts proactive newsagents

newsXpress has had an excellent two days at the GNS Market Fair in Melbourne. Our stand represented the newsXpress difference, our commitment to partnership in building the businesses owned by our members. This is done through excellent product deals. The most important work, however, is done through working with newsXpress owned on their businesses. The newsXpress strategy in this area is unique. It is why we are not for everyone – not all newsagents want to work their businesses to their fullest. For our part, we want proactive newsagents – we are glad to have met some over the last two days in Melbourne.

The brief for the designers of our stand was to show our strength, professionalism and commitment. This mean that we needed more than the usual posters on the wall that one sees at industry trade shows. Our wallpaper was specifically designed to reflect the brief and show the newsXpress difference.

We are grateful to GNS for the opportunity to present at their Market Fair in Melbourne.

Save money on Women’s Weekly and Good Health at newsXpress

newsXprss is pleased to be working with ACP Magazines on a promotion of the latest issue of Australian Women’s Weekly and Good Health as a special deal for our customers. The $2.80 saving will be enjoyed by newsXpress customers. We have arranged for marketing collateral from ACP for newsXpress members to support this marketing initiative in-store.

The goal is to test opportunities like this in newsagencies. ACP has already run similar campaigns in other retail channels.

newsXpress launches Lotto superdraw syndicates

newsXpress has launched two group syndicates for the Lotto superdraw on September 12. Available through participating newsXpress locations in Queensland, the two syndicates welcome customers to a bigger community in pursuit of a share of the $20 million first division.

newsXpress newsagents use these large syndicates to attract bigger gamblers and build their position as a destination for key games. Our data shows that these customers are valuable for other sales.

The newsXpress superdraw strategy is all about building balance from lottery revenue in the business. The more diverse the consumer appeal the more consistent the growth of the business. Syndicates are something retailers can own and sell to compete with online lottery sales.

newsXpress merchandise team at Melbourne Gift Fair

Several members of the newsXpress merchandise team have spent the last three days at the Melbourne Gift Fair looking at new product, meeting with suppliers and hosting members looking at gift opportunities at the Fair. A large range of products have been assessed by newsXpress on behalf of members.

The results of this considerable effort will be evident in offers coming out exclusively for newsXpress members over the next few months.

newsXpress is having considerable success in guiding its members into the gift space. Sales are showing that we are making good buying choices which are helping our members increase sales and deliver better margin balance to the business.

At GNS Market Fair in Melbourne

newsXpress is pleased to be exhibiting at the GNS Market Fair in Melbourne this weekend. We will be talking with Victorian newsagents about how the newsXpress model helps newsagents make more from traditional business lines while growing the business into new traffic and new money opportunities. The stand itself will show off the newsXpress professionalism and commitment to leadership of proactive newsagents.

Father’s Day collateral from newsXpress

To supplement Hallmark collateral for Father’s Day, newsXpress has sent each store stock of our own double-sided professionally printed A1 poster promoting this season.

This collateral is designed to be used in association with Father’s day gifts. The collateral has bee delivered to newsXpress members at no cost to them – as part of the overall service and assistance from newsXpress.

newsXpress Maryborough sells winning Lotto ticket

Ross & Sheryl Forster from newsXpress Maryborough in Victoria sold a 1st division winning ticket in Saturday’s 20 million superdraw. This is a great win because they know the winner and say it’s well deserved.