I am grateful to a colleague for sending me this list of good ideas in response to a blog post here a couple of days back. These ideas fit what you might call a dominate the morning strategy – a brilliant idea which could work in many newsagencies.
Newsagencies on high streets open earlier every Morning. There are few outlets open at the time, we can provide a complete solutions for the people (both on-the-go and local) in early Morning to attract maximum sales on our traditional lines, and convenience lines.
1. Support basic lines on bread, milk, paper, cigarettes.
2. Offer coffee and food service lines.
3. Increase basket size and customer purchase frequency by tailoring offers to targeted groups, for example, health products for morning exercisers, breakfast deals for morning workers, coffee deals for morning commuters, milk and bread deal for mums.
4. Build up the volume on basic lines, and specify offers on high value-added products. Be outstanding on food service and convenience service
5. Get advice from retired newsagents and small business owners. Get advice from experts on convenience / food service trade. Get advice from suppliers and distributors. Pay for the advice if needed.
6. Be happy to take risk and loss on trying new products, be happy to make no money on certain new directions, be happy to make some stupid mistakes, be determined to dominate target trade at all cost. While it may not suit every newsagent, the list is bound to generate ideas for most newsagents.
I like this idea of focusing on a certain part of the day. The morning makes sense because we are open early, most of us at least. Given that our location is a key part of the newsagency offer, convenience as a focus makes sense too.
I can see a dominate the morning strategy working well in a high street situation.
FYI
Intoducing fruit from next week, of course at best I will break even at the moment depending wastage. I have read up on how best to display/keep the Mandarines, a few Bannana’s, Oranges and Apples, keeping the fruit in the fridge seems to be the most common advice that I researched for longevity and hygene, I am lucky to have a counter fridge and with some signage I hope to capture customers after dissapointed many in th past with the hope they buy something else also. Its not for all Newsagents but it could be good for some.
Started displaying some keyrings of with billiard ball, of course behind the counter, Takes up very small space and you make more than you do on selling a magazine.
Increasing range of relief medications in the future, Strepsils, Vic Vapour drops, fishermans friends, Nurofen and a few other items, again it maybe good for some newsagents.
Has anybody else starting to keep new lines that are working and appreciated by your customers/
Thankyou Derek
Gifts, books…
We’ve trialled ice coffee, not the long life stuff. We order it weekly and it’s done really well.
It’s always purchased with something else like a scratchie or newspaper I’ve noticed.
Thankyou,