Grant Harrod, CEO of Salmat, writing in the Australian Financial Review on Monday called on retailers to use multiple channels when promoting to consumers.
While much has been made of the rise of online retailing and explosion of new media, the reality is that people have diverse media habits and purchasing preference.
I agree with this and most of what Harrod has to say.
Newsagents are competing in a tough retail marketplace in tough economic conditions. We cannot rely on what we have always done to drive traffic. Just one or two campaigns a year are not enough.
No, we need a consistently delivered multi-channel approach if we are to have any hope of competing with the major retailers which offer what we sell.
In my own newsagencies I embrace the multifaceted newsXpress marketing: catalogues delivered to homes every six to eight weeks, commercial TV advertising, commercial print media advertising, monthly customer newsletter, a fresh flyer out the front of the businesses every month, in-store radio, a social media campaign, a local online yellow pages like campaign and a word of mouth driven campaign.
I see this mix as the bare minimum for any newsagency group. I like the diversity as it means that the business is not relying on one activity to drive new shopper traffic.
For individual newsagents there is a challenge as the costs can be prohibitive. That said, there are some options which could fit into a single store budget, especially in regional and rural areas.
Now more than ever we need to market our businesses and do this via more channels than we used to in the past. Changing times demand we change our approach to so much of what we do, including marketing.
Mark, quite often what I’ve observed is that, newsagents just bought the business, as a shop front, for walk in traffic.
What you’ve done and espousing, isn’t going to fit, for those that just expect a shop front business to operate, like it should.
I can empathise with owners who see you go through the motions of being, totally with it, tech/marketing etc and can’t fathom why they must imitate, your operandi.
Sometimes, maybe newsagents, just want to be that only… just a basic shop/storefront. It is bewildering to see what hoops newsagents are expected jump through, just to sell stuff.
I read this blog & realise that I don’t want every single newsagent to turn into Officeworks.
John, everyone who owns a retail, newsagency purchased a retail business. What I have outlined above is retail 101 in today’s environment. C-stores do it and they are the basic of the basic.
Newsagents who do nothing to market their businesses, whether by themselves or with a group, will see their businesses lose traffic and sales and eventually close.
We have to fight for every new shopper and every extra buck in sales.
I don;t want newsagents to become Officeworks. heaven forbid.
I want newsagents to run the businesses they want, to chase and appreciate growth and to have a bright and competitive future.
What I suggest in terms of marketing is easy for any newsagent. I don’t mean that the be a glib comment. I believe it.
We all have considerable funds invested in our businesses. We need to pursue every opportunity. I know of newsagents in small high street situations who have carved out tremendous success by developing a plan and working it.
If we make excuses then we will not achieve or pass our potential.