newsXpress has presented the Christmas marketing campaign and products to all members at the recent round of member meetings which concluded yesterday in Perth.  Thanks to supplier generosity we were able to show off all of the catalogue items as well as some other exciting non catalogue items for Christmas 2010.

newsXpress members have placed their orders and this data is being used to finesse the marketing materials being used to drive traffic and sales.

Having our Christmas 2010 plans finalised before the end of July, five months ahead of Christmas, leaves newsXpress members time now to concentrate on tactical opportunities in their businesses.

Our blog is under attack from overseas and this is causing it to crash.  Our tech team are working on this.  We apologise for any invonvenience.

newsXpress is pleased to announce Fellowes as a new preferred supplier for newsXpress members.

Fellowes is a global leading brand in shredding, laminating, binding and office accessories. Fellowes products are available as a turnover order through GNS nationally or direct to Fellowes who can turn over the order.

Rob Henderson our National Merchandise Manager continues to attract brand-name suppliers to newsXpress to strengthen our range and store level trading terms.

newsXpress has launched a syndicate for the $50 Million Powerball jackpot next Thursday.  based on two System 10 Powerhit tickets, this syndicate is sure to sell quickly.  This is another way enwsXpress members are working together to support the brand and each other.

Timing is everything as they say.  Our STOCKTAKE SALE running right now is a great offer at the right time.  The right time because of the $90 million Oz Lotto jackpot.  The right time, too, because of school holidays.  These are great opportunities to move stock and many of our members engaged with the STOCKTAKE SALE strategy are having a wonderful time with this.  At our our last round of member meetings, which ended last week in Brisbane, we heard stories of success from members engaged with the STOCKTAKE SALE.

The typical newsXpress HOT Ink! campaign is full on.  Consumer flyers, in-store posters, shelf labels, shelf talkers, plan a gram advice and product information sheets combine to offer newsXpress members everything necessary to drive tremendous business outcomes.  Members who embrace all that HOT Ink! offers report excellent results - not only in the ink category but elsewhere since HOT Ink! marketing pitches the newsagency as a great place to shop.

The pack in the photo was sent to every newsXpress member participating in our latest HOT Ink! promotion.  (Click for a larger version.)  Everything was provided free of charge except for the brochures - these were subsidied by newsXpress.

Goodwill is important when a newsagents decides to sell their business as it represents the value of the business after the current owner leaves. Belonging to a marketing group like newsXpress can add to the goodwill of a newsagency.

Business goodwill is that portion of a business’ value associated with the business itself. It includes things like footprint, brand recognition, supplier relationships, training, support, marketing, market share etc. Business goodwill is transferable from one owner to another, it is sellable.

The other part of Goodwill is personal goodwill this is the portion of a business’ value associated directly with its owner. Things like the owner’s name, reputation, contacts, skills, and abilities. For many Newsagencies the majority of their value is tied up in personal goodwill. Unfortunately, personal goodwill only has value to the current owner, and is therefore difficult to sell.

A prospective newsagency buyer will usually look for a newsagency with a higher business goodwill. From the buyer’s perspective, a newsagency with more business goodwill is worth more of a premium price as the business is more likely to remain profitable once it has changed hands.

newsXpress provides its members with strategies, product offers and regular in-business support to help build business goodwill and thereby make the business more value. This is a key aspect of our mission and a key point of difference of newsXpress.

newsXpress had an excellent contingent at the QNF Queensland State Conference yesterday in Brisbane. The conference provided a range of stimulating speakers and some excellent opportunities for networking with newsagents and suppliers. newsXpress is proud to have been a key financial supporter of the event and to have had another opportunity through which to demonstrate practical support for all newsagents. Kudos to the QNF for excellent organisation.

newsXpress does not lock members into long term franchise agreements.  We prefer member newsagents to stay with us because they want to stay and not because of a legal threat.  This is a hot issue among newsagents today. We find it being raised more and more by newsagents who enquire about joining newsXpress.  Two other newsagent franchise groups lock newsagents into long agreements, usually five years.

We have had newsagents recently tell us they have heard of legal action against other newsagents to force them to stay with a group.  Legal action is expensive, intimidating and takes you away from running your newsagency.  If a relationship is not working, why litigate or threaten litigation to force the union to remain?

Our view here at newsXpress is that we prefer to be kept focused by the knowledge that our members stay because they like what we do.  We also think it is fair to NOT lock the current newsagents and future prospective purchasers of the business into a long agreement.

Networking among like-minded proactive newsagents has been key to the success of newsXpress since the group began seven years ago.  Every three months, the group hosts member meetings in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.  At these meetings, members learn about new products and strategies, discuss business development initiatives and network with colleagues.

Politics and many day to day issues are left at the door as we work proactively as a group on improving our businesses and the newsXpress network more widely.  The meetings are lively and exciting.  They are a great way for anyone considering joining a marketing group to assess newsXpress and see our operation first-hand.

Our next Brisbane member meeting is on November 11, Sydney on November 13 and Perth on November 18.  If you are contemplating joining a newsagency marketing group and want to find out more about newsXpress, consider coming along to one of these meetings and see our team in action for yourself.

If your shop looks like Dave & Grace Sullivan run it, maybe its time you embraced a modern flexible store design concentrating on new money revenue streams. newsXpress works predominantly with three companies in this space, Interfit Retail, Rowes & Zone Design. If you look at the difference of a newsXpress store over you average Newsagency you’ll see why newsXpress leads the way not just in sales but in adaptabilty and fitting in more new money revenue. Let your store do the work for you, and allow it to be the upsell mechanism.

A well-planned retail store layout allows a retailer to maximize the sales for each square meter of allocated selling space within the store. In your new store design plan your store layout, atmosphere, and create irresistible visual merchandising displays, as well as using special lighting techniques to accent your products.

A few years ago Terry Augustine at newsXpress Browns Plains came up with an in between seasons campaign to bolster greeting card sales. It has since evolved into a major campaign for newsXpress so much so that it is an exclusive Hallmark - newsXpress Alliance promotion.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ron Thorpe as the newsXpress retail groups Director of Greeting Card Strategy.

Ron comes to us with over 40 years of experience working for Hallmark cards. Ron will work part-time out of the Melbourne office and will be responsible for developing exclusive strategies for newsXpress members in the greeting card space.

Ron with ‘Mr newsXpress‘ and group Chariman Graham Randall & Mark Nagy CEO

Jayson and Belinda from newsXpress Riverlink sourced 14 dozen single red roses for their Valentine Outpost, which came sleeved, and had a red bow. These completely sold out in 2 days, complementing the plush and other gift ware.

Both Wednesday and Thursday were equally strong in retail sales. As this was the first year for their outpost they will be using their data when purchasing for next year.

newsXpress Riverlink - special signage was commissioned advertising the rose offer to tie in with the newsXpress creative. While team members proudly show their selling skills in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.

newsXpress regularly mystery shops its network of stores country wide, and for the first time one of our members has come in with a perfect 100%. Congratulations to Brett and Ellen Deans from newsXpress Indooroopilly for setting the standard. Even better still they were mystery shopped whilst Brett & Ellen were on holidays. Shows that when high standards are instilled they are maintained.

The newsXpress Support Team gathered in Melbourne last week to launch 2008.

A renewed energy and focus on growing the member base and building the business of existing members has been made the clear direction. This is evidenced by the announcement of inaugural newsXpresser and Director, Graham Randall taking up the role of Director of Business Development. Graham’s experience and reputation will be invaluable with nurturing relationships and continuing to improve the industry.

From top right: Mark Nagy, Trent Shields, Ian Urquhart, Mark Fletcher, Graham Randall, Sonia Ruhland.

From bottom right: Roger Bortfield, Mary McNeil, Keith Sonerson, Karen Sutton, Lesley Bortfield, Michelle Caia.

newsXpress newsagencies right across Australia have has a stunning Christmas as a result of an exclusive relationship with Hallmark Cards. newsXpress has ensured that all of its stores received premium promotional material to enable their stores to be well dressed and thereby drive card and wrap sales. The photo shows the results of the newsXpress / Hallmark relationship at Jamison in the ACT. It is a bold display such as this which drives sales - this has to be the outcome of every promotional activity in retail.

Newsagents who joined calendarXpress, a subsidiary of newsXpress are reaping good rewards today as they process product markdowns and follow the strategy laid out by the group. While many stores have sold out, they have had access to excellent backup stock at greatly reduced prices - to ensure success through the post Christmas sales period. calendarXpress has supported this with marketing collateral and other support materials to ensure the best possible outcome.

Too many newsagents take calendars from magazine distributors and others and make too little a return given the floorspace and labour investment. Our goal is to maximise this return by implementing some simple changes.

Early feedback from calendarXpress stores is that this year has been a wonderful success.

Ron Thorpe the man affectionately known as Australia’s own ‘Mr Hallmark’ throughout his tenure has announced his retirement.

Ron was an integral member of the team who negotiated the Hallmark/newsXpress strategic partnership and will remain a staunch newsXpress supporter. Ron’s dedication and loyalty to the newsagency industry is unsurpassed. Over his 40 years at Hallmark has made many friends and helped many newsagents.

Ron enjoys a game of golf, so don’t hesitate to invite him up for a game now he has more time on his hands.

We wish Ron and his wife Gay all the best in his well deserved retirement.

Larger than life Ron Thorpe pictured here with newsXpress Business Development Manager, Karen Sutton.

If you didn’t before you surely will now!

On behalf of the team at newsXpress we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thanks to Justin Randall for the video.