Author: Mark Fletcher

The latest issue of WHO features 12 stars without make-up.  This is an annual feature published by WHO.   Given the news coverage this is likely to attract and the interest in the non-retouch issue of Dolly, we are featuring WHO next to the Herald Sun in our main newspaper stand.  We will leave this in place through the weekend and assess sales Monday.  Topical features like this provide an opportunity to reacquaint customers with a title like WHO.

Note the use of the old Alpha magazine stand.

Further to my last post, here is another aisle end from our newsagency in Frankston – promoting the May issue of  Women’s Health.  Again, the customer can purchase off of the display.  Also, the display covers the older magazine fixtures and gives the shop a brighter feel.  I appreciate that some will argue that we should be paid extra for this in-store work.  maybe we should.  In the meantime we will continue to boldly display marketing collateral for titles which we know will respond to such in-store effort.  Women’s Health is one such title.  Every time we create a bold in-store display, sales lift.

The magazine fixtures in our Frankston shop are the old (inflexible) style.  This does not stop them being dressed with collateral for brands we are happy to support.  The aisle end display for Belle is a good example.  Belle responds well to this type of display in terms of sales lift.  Note the acrylic fixture off of which customers can buy the title.  While I can appreciate that a more modern shop would struggle to support this older type of magazine display, it works a treat at Frankston.  Our annual magazine sales are close to $500,000 and year on year our decline in the current market is below average.  I put this down 100% to brilliant in-store merchandising by our Frankston team.

We have a column in front of our counter at Frankston which our creative team finds ways to dress.  This week, the column is dressed with collateral promoting Zoo Weekly and the $50,000 cash giveaway.  We started using the column for magazine promotions earlier this year and it is working well.

The acrylic unit off of which customers can purchase Zoo is essential for a display like this.

Weight Watchers magazine moving to monthly is working in our newsagencies.  Our team at Frankston is pitching the latest issue at the counter.  They have done this before – the title performs well in this location next to our two busiest register points.  Indeed, I have seen seveal stores where Weight Watchers sells better from the counter than in the usual location.  I think this is due to the transition to monthy.  I’m happy to pitch it at the counter based on sales achieved.

Dolly magazine gains access to our prime retail counter promotional position this week with the free Davenport nightshirt and bedsocks which come with the title.  We think the gift speaks to the demographic and is unique enough to justify the prime space allocation for Dolly magazine.

Both Dolly and Girlfriend are chasing a tough demographic at the best of times.  Today’s challenges are evidenced by the regularity of tip-ons with each.

The other important and topical interest for this issue of Dolly is that it is retouch-free.  That is, photographs have not been retouched.  This is receiving good media coverage and should, therefore, be more top of mind to customers.

We are pitching Home Beautiful, the Melbourne Observer, OK!, Time and Super Food Ideas around our newspapers this week.  We have cover the two biggest magazine publishers, support an independent newspaper, recycle an old magazine display unit and support two lower volume magazines – good use of newspaper space I’d say.  The OK! display is the Alpha magazine stand recycled.

Following a discussion here about marketing collateral provided by publishers, Quentin Long, Managing Director of Australian Traveller has written to newsagents with news of a change which came out of comments published here.

Dear Newsagent Partner,

At Australian Traveller magazine we recognise that our newsagents are our most important business partners – the more you succeed, the more we can succeed. Therefore we are keen to support you in any way possible.

After much discussion with some of your colleagues in the industry and our distributor NDD, we have concluded that one way to assist you is to launch an Opt In Program of Merchandising.

You have been selected as an appropriate agent for this program based on the sales history of our magazine in your store.

This opt in merchandising simply means we will endeavour to supply you with posters and cover run ons as part of your magazine deliveries absolutely FREE.

here are no allocation implications whatsoever and you can opt out at any time.

You can then use these materials to create displays to appeal to your customers with a product they may have never considered.

We believe you are in the best position to determine whether this program would work for your store.

It is easy to opt in to this program.  Simply reply to this email with “YES” in the text and I will add you to the list.We will follow up in three issues time to see if the program has been helpful to you and if you would like to continue to be part of the service.

Thank you in advance.

Cheers
Quentin Long
Managing Director
Australian Traveller magazine

I hope newsagents take up this offer and opt in to receive the collateral and that, better still, they use this collateral to promote Australian Traveller.  A publisher directly engaging with us and responding to newsagent requests is something to cherish.