Magazine week: How to grow magazine sales in your newsagency

Each day this week I will post about magazines from an overall business perspective in newsagencies. I am doing this because some suppliers think my submission to the ACCC of the proposed trial of new magaZine supply rules I made on behalf of newsXpress reflects a move against magazines. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am fighting for fairness because of believe in magazines for the long term.

How to grow magazine sales in your newsagency.

We can either wallow in self pity about our appalling treatment by some magazine publishers and distributors or we can make the most of the situation we we have. My view is we need to suck it up and make the most of it. Here are ways we can do this, ways we can grow magazine sales in our eretail newsagency businesses.

1. Leverage your difference. While magazines are available in other retail channels, if you think your offer is different somehow, lead with this, make it obvious, leverage it.
2. Display for sale. Make sure full covers of particularly interesting issues are displayed.
3. Change placement. Tweak placement of titles regularly to keep your offer fresh.
4. Relay. Completely change your offer every six to twelve months – do a magazine relay.
5. Loyalty. Reward loyalty in a way that brings shoppers back. make buying magazines from you a habit that is rewarded.
6. Value-add. Offer putaways and other services others retailers do not offer.
7. Label professionally. Respect the masthead and cover – place labels so as to not be a barrier to sales.
8. Train employees. Ensure your employees can answer questions about magazines – test them.
9. Be first. Get your magazines out early – ahead of your competitors.
10. Co-locate. Regularly feature magazines in window displays and at the counter – feature titles you have others don’t have.
11. Leverage newspapers. Place your top selling monthlies with newspapers. Better Homes and Gardens does particularly well here.
12. Use social media. Talk about stories in magazines you find interesting. Leverage magazine content that speaks to a narrative for your business.

While magazine publishers think they need research and a trial to work out what to do to help newsagents, the assistance needed is more practical. While it starts with fair magazine supply arrangements for newsagents, on the shop floor we can take steps to reinstate our position as the magazine specialists.

For too long newsagents have been treated by magazine publishers and distributors in a paternalistic way. Just because we ask for fair and equitable supply so we can compete with others selling magazines does not mean we want to turn our back on the category. It means the opposite. We see a bright future for magazines if we can achieve fair supply.

Footnote: I am calling this magazine week for no reason other than to label the series of posts.