Pacific Magazines launched the inaugural Women’s Health ‘Woman Newsagent of the Year’ Award at this week’s ANF Conference on the Gold Coast.

It will become an annual award recognising the extraordinary efforts by women who own, manage or are employees of newsagencies in Australia.

The winner will be determined by demonstrating excellence in one or more of the following areas:

• Achieving work/life balance
• Success in Business
• Community involvement
• Industry Contribution

The 2008 Finalists were announced as:

• Julie McDowell, Pottsville Newsagency, NSW
• Nia Kugel, newsXpress Lowood, QLD
• Elaine Munro, East Geelong Newsagenc, VIC

And the winner is….Nia Kugel, newsXpress Lowood!

The Winner: Inaugural Women Newsagent of the Year, Nia Kugel of newsXpress Lowood giving her victory speech.

Happy Couple: Nia and Aaron Kugel pictured with Vicki Rossi, Retail Sales and Circulation Director, Pacific Magazines.

The Finalists: Carolyn Doherty (ANF), Julie McDowell (Pottsville Newsagency), Nia Kugel (newsXpress Lowood), Elaine Munro (East Geelong Newsagency), & Felicity Percival (Editor, Australian Women’s Health Magazine).

newsXpress once again supported the 2008 ANF National Conference as a Gold Sponsor.

newsXpress CEO Mark Nagy presented an adaptation of pentagon and triangular strategies aimed at operation and opportunity to delegates on the Monday afternoon, while fellow Director and newsXpress Proprietor Mark Fletcher enagaged a large audience with a workshop concerning the Newsagency of the Future.

Manni Ribeiro at newsXpress Eumundi has taken his HOT ink! marketign to a new level with this novel idea.

Plastering his promotional areas with HOT ink! 6 flyers he is really drawing attention to the growing category and ensuring local customers easily connect the bright blue brochures in their letterbox to his store.

newsXpress Eumundi believes in the strategy if at first you don’t succeed try and try again. After setting up an inspiring theatircal promotion for the recent $40million Powerball Draw to no avail they continued to plough on and were rewarded with the sale of a winning ticket in the Saturday Gold Lotto Draw.

A Coast Grand Father was overwhelmed when he checked his ticket at the newsXpress store and was informed he had received a $600,000 share of the major prize pool.

Manni excitedly exclaimed this was the first Division 1 prize in the ten years he has owned the store. The good fortune continued for another loyal customer who took out almost $14,000 for a second division share in the same draw.

Follow the link for the full story.

newsXpress Eumundi $40 million Powerball promotion

The Big Winner!

Well it was the NSW Blues who sunk the Queensland Maroons at ANZ stadium last night, with Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy masterminding the victory.

One of our newsXpress retail outlets backed the winner! Guess who?

newsXpress Arana Hills have gone all out in promoting their current HOT ink! 6 event.

The fantastic new flyer, blocked merchandising, Cartridge Rescue Recycling bin and the Red Environmental Bags hanging from the roof…Give this store a great opportunity to maximise sales.

This week we had another state meeting in Sydney for our NSW/ACT proprietors. It was probably the best one we have had.

Wayne from Hallmark showed how we are getting massive growth in the NSW/ACT region in Hallmark product. Then it was over to future strategy and business development for the rest of the session. It culminated in a store visit to newsXpress Roselands to see one of newsXpress networks shining lights. A great day had by all!

newsXpress Harbour Town on the Gold Coast have created a classic display highlighting both the Maroons and Cockroach merchandise in the battle for supremacy in the traditional Northern states game.

Regardless of the result in tonight’s massive Game 1 at ANZ Stadium the big winner is Victoria, who’s very own Melbourne Storm have a record 9 representatives.

newsXpress The Pines celebrated their very first dress up day for the coming Game 1 in the State of Origin series.

They should have taken the photo in the morning as most of their merchandise was sold out by lunchtime. A great result all round and the team and customers loved the theme

State meetings are a great way to impart knowledge and also network. The Queensland  meeting last week was again well supported by newsXpress proprietors.

newsXpress continues to hold meetings every 8 or so weeks in every state.

The traditional rivalry continues. newsXpress Scott’s Lismore are onto a good thing by leveraging the massive media interest and located their display front and centre on the dancefloor.

Promote the rivalry to achieve maximum sales, historically consumers will continue to purchase strongly throughout the entire three game series.

The sixth edition of our exciting HOT ink! flyers has been released to the public this week and we are exceptionally pleased by the participation of member store which has reached record levels.

A copy of this flyer is available at the link below this article while the HOT ink! website is currently experiencing technical difficulties but should be running smoothly on Monday.

Follow the link for a high resolution version: hot-ink-6-artwork-may08.pdf

newsXpress Kin Kora are always at the forefront of promotional activity and post Mother’s Day is no exception.

The ‘Symply Too Good To Be True‘ display has been up for just over a week and has already generated great sales. With Annette Sym touring Gladstone this week we are hoping for another surge in sales. newsXpress has a fantastic two way relationship with Annette , which is certain to see her reward the store for promoting her title with her reciprocating this support when highlighting her products are available in store during her various speaking engagements.

While the rest of the country may never understand the allure, for dyed in the wool Queenslander’s and New South Welshmen nothing is bigger than State of Origin. With the big game 1 clash only a week away Kin Kora have a full range of merchandise and decoration on sale in a prominent location.  Sarah mentioned that the jerseys are out and loyalty is stronger than ever, also if there wasn’t upcoming $20million Lotto draws the promo would consume more of the shop. Just wait until you see what they have planned for game 2 in the Sunshine state!

In what has been a busy promotional time they have also created some fantastic in-store posters thanks to their trusted Toshiba photocopier.

newsXpress Dapto continue to impress. Cards and Gifts are their specialty.
The shop continues to amaze, and they are reaping the rewards.

The team at newsXpress Castle Towers have always known the benefits of out-posting. For Mothers Day they did it again. The store also looked tip top.

newsXpress Roselands cleaned up with their Mother’s Day campaign. Have a look at how they did it.

This van was spotted on Nepean Highway earlier this week adorned with one of the brand new HOT ink! @ newsXpress bumper stickers.

We don’t know who’s van it is but we expect to see many more of these sightings in the coming weeks! 

Stickers will distributed to members at the upcoming member meetings.  

The two stores in the Central Coast township of Bargara, newsXpress Bargara & newsXpress Bargara Central have taken the gift route as several others have to capitalise on the strong card giving season of Mother’s Day.

As the photos below show a range of aspirational gifts, social stationery, gift bags all bound with Hallmark Alliance signage can be very inviting to potential customers.

newsXpress Whittlesea is awash with a sea of Hallmark Alliance Mother’s Day posters blending into the complimentary gift boxes above the magazine racks.

Smaller stores like Whittlesea must be creative both with their in store theatre and actual space utilisation to generate the best results.

These photos highlight the great use of the Mother’s Day theme at Ascot Vale. The strong message of Card, Ribbon, Wrap, Gift & Packaging tells their customers that ‘we have the complete Mother’s Day solution for you’.

As an added bonus to their customers a fantastic reward for Mum that is exclusive to newsXpress Ascot Vale.