What a terrific promotion of independent retail in Chichester, West Sussex
Didcuver Chichester’s independent stores brimming with perfect gifts for kids including Whirligig Toy Shop, Kids Stuff Toys and The Sweet Jar all on South Street, Cloth Kits on The Hornet and Good News Newsagents on St Martin’s. Happy shopping!🎄🎁🎅☃️❄️🎎🧸🧚 pic.twitter.com/kjnVOrOE4X
— ChichesterBID (@ChichesterBID) November 28, 2023
When was the last time shoppers lined up outside the newsagency for a new product launch?
Thursday last week, September 7, at 8:30 in the morning, most newsXpress stores had a line of shoppers, people on the phone and people online.
The majority were new shoppers engaging with the business for the first time.
They were there because one of the newsXpress preferred suppliers promoted newsXpress stores to their massive (huge) email database.
Thursday last week was release day for several coins from the Royal Australian Mint, a partner of newsXpress.
While every shop sold out quickly, plenty of the first time shoppers bought other things, including coins released earlier in the year. A typical shop did an extra $4,000 that day.
Around 75% of the time, coin shoppers purchase other products. They are valuable shoppers to attract, more efficient per visit. Basket depth is prized by retailers as are basket value and margin dollars banked.
One of the items released last Thursday, a $375.00 set, Wass the best seller in part because only 1,000 were made and they had to be split between overseas outlets, the Mint shop, coin dealers, and other retailers, like newsXpress stores. This coin is currently fetching close to $900 on eBay. No wonder it was popular.
The $5 colour frosted World Heritage coin, priced at $30 and in the bottom right corner of the photo, is currently fetching around $300 on eBay.
The key thing that happened Thursday beyond the sales themselves was the new shopper traffic. New shopper traffic is essential for the health of any retail business. It is vital for newsagencies with some tent-pole product categories transitioning from physical retail.
There are ways to leverage vertical new shopper traffic – specific product category driven new shopper traffic. This is where retailers can maximise value from such opportunities – even when such new shopper visits are one-off visits.
I’ve heard some in our channel downplay coins as a valuable category. Such comments are typically made by people who don’t have access to them, or have not tried them.
Thursday last week demonstrated the value. Engagement Friday, Saturday and even Sunday has reinforced it with hundreds of dollars of coin gift products selling each day to shoppers who discovered us in this category because of the promotion of Thursday’s release.
Now, here’s the pitch. remember, I an a Director of newsXpress.
newsXpress works hard to help its members attract new shoppers. We pitch products and back this with in-store advice, social media assets, partner support help selling online.
If you want to attract new shoppers to your newsagency, consider newsXpress. It’s easy to make many times for the $225 a month membership fee. Click here for our latest information document or email our team for more information at: help@newsxpress.com.au.
FREE advice for local retailers: Nine one-percenters that could add thousands to the value of your retail business.
One-percenters are small things, easy things you can do for a win.
They are often things others forget.
Today I share nine of what I think are the best one-percenters for any local indie retail business.
I’ve experienced the value of on-percenters like these.
This is free advice. You don’t have to buy anything to access it. I love seeing local indie retailers thrive.
- Place 2 or 3 products at the counter for impulse purchase. Change weekly, unless they are selling well.
- If you have a front window, change it weekly. The goal is to stop passers-by and have them notice you.
- Never be out of stock of popular products. Use your software to predict sales and order so you don’t sell out.
- Price new stock on the shop floor, located to disrupt shopper traffic, so they notice. People don’t buy from the back room.
- Use social media to share knowledge and have fun rather than promoting products. Entertain.
- Have a staff product of the week in a good position with a handwritten note from the staff member explaining the why.
- Write the value of dead stock somewhere where all staff see it. Update it weekly for a whole of business focus on reducing this.
- Offer genuine loyalty rewards that don’t cost you the farm and are easy for shoppers to understand and access.
- Colour block in a prime position. This gives products rarely in prime position to be seen. It shows off your range diversity.
What you do with this is 100% top to you. The thing is, I know these tips work. Combine them and you compound the value you achieve. It’s simple – a small time investment for a terrific return.
I like engaging with small steps. They are manageable, safe, certain. It means you’re not relying on one or two big moves, often costly moves, for your success. By spreading the risk, the load, you strengthen the foundations of the business and position it for more certain results.
Here’s the colour block tip in action. It took half an hour to do, and shoppers noticed while it was being created, they added suggestions too. The result speaks not only to red, but also diversity and to fun we have in the shop by being different.
What you do about the 9 tips is up to you of course, but let me ask you this: are you happy with the performance of your business? If you say yes, great! If you say no, you know you have to make some changes because doing the same things will give you the same results.
The advice in this post originated from newsXpress advice to its newsagency marketing group members years ago. The one-percenters list has evolved considerably, as it should.
The best shop for Mother’s Day cards is your local newsagency
If you are looking for a Mother’s Day card this year for sure shop your local newsagency because there you are likely to find the best range of Mother’s Day cards.
There’ll be cards for mum, mother, grandma, nan, granny, and more. There’ll also be cards for people who have been like a mum to you. And, there are likely to be cards from the cat or the dog.
If you like to see the best Mother’s Day cards around, if you want a range from which to choose, your local newsagency is the place to shop.
Now, if you are thinking a text message might do, mum can’t put the text message on the mantlepiece, she can’t keep it with her other cards to look at every few years. A card is a keepsake that lasts, it nurtures memories she will love. And the cards at your local newsagency give you choice to get it right.
Our advice on shopping for Mother’s Day cards this year is:
- Shop early, like now, because that’s when the best range is out.
- Shop at your local newsagency, because they have the best range.
- Look across the whole range.
- If you’re not sure, ask for help, because staff in local newsagencies are helpful.
- Choose the card that best reflects you and your relationship with your mum.
- If you’re not sure what to write, share a funny memory and tell your mum how you feel about her.
- Once you have the card, write on it, seal the envelops and set it aside ready.
- if you are posting it, post it early.
The range of Mother’s Day cards out now at your local newsagency really is good. There are many new designs, many cards to brighten mum’s day.
We understand you have a range of shops from which to choose when buying a Mother’s Day card. Your local newsagency is the card specialist. You’re not pressured. The cards are not mixed in with groceries. Browsing is easy and you know, for sure, that you have many wonderful cards from which to choose.
Once you have the awesome card, from a newsagency of course!, here are 10 text ideas for what you could write in the card. Consider them prompts to kick off your own thinking:
- Happy Mother’s Day to the most amazing mum! Thank you for being there for me, for your love and support, and for teaching me so much.
- Dear Mum, on this special day, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You are my role model, my friend. Thank you for the sacrifices you made for me, and for the ways you show me your love.
- Mum, you hold our family together and for that I love you. I have learnt from your kindness and your wisdom. Thank you for being an amazing mother, and for being such an inspiration.
- Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who gave me life, and who continues to shape my life in so many ways. You are my safe haven. I love you.
- Mum, you are my superhero! Thank you for someone I can always count on. I hope your day is as amazing as you are.
- Dear Mum, thank you for everything. I would not be me, today, without you.
- Mum, you are the sunshine in my life. I am grateful you are my mum, and I wish you the happiest of Mother’s Days.
- Happy Mother’s Day to the queen of our hearts! You have taught us love, and you have shown us how to live life. We love you more than words can say.
- Mum, you are a true blessing in my life. Thank you for being my rock, and my friend.
- Mum, I am so lucky to have you. Thank you does not feel like enough appreciation for what you mean to me. I love you.
Remember, what you write will last for years. Mum will look back on your words and the warmth you share today will matter in the future.
Newsagents understand Mother’s Day. We’re local retailers serving local communities and as such we are close to our shoppers. You buying a Mother’s Day card from us, from any newsagency, means so much to us.
Now, get out there and buy your mum an awesome Mother’s Day card, from a newsagency of course!
Newsagents sell memories
I made this marketing pitch yesterday for my newsagency software company.
While it is a pitch for my newsagency software company, the video reflects how I see local newsagents ties connecting. We really do sell memories through many of the products we offer.
Is the influence of influencers waning?
Social media is clogged with influencers peddling products and services they are being paid to peddle. The extent of it is enough to push you away from social media.
Influencers started our when they discovered and businesses discovered that people following other regular people added on what they talked about.
But that was back when the opinions were genuine, based on personal experience, when their kind words about a product or service were authentic.
Today, it’s all about the money – the money the influencer is paid, their agent is paid and the agency is paid to put a campaign together. When they talk about a product they ‘love’ it’s transactional for them … pay is $5,000 and we will deliver you a 30 second video sprucing your product and talking about how we ‘use’ it or ‘love’ it.
Maybe I am outside the demographic but I don’t trust influencers nor do I act on the endorsement of influencers.
It surprises me when I see companies, usually big companies, paying influencers to spruik for them – because it’s a crowded marketplace, and because, for me at least, of the trust thing, or lack thereof.
I’ve been approached by influencers. I’ve had several parents offer up their kids to play with a toy and talk it up in a video for $500. I’ve had a self-labelled shop local influencer offer to walk through my shop and share the joy for $1,000 for a 3 minute video.
They are nothing compared to the bigger campaign influencer engagements from the millions paid to a Kardashian to the thousands paid to local Aussie influencers.
I think the gloss has worn off the influencer temple, that people see them for what they are and that their spruiking is ignored as much as other advertising, because that’s what it is, advertising. This has happened in part because of the blurring of the lines between what is clearly paid advertising and ‘heartfelt’ endorsement.
But, maybe, that’s wishful thinking on my part.
I do think in this noisy influencer look at me world, I think people crave truth and authenticity. This is why a real review from a customers about your business or products matters much.
Personally, when I see an influencer talking up a product, my first question is how much they sold themselves to pitch. I wonder if I am alone in that. I suspect there are plenty who see a face they recognise pitching a product and understand the transactional nature of this and realise that the endorsement has come about because they have been paid to make it.
…
Influencing, of course, good back many years. In the early 1990s I was approached by a newsagent who held a position on a board. They asked for an extraordinary deal on the software in return for them using their position to tell others. I heard about it from the salesperson working for my company at the time. The newsagent wanted the deal so much that they repeated it – the quid pro quo – in detail, not wondering why we set a second meeting. The recording of it was damning. There were consequences. We refused the opportunity by the way.
Paying someone to say good things has to be understood fort what it is, even in today’s influencer world.
Simple and fun engagement can be the differentiator that works in local small business retail
Within a five minute walk of my office I can reach ten coffee shops. In nine of the shops they pitch their muffins with a product description and price sign while in one they have this fun sign.
They do have a sign saying the flavour but it’s this sign people reference. A couple of people in the office have mentioned it. They love the fun of it.
I love that it stands out as different. It gives me a better understanding of the business and that they are enjoying themselves.
While I will preference a coffee shop for their coffee, if I am thinking about a muffin nearby, it’s this shop that I will think of.
Standing out in retail can be challenging. It doesn’t necessarily take a big bold sign or some grand price gesture to stand out. It could be the smallest of things, like this whimsical sign about a muffin that likes to snooze.
With most of the coffee shops outsourcing their muffin baking, this sign suggests something more local, and that matters in local retail.
Subtle marketing can be noticed more than the big and bold.
And, speaking of Easter
Currently, there are 27,000 daily Google searches in Australia for Easter gifts and similar keywords. While it is too late for this year, newsagents selling online can do better in this season by tuning their online offer the be more seasonal.
Many of us have Easter gifts. Too few of us are pitching them online. None of us are in the top 100 results.
The Google searches indicate there are many on line ready to purchase. This is another example of how we can reach our local businesses beyond those who walk, ride and drive past our front door.
Online is where we have excellent opportunities for growing our businesses.
Thank you for shopping local video
Click here to download this unbranded video.
Christmas marketing tips for local retailers
Christmas is a noisy time for shoppers. Every retailer is pitching to them on TV, radio, in print, on social media and in-store … even more so in 2020.
Christmas marketing tends to be the same: jolly, celebratory and, often, price based.
It is a challenge for small business retailers to cut through all of this noise. Here are some tips for cutting through.
- Make it easy. People often talk about how hard Christmas is. Be the business that makes it easy. The ways to do this are have bundled gifts ready to go, pre-bagged or wrapped, with some card selections that are relevant, offer easy payment options including buy now pay later, free wrapping, better shop floor help, guide buying advice or tips on perfect gifts no one else will think of. Consider making Christmas easy as being a key part of your messaging.
- Be thrilled people are in your shop. Your personal smile or greeting is something they may not see in a big business where employees are less invested in each shopper and where the owner is usually thousands of kilometers away.
- Make the giving easy. If people purchase form you to send somewhere else. Offer a one-stop shop. Save them the trip to the post office.
- Make the shop less about Christmas. Consider pulling back on the Christmas visual noise. Go for something simple, muted, respecting the season but making a calm statement. Consider declaring the shop a Christmas carol free zone – not because you hate carols but because you want to help customers take a break.
- Help people rest and recharge. Create a Christmas shopping rest and recovery zone. Offer free tea, coffee, water and something to eat. Encourage people to take a break in your shop – without any obligation for them to spend money with you.
- Let your customers help each other. Setup a whiteboard or sheets of butcher’s paper, yes keep it simple. Get customers to write gift suggestions under different age/gender groups. For example: Girls 18 – 25, Boys 55+. Encourage your customers to help each other.
- Make price comparison difficult. If you sell items people are likely to price compare with other businesses, package them so price comparison is not easy. Put items into a hamper as a perfect Boy 8 to 12 bundle for example. Or offer the item with pre packages services if appropriate for an item.
- Less is The stack em high watch em fly mantra can be wrong. Indeed, it is often wrong in retail. Shoppers can be store blind because a shop is too full or a display is too busy. Consider creating simpler less cluttered displays and window promotions. Draw attention to what you want people to see by promoting that one thing.
- Christmas season in your shop should evolve. Major change weekly is vital for people to see what you have that they could buy.
- Be socially engaged. On Facebook, Instagram, twitter and elsewhere, be the calm voice, the person people enjoy reading or seeing photos from. Provide entertainment this Christmas rather than the usual retailer shrill of come and shop here!
The key to a more successful Christmas is to be different to what people expect from your business.
Christmas at Knox
Here’s a video I shot a week ago to promote Christmas at my Westfield Knox store. We are using it several times to introduce part of the Christmas range in-store to shoppers through social media. It’s worked a treat. We made the video on a $0 budget.
I share this here to encourage other newsagents to use video content on social media to pitch their businesses in a way that plays against the assumptions many shoppers make about the Aussie newsagency.
We set our own narrative through posts like this.
If you are experiencing falling Facebook numbers
If you are experiencing falling Facebook numbers there may be a reason for this.
If you are promoting lotteries products, the Facebook algorithm will reduce who your page can reach. I have seen evidence of this. My advice to newsagents with lotteries is that they do not promote lotteries on Facebook.
If you have news in your name, Facebook may see your site as news related. Some are reporting a decline in traffic since the government initiated action seeking Facebook to pay for access to news. While I have not seen clear evidence of this, there is anecdotal commentary that it could be an issue.
Facebook is an evolving beast. Like anything you rely on in your business, it is not forever. It is important to spread your reliance across multiple platforms with on one thing playing a major role in generating traffic.
One option I have found success with is for the business to have more than one Facebook presence. This allows you to reach different people through different voices, from the one business.
Advice for leveraging Christmas now
Here is a small selection of some of the Christmas marketing and management advice that is part of the newsXpress store management / advice kit:
- Always:
- Pitch 3 Christmas cards at the counter, on the newsXpress stand – carefully selected, changed weekly.
- Have gift wrap tape with wrapping paper.
- Have a selection wrapping paper and bags with cards, at the counter and with newspapers.
- Run your loyalty programs through Christmas – to bring them back.
- Make the shop smell like Christmas.
- Keep all everyday and lifestyle cards up – they sell through.
- Let your customers help each other. Setup a whiteboard or sheets of butcher’s paper, yes keep it simple. Get customers to write gift suggestions under different age/gender groups. For example: Girls 18 – 25, Boys 55+. Encourage your customers to help each other through their suggestions.
- Facilitate sharing stories. Find space in your shop for customers to share their Christmas stories. It could be a story wall inside or in front of the shop. This initiative encourages storytelling by locals and better connects the business with the community.
- Share Christmas recipes. Each week for, say, four weeks, give customers a family Christmas recipe. This personalises Christmas in your business, creates a talking point and makes shopping with you different to your bigger competitors.
- Help people rest and recharge. Create a Christmas shopping rest and recovery zone. Offer free tea, coffee, water and something to eat. Encourage people to take a break in your shop – without any obligation for them to spend money with you.
I am sharing this today to encourage others to think about and engage with Christmas 2020. It’s an odd year and results will benefit from fresh, not your usual, engagement.
Friday 13th sale a hit
We ran an online only sale for 24 hours through Friday November 13th. The offer was simple, 13% off for a product category with a GP% of 55%. We did $3,675.00 over the 24 hours. Marketing spend was $0.00. We used fun and targeted free social media posts.
Online is key in our businesses for finding shoppers we would otherwise not reach and driving efficiency from existing infrastructure.
Attracting shoppers to the newsagency using video
Here’s a video I made this week for my Westfield Southland business. I shot it on my phone, tweaked the visit using iMovie and then added text and music using the Promo platform. The goal of the video is to use ‘retail theatre’ to reflect range, encouraging that any Christmas card need could be satisfied in our shop.
It is great to see a magazine publisher support newsagents
The publisher of the AFL Record has consistently promoted newsagents on social media through Covid. They have directly promoted our channel as the place to purchase their popular title.
I wish more magazine publishers would promote our channel direct directly and consistently.
Kudos SEN for your support of our small business channel with posts like this on twitter:
Your complete recap of @Richmond_FC’s glorious season. Available now at newsagents & through the club for just $10. @1116sen @AFLNation @craighutchy @hashbrowne @MichaelCWillson pic.twitter.com/nZ7ebHesxi
— AFL Record (@AFLrecord) October 30, 2020
And posts like this on Facebook:
newsXpress launches Creative Writing Competition
Newsagency marketing group newsXpress has launched a national creative writing competition seeking entries of short stories, poems and songs that relate, somehow, in some way, to the Aussie newsagency.
Two cash prizes of $1,000 each will be awarded, one for anyone aged up to and including 17 and the second for anyone aged more than 17.
Writers are invited to submit a short story, first person narrative, song or poem. Each entry is required to in some way reference a newsagency, either a specific business or the type of business generally.
The local newsagency is the quintessential Australian small business, and through Covid the newsagency channel proved it’s value as an essential service to local communities. We wanted to explore a way of celebrating that.
The idea of this competition is to encourage creative writing by Australians, to shine a light on local stories and through these reference in some way the local Aussie newsagency.
newsXpress is a collective of over 200 local family owned and run newsagency businesses across Australia, mainly rural and regional. Most shops in the group have transitioned from the traditional to be modern. newsXpress businesses showcase Australian made products that help Australians express themselves.
To me, this is a perfect newsagency marketing group activity. It is fresh, creative and not tied to shoppers spending money in the business. It fits with my view that sometimes the best way to get from A to B is to head for C. I like it too because there is no supplier connection, no outstretched arm asking for help.
newsXpress is funding this itself, including providing retailers with A1 colour posters.
Here is more information about the competition:
This competition is run by newsXpress Pty Ltd.
There are 2 prizes: one of $1,000 for entrant up to and including 17 years of age and one of $1,000 for an entrant more than 17 years of age. Each winner will receive a certificate.
TERMS.
- All entries are to be submitted by email to writing@newsxpress.com.au.
- Each entry is to include a first page with entrant name, age in years and months, email address, name of local newsXpress business if known (not mandatory) and the name of the piece.
- Each page of the entry is to have only the name of the piece.
- Entries to be an original, previously unpublished short story, a song, a poem or first person narrative. Maximum word length: 1,000.
- Page format is to be A4, font is to be arial, 12pt. No images. For short stories and first person narrative, double spaced please.
- Entries to be in PDF or Microsoft Word format or a format easily read by either.
- There is no limit on entries per person.
- There is no entry cost.
- Entries close at midnight December 11, 2020.
- Each entry must, in some way, reference a newsagency. We are not being prescriptive as to how central a newsagency is to the story, song or poem. We leave that up to the writer. But, we do want there to be a reference at some point to a newsagency, any newsagency.
- The decision of the judges will be final.
- The winner will be announced on the newsXpress Facebook page and elsewhere no later than January 30, 2021.
- newsXpress will publish the winning stories on its blog, crediting the writer.
- Once the competition is over, all entries will be destroyed.
- newsXpress will not share entrant details or use them in marketing.
A newsXpress local store may choose to offer a local prize or prizes for entries from their area. This will be entirely managed at that local store level by the local store.
Footnote: I am the Managing Director of newsXpress.