newsXpress helps Australian newsagents turn their situation around

newsXpress has plenty of experience in turnaround situations, helping newsagents. While we will not reveal details of our strategy here, we note that it takes time, commitment, honest communication and a wish for change. We start by understanding the truth of a situation. We dig deep into the newsagent business data to get to the facts. This provides a basis for advice we provide.

Our turnaround work can consist of as little as suggestions on changes or as much as developing a comprehensive long-term plan.  Each newsagent turnaround situation is different – hence our position that a turnaround starts with understanding the situation of the business and the business owners.

We actively work with newsXpress members to understand the needs of their newsagent businesses, working individually, practically and locally.

This is another service from our engaged newsagency marketing group, helping newsagents create more valuable and sustainable retail businesses.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US?

By understanding what is important to us you can discover what we focus on for newsXpress members. Here are the top things we think are important:

  • Helping you save money. Because, cash is king.
  • Exclusive products. Through which to differentiate your business.
  • Helping you find customers you would not usually reach.
  • Change is inevitable. COVID-19 brought about urgent change and newsXpress was engaged from the outset, supporting, guiding, helping … providing confidence.
  • Good business data can help reveal trends. newsXpress has been first with advice to leverage fads and when to exit.
  • Brands support newsXpress and member businesses. We put brands first.
  • We love to see and hear newsXpress members talking with each other, sharing experiences and insights. Great ideas have been discovered on a shop floor.
  • The journey. We prefer to focus on the steps we take today rather than where we might be tomorrow because we know in small business, in retail and in newsagencies, tomorrow is an unknown. We focus on what we know and the next step we will take.
  • New traffic. We chase products and opportunities to drive new traffic, people you do not usually see in your business – ideally, new traffic that will return.

Storytime: dad jokes

Storytime.  Bob put his paper on the counter and said “my kid says to me today I’m hungry so I says to him, Hi hungry, I’m dad.” He slapped his hand on the paper and laughed. I couldn’t let this go, so I said “My kid said to me dad, can you put my shoes on. So I said, nah, they won’t fit me.”

Bob started telling the dad jokes a few weeks ago. I found out he was going to different shops telling jokes, giving us all a laugh. Now, we trade jokes regularly. It’s a hoot.

We have the best customers.

newsXpress helps newsagents transform their businesses

Every day, the newsXpress newsagency marketing group helps newsagents engage with their businesses in fresh ways.

Here are some of the practical benefits of our newsagency marketing group delivers access to for newsagents.

  • Regular Zoom meetings for members. From March 2020 to now these have been daily at 2pm and on Sunday at 4pm. Plenty who can’t make the meetings watch the videos of them.
  • Virtual trade shows. Where suppliers show products and answer your questions.
  • Better pricing from preferred suppliers with discounts off standard wholesale.
  • Better margin from special deals. Exclusive deals can boost GP by 25% and 50%.
  • Exclusive suppliers: like the Royal Australian Mint.
  • Seasonal A1 posters delivered to your store.
  • Strategic planning. Using our business data, we prepare insights for consideration and lay out a roadmap for change for your consideration. This is leveraging your own business data into an analysis report specific to your business.
  • Ready to go social media. We provide social media posts ready to go, branded and unbranded. With a mixture of text, image and video content.
  • Marketing advice on how to attract new shoppers.
  • Pricing advice based on evidence to maximise your profitability.
  • Member emails: management advice, strategic planning advice and supplier deals.
  • Better cash flow with central billing for almost 50 suppliers. We guarantee payment to suppliers and they like that. You pay us at 45 days end of month – extended terms.
  • Group website access. We offer several consumer facing websites that you can sell from.
  • Half price business website. A Tower Systems developed Shopify site for your business.
  • Everything is optional. We don’t force you to do anything we suggest.

newsXpress offers more than this, hellping newsagents to transform their businesses, finding new shoppers, encouraging a focus on shop local in practical and financially beneficial ways for the business and the local community.

We are grateful to our 200+ newsagent members for their encouragement, engagement and support. They make us what we are and help provide a 2020 of terrific accomplishment.

To find our more about newsXpress, start by querying at help@newsxpress.com.au. One of our team members will engage, answering questions and sharing practical information about how we help newsagents enjoy their businesses more.

Storytime: I don’t know what to write

Storytime.  “I don’t know what to write.” It’s a common comment people make when buying a sympathy card, more common from guys in our experience. They say it looking for advice. We had a guy in the other day who bought a sympathy card and asked for our help. “My nan died and this is for my mum,” he said putting the card on the counter. “I know a card is the right thing to do but what do I write?”

I offered what we have found to be the best advice. “Write what you’d like your mum to read a few years from now, something that reflects how you feel about your nan and about your mum’s loss. A happy memory maybe. People hang on to sympathy cards and what you write today will be a comfort for her years later.”

Every day we get to talk with our customers about the most personal situations. It’s something to treasure about being a newsagent.

Storytime: the scrapbook

Storytime.  Young Harry was our youngest shopper the other day. He’s 6, because he told us. “I’m 6,” he said, passing up a scrap book to buy. Out of his pocket he pulled two small handfuls of coins. “It’s for my great gran,” Harry said, “we can’t see her and I want to make her smile because she’s sad and I want to make her smile.” Harry was on a mission.

“I bet you’re going to fill it with some good drawings,” I said to Harry, handing back the scrapbook. “And photos,” he said, “we’ve got photos and I made this poster for school, so we are going to stick that in there and I’m going to write her a story, aren’t I mum?” Mum looked on, proud and smiling. “This is going to make her happy isn’t it mum?”

Harry and his mum walked out holding hands.

It makes us feel good knowing that a basic scrapbook we sell will become a cherished keepsake that brings joy.

Stroytime: virtual hugs

Storytime.  “Hey, do you have a small pad like the size of a pack of cards or smaller?” “Sure,” I said, and grabbed a couple of pads from our stationery area and put them on the counter, in front of the young guy, “take a look at these.” He flicked through, fanning the pages. “They are perfect.” He was smiling.

I usually leave customers to their purchases. This time, curiosity got the better of me. “Can I ask what they are for?” “It’s my grandma, she’s in a nursing home and we can’t visit on account of the corona as I’m going to make a flip book cartoon for her of her and me hugging.”=

“What a beautiful gesture,” I said, feeling choked up. “I’d love to see it when you’re done if possible.” “Sure,” he said.

A week later he was back. The cartoon was amazing, so creative.

It’s a privilege in retail to serve customers who express themselves in the most wonderful ways.

newsXpress helps newsagents through COVID-19

Newsagency marketing group newsXpress continues to support small business newsagents through the challenges of COVID-19. It is doing this through a range of platforms such as:

  • Daily Zoom meetings. These are a live meeting of members who are available at 2pm every day Monday to Friday. The sessions and filmed and made available to those unable to attend live.
  • Personal support. We work with retailers one-on-one on re-casting their business based on data and using videos and photos from in-store.
  • Virtual trade shows. Introducing suppliers and their products to retailers through video presentation and live Q&A – like a personal trade show experience.
  • New suppliers. newsXpress has welcomes eight new suppliers in recent weeks with each helping extend the shopper appeal for newsXpress members.
  • Mental health support. Offering encouragement and strategies for dealing with the mental health challenges of 2020.
  • Deals. newsXpress has unlocked some high value deals for its members, helping them drive excellent gross product percentage results that are best-practice.
  • Cash flow beneficial. newsXpress has provided cash-flow benefits to members through a range of negotiated arrangements.

COVID-19 is challenging for many. newsXpress is here to support retailers and provide them with tools they can leverage for a better 2020 for their business and all who rely on it.

We hope your 2020 is going well and that you are safe.

Storytime: sunshine

Storytime.  “Yellow, I need everything I can get that you have that is yellow.” Marie is always a spot of brightness when she visits. “I’m tired of gloominess. I am going to create a bright sunrise in my front window.” She showed us a sketch of what she had planned.

We put together several shades of bright yellow poster card, yellow paper, yellow tissue paper and yellow ribbon. Oh, and a little bit of red tissue paper for the core of the sunrise.

A few days later, we drove past Marie’s house and sure enough, she had created the most beautiful sunrise. Her front window was bright and cheerful.

It is wonderful seeing people like Marie create sunshine.

Storytime: letter writing

Storytime. Hazel put 3 writing pad and envelope sets on the counter. “I’ll make letter writers out of the grandkids yet,” she said with a smile. “Even if I have to bribe them.”

Hazel’s plan was to give the grandkids a money gift for each letter she receives, up to $5 depending on how she rates the letter. They can send a letter each fortnight, no more often than that.

She writes back with the gift and a note of her own.

Hazel has been doing this for 3 months and it is working. The kids are getting better at writing and Hazel is enjoying going to her letterbox.

We love hearing how people are finding new ways to connect these days.

Storytime: magazine browsers

Storytime. Daphne is a perennial magazine browser. She’s been a regular for years, loving the craft and food magazines, often browsing for half an hour or so before choosing the ones she would buy. These days, Daphne is in an out quickly, because browsing is not encouraged by the health experts.

“It’s hard making a quick decisions,” Daphne was standing at the counter, wondering about the crochet and a food magazine on the counter. “I remember when shopping was fun and entertaining. These days it’s get in and get out.”

So much about shopping has changed. We loved people spending time considering their magazine purchases. These days, though, speed is key. We want everyone to be safe.

Storytime: 2020, corona and a trade and his dad

Storytime. “I don’t usually buy father’s day cards,” 20-something Jackson said with a wry smile, as he pushed a Father’s Day card across the counter, “but 2020 is a year of firsts.”

Jackson is a local tradie, he moved here last year when he started his apprenticeship. He’s not our usual Father’s Day card shopper. “I get on okay with dad, but we’ve never been card givers, we both prefer a beer.”

He’d chosen a fun card that said ‘Happy Father’s Day from the good one.’“ “The thing is, I don’t know what to write.” This is a common comment with Father’s Day cards. “Be yourself. Imagine it’s the last thing he ever reads,” I said, delivering our fine-tuned advice.

Jackson stood to the side of the counter and write his dad a note. I’m pretty sure I saw him wipe a tear, a happy tear, from his face as he closed the card to put it in the envelope.

This Father’s Day is different. The hugs being sent to dads will be cherished.

Storytime: grandparents, nursing homes and corona

Storytime. Through his mask, 70-something Walter spoke quietly with a tone of sadness in his voice. “I want to hug my granddaughter and tell her it will be okay. She’s in her last year of high school and we all know how that’s going this year.”

Walter was a long time regular, although not so much in recent months because of corona. “It breaks my heart what this year is doing not only to her but everyone.”

After a chat we found out Walter’s granddaughter adores pandas. Walter loved the card we had with a big fat panda on it. “I can’t hug you but this panda can,” he wrote inside the card. Walter left the shop to post the card, with a smile on his face.

People are finding other ways to love those they love in 2020.

Storytime: Father’s Day cards from a son to dad

Storytime. “I’m so scared for him, so scared.” 20-something Oscar was telling us about his granddad who was in a nursing home and on lockdown. “No one is allowed to visit, for obvious reasons.”

These days people are sharing personal stories at the counter more so than ever, even those who usually keep counter chats light.

“I spoke to him on the phone and he sounded so sad.”

I knew Oscar liked to draw because he’d buy sketch books from us, so I made a suggestion. “Mate, why not draw a picture of him and you together doing something fun.”

“That’s perfect. Why didn’t I think of that?.” Oscar headed for the door. He was on a mission. I called after him “let’s see it when you’re done okay?!” “Okay,” Oscar yelled back.

Storytime: locals buying from locals

Storytime. We had a string of new customers in last week buying different things. It was a thrill to see so many new faces. We commented to one that we loved seeing new faces. “It’s locals shopping with locals,” they said. They explained that they got the idea on Facebook where people were talking about supporting locally owned businesses, to support the local economy. We felt blessed for these angels spending money with locally owned businesses. #LocalsShoppingWithLocals Thank you!

Even in the middle of corona, we live in times of sunshine and goodness.