This week I am looking five cores of today’s newsagency. I have selected five that relate to every retail newsagency, or should at least. Each core is important because of traffic and that mastering it defines our business in the eyes of these we serve.
Core #4: local community connection
Our local community is important to us and we are important to our local community.
In a survey of newsagents several years ago, the local community connection was considered the most important USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of newsagents. Whether this is true for your business or not, I bet your local community connection is important to you – even if it is not the most important factor.
If your newsagency is not locally connected you may not be seen as local and as locally valuable as could be the case.
Here are my tips on boosting the local connection:
- Be knowledgeable about local activities, events, issues and places.
- Talk about local matters on your social media outlets.
- Support local groups with knowledge, prizes and attention.
- Encourage local groups to use your business.
- Serve your community in practical ways such as volunteering.
- Help even the groups you cannot help financially – with an events noticeboard and supporting them on your Facebook page etc.
- Talk local across the counter.
- Be visible at local events and activities.
- Encourage your employees to be visible at local events and activities.
It is one thing to say you are locally connected and another entirely to live a local connection. My advice is for you to take it seriously, to actively engage and to make a difference to your community.
The purpose of this series is to remind newsagents what sits at the core of today’s newsagency business. And I am talking about today. Tomorrow may be different. Hat we need to do right now is manage for today to achieve the best we can with today’s traffic.
I am not including tobacco and lotteries in this list as not every newsagency has these.
RIPPED OFF.
Of course community, retailing and customer relationships are vital.
As too are systems, procedures, staff, foot traffic and location – there’s 8 ‘things’ more important than the newspaper (which is in your top 5).
Did you change your mind on the 5th core product?
bukk buukkaaah
Darren I don’t understand your comment.