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marketing tip

Sunday newsagency marketing tip: plan for post Valentine’s Day

Depending on how Easter goes for you, the time between this Thursday and early May could be lean – unless you have plans.

After Valentine’s Day is done, what’s next for your newsagency? What do you have planned to bring in traffic and get them spending when they are there?

It’s vital we plan for these things so that we remain relevant between seasons. There is where pure gift shops are vulnerable. Many lurch from season to season, often barely existing in the valleys. This is when we can really hurt them given that we bring traffic in for a range of purposes beyond major seasons.

So, what is your post Valentine’s Day plan?

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marketing

Sunday newsagency marketing tip: use coupons to bring customers back

Coupons are big in the US. They are understood and well entrenched in shopper culture – from large retailers to small. It is hard to go into a US retail business and not receive a coupon or some other mechanic for bringing you back into the shop.

Coupons are becoming more widespread in Australia. Woolworths, for example, is using them regularly on shopping dockets – not the shop a docket type but these ones are printed on the same side of the receipt by their system.

While I don’t think we here in Australia will get to the Extreme Couponing craze as evidenced in the reality TV show, I do think there are opportunities for small and independent retailers like newsagents to use coupons or coupon like flyers and promotions to bring shoppers back.

The keys are:

  1. Make the offer financially compelling.
  2. Have an expiry.
  3. Make the coupon attracting – with some elements of a banknote.
  4. Don’t just hand the coupon, mention it in the sale.
  5. Give away a coupon to every shopper.
  6. get a key supplier engaged to share funding of the offer.
  7. Cheerfully give away the coupon value or bonus when it is redeemed.
  8. Try it several times and measure results before you decide if couponing is for you.

Okay, so no one nearby your business is using coupons? Being first can be fun, valuable and informative.

Creating and running a coupon campaign can be easy and specific to your business. It could be a way of presenting your business as offering better value than what shoppers think.

Now, watch the Extreme Couponing TV show promotion.  Yeah, it’s crazy … but it also gives you ideas.

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marketing

Sunday newsagency marketing tip: a mum’s school holiday recovery sale

With school back this week how about a Mum’s Recovery or Holiday Recovery promotion or sale?  I know mother’s who have been looking forward to their kids going back, so they can have some time to themselves.

I am thinking about a special offer along the lines of double clips on our magazine club card Monday through Wednesday or a buy three guilty pleasure magazines and get a discount or buy a special offer on, say, fitness or fashion or travel titles she may not usually buy.

I think any such promotion needs to be around guilty pleasures.

For this type of promotion to work it needs to be about the mum who has just been freed from a busy Christmas and holiday period.  The offers need to be about her and not connected to work or chores in any way.

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marketing tip

Sunday newsagency marketing tip: happy hour

Pubs and bars have happy hours, when they discount some products to attract patrons at certain times, why not newsagents?

I know there are some newsagents who do deals on a quiet day of the week, usually Tuesday, but I am not aware of anyone running a genuine happy hour. If you are please share here.

We don’t run a happy hour in any of my stores but I am thinking about it.  As I see it, we’d need: a compelling deal, collateral to promote the happy hour, a flashing light or some other device to draw attention and shop floor staff engagement.

For the compelling deal I am thinking about offers like:

  1. Get 50% off a Thank You card with each card purchased.
  2. Spend more than $30 on gifts and choose a sheet of wrapping paper free.
  3. Buy and two plush items and get our huggable bear for free.
  4. Get a free tape measure with every stationery purchase.
  5. Spend over $30 on stationery and take 35% off.

Given traffic in the centres in which my stores are located I’d probably run Happy Hour between 1pm and 3pm on a Tuesday. I’d try it for a month and then assess performance.

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marketing

Marketing tip: engage with your local chamber of commerce

One was to connect with other small business operators is through your local chamber of commerce. Whether as a regular member or a more active role, being known to and friendly with other local businesses can make them more aware of what you do and how you can help them … and them you.

For a few hours a month the reward from networking can be considerable.  I’d rate mixing with other local business people ahead of mixing with other newsagents for your business.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: hype drives retail sales

I was in Vietnam recently and saw this terrific display in front of an electrical goods store. The containers stacked next to and op top of each other looked impressive. They made it look like there was a lot of sock to move and this supported the discount pitch.

While it does not look like good visual merchandising, it was, in fact, perfect for the pitch. Shoppers were queueing up to purchase the items. The no-frills approach felt believable even though, upon reflection, it was more likely part of a sophisticated strategy by the retailer.

We use a similar approach but on a much smaller scale in my newsagencies – cutting the tops off boxes of products we are selling at a good discount. This worked particularly well with boxed Christmas cards we bought in for our post-Christmas sales. However, we do it infrequently as we don’t want to educate shoppers.

Click on the image for a larger version.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: tell your community why shopping with you matters

The major retailers pitch price as the reason shoppers should shop with them.  Some use service. the latest Officeworks ads pitch price, through a guarantee, and service.

Each of us needs to make a marketing pitch to promote our business. It should connect with our unique selling proposition.

If you do not tell people why to shop with you then what will they decide on?  … because they like you? In this marketplace we need to regularly remind shoppers in our catchment area why they should invest time with us. We need to explain to them the benefits for them and their community of shopping with us.

In ads, on social media and in flyers – we need to tell people why shopping with us is better than the supermarket, convenience store, online store, major retailer or any other outlet competing with us.

No one else is doing this in a way that is relevant to your business sin your local situation.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: leveraging knowledge for value

Something to think about for marketing your newsagency next year. What knowledge do you have that adds value to what you sell that, in turn, makes shopping with you more valuable.

While other shops sell magazines, cards and stationery, we have a personal connection with our products and our customers. We need to find more ways to show this off, to promote our personal point of difference.  This starts with us leveraging knowledge.

While Officeworks, for example, spends considerable sums advertising customer service, newsagents can go a step further and actually deliver it on the shop floor … many do this every day already.

I think retail in 2013 will depend more on points of difference that are valuable to shoppers. We can excel in this compared to major retailers. Value is what will bring shoppers back.

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marketing tip

21 free Christmas marketing tips for retail newsagents

Here are some free Christmas 2012 marketing ideas for you to consider using in the run up to Christmas:

  1. Collect donations at the counter. Setup a big jar and say you want to fill it by Christmas with change for a named local charity your shoppers will know. Choose a charity you  believe in. Label it: SPREAD SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER.
  2. Harvest shopper data. Run a competition with a terrific hamper as a price. Get customers to enter with the name and email address. Indicate you’ll add them to your database. Use the database next year for marketing.
  3. My Christmas. Setup a pinboard somewhere in the shop for locals to post stories about their Christmas – from the past or plans for this year. Make this a place for people to share something of themselves with their community.
  4. Helping hand at Christmas. Find out what local charities are doing at Christmas and offer to promote this for them. Put together a one page flyer and give it to your shoppers so they can support any of these groups.
  5. Best Christmas recipes. Setup a noticeboard somewhere so locals can post their favourite Christmas recipe. Get them to tell something more than just listing the recipe.
  6. Locate stock by gift recipient. Consider creating displays targeting the recipient, especially those hard to buy for like Dad. You could have a sign: gifts for Dad for under $30 for example.
  7. A carol discount. Offer a discount to a shopper who comes in singing a carol. Make the discount worth their while. Consider nominating the carol you want to hear this year.
  8. The best part of 2012. Become a beacon for positive stories. Setup a noticeboard for customers to post their stories on the theme – the best part of 2012. This will help get your  business known as a positive place.
  9. Customer endorsements. Invite your customers to write on a specially designed card why they bought what they bought and use these cards as part of your product merchandising – endorsements from other shoppers for the item.
  10. Dress for Christmas. Get T-shirts printed or an apron or some other garment for your customers so they can feel different to the usual year round uniform. Get them to be part of Christmas with what they wear.
  11. Move it. Each week, move product around, keep the shop looking Christmas fresh and people will buy more. While moving stock is hard work, the pay off is that shoppers will find “new” things.
  12. Christmas art. Invite school, kindergartens and play groups to provide art with which to decorate your shop. Offer a modest prize for the winner. Invite public voting if you like. Be proud in showing off local art. This will bring families in to show off and show you as community connected.
  13. Really connect with a local charity. Offer a local charity coupons (in a catalogue) to distribute which provide a discount off certain product categories on presentation. In return, give them a commission from each sale. For example, the coupon could offer 10% off any gift and you could give the charity 5% commission on every sale. A good charity will promote the coupons for you.
  14. Kris Kringle. With Kris Kringle giving growing in popularity, display your gifts based on price point. Signpost them as Kris Kringle gifts. Show people what to buy.
  15. Give gifts to shoppers. One day each week give gifts with every purchase. It could be a chocolate, a fridge magnet or a calendar. Whatever you give, make sure it is something people will like and is easily given away from the counter. Get known as the shop which gives more. Choose gifts related to what you sell. For example – a bag for holding jewellery, cleaner for homewares, recipes from cooking magazines, a voucher for a free service if you sell items requiring servicing.
  16. Sample what you sell. If you sell chocolate, offer samples. There are ways to do this with the food health regulations. Candy companies will tell you that offering samples drives sales.
  17. Use aroma. Choose a smell for Christmas and use a vaporiser to let this waft into the shop. Darrell Lea stores do with well with a liquorice smell. I have seen store do it well with a pine tree smell at Christmas. Tap into a sense which is not often used in retail.
  18. Manage shop floor traffic. With more customers in the shop this time of the year, managing lines is important. Have your best people at the counter and driving traffic so that wait time is kept to a minimum.
  19. Specialise. There are many gifts you can sell by showing that they relate to a highly specialist gift giving occasion: teacher, neighbour, priest, local service provider, gardener. Promoting a gift for one or more trains your customers about giving such a gift and getting it from you.
  20. Good counter offers. Have two impulse items at the counter to be pitched in every sale. Gift tags, Christmas candy or a trinket for car, work or home. Research suggests that 18% of sales can include a counter based impulse purchase. Get the product right and tap into the opportunity.
  21. Add value. Seize every opportunity. Have tape with gift wrap, gift bags near gift items, pre-wrapped gift items, an up-sell opportunity printed on receipts, a promotional flyer in every bag and a logical layout to the store – zones for product categories with good adjacencies.

I published these last week through my Point of Sale software company’s blog. yes, There are too many ideas – choose what works best for you.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: hand out gift suggestions

Every shopper leaving your newsagency should be given a DL size flyer with gift suggestions. Change it each week. This week, start with Kris Kringle gifts (for office parties and community group Christmas events). Next week focus on, maybe, gifts under $20.  … and so on.

Creating the flyers will take a couple of minutes. They don’t have to be fancy.  Slip them in newspapers and magazines at the counter during the sale as a bookmark. Put them in your bags too.

For a tiny investment you could drive some additional Christmas purchases.

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marketing

Newsagency marketing tip: the easy way to be found through Google

Newsagents can ensure their business is found via a Google search when they list the business through Google Places. It’s easy to setup, easy to maintain and free.  If you appropriately describe the business and the products and services it offers, people searching for these in your area on a computer, a phone or some other device will see your business listed.

I can’t imagine why any newsagent would not create a Google Places entry. yes, as I have written here before, there are other free listings you should use but Google Places is the first and most important currently.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: interactive products drive impulse counter purchases

We have had these Chatter Munks at the counter for just on a week with one of them turned on so customers can experience them first-hand. It is terrific seeing someone purchase one on impulse, extending the basket with an excellent margin item.

What is even more exciting is the opportunity to say to a customer if you like this you’ll probably like … – I saw that happen yesterday and the suggested item was purchased as well. All up, $35.00 added to the basket on impulse – all because of this cute little Chatter Munk display at the counter.

So here is my tip: try low to medium priced interactive products at the counter. They work better for us than candy.

Anything you do at the counter should have a week, maybe two, to run. If it does not work for you, try something else. The keys to success I have found are: de-clutter so that the product you are targeting can be seen, make sure it is easily understood, love the product, train your team, make sure its relevant to your shoppers.

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Gifts

Retail newsagency marketing tip: make shopper traffic work for you

Most newsagencies have excellent foot traffic. Challenges we read about in the comments on this blog and at newsagent meetings are not related to traffic. Margin is what many complain about. Slim margin on lottery, circulation, mobile phone and some other products is what I hear complained about often.

The question we have to ask ourselves is are we leveraging our excellent current traffic to build a better future margin dollars story?

Too often we look at a newspaper sale or a magazine sale or a lottery ticket sale in isolation.

What if the newspaper sale today led to a greeting card sale tomorrow? The newspaper sale becomes more valuable, it delivers to us better margin dollars than the newspaper sale itself. This is what our competitors are doing. While they chase today’s sale, manyn of our competitors work hard to get that person back to bring more value to the business.

What are you doing, consistently, to bring newspaper, magazine, lottery, mobile phone recharge, transport ticket and other slim margin business back into your shop to purchase other products? Consistency is key here – having a structured approach that every team member engages in.

Here are some ways we can do this: with loyalty cards like the magazine club card or the greeting card loyalty card or a business wide points based loyalty program or coupons that are dated to get people back within a certain time. Whatever you go for you need to ensure it is pitched across the counter regularly to invite and entice shoppers back sooner. The indirect message is that you are asking for their loyalty.

If you do nothing to entice shoppers back then you will not achieve the maximum value from the traffic you have today.

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marketing tip

Sunday marketing tip: price compare where you can

We know from consumer research by several organisations that Australian consumers think newsagencies are expensive places to shop. While I think it is too difficult for us to address this nationally, some newsagents can address it locally.

If you are in a high street situation and unencumbered by landlord rules, why not choose some common everyday items and regularly price check against national competitors located nearby. I tried this in a couple of shopping centre situations and each time the landlord pointed out the lease clauses my action breached. High street newsagency leases should not have such restrictions.

While there is the risk that the chain you target strikes back, if you are not rude and promote the price comparison in a professional and consistent way you could slowly educate local shoppers to change their shopping habits and that has to be a key goal for any newsagent.

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marketing

Marketing tip: with loyalty rewards be sure to reward for genuine loyalty

There are many different types of loyalty systems and loyalty offers in retail businesses and in Australian newsagencies. Too often, I see newsagents and small and independent retailers more generally implement a loyalty system and make expensive mistakes.

Here are some tips for successfully implementing a loyalty program based on my experiences in my own retail businesses and experiences working with retailers in other channels including some who have implemented more sophisticated and networked solutions than any in the newsagency channel.

  1. Reward above-average behaviour and drive a better return for you.
  2. Use of the basket data. This is your key benefit.
  3. Control your data and how it is used.
  4. Use your data to drive your program.
  5. Leverage the program to serve your needs ahead of all else.
  6. Be consistent in your offer.
  7. Keep it simple.
  8. Use your loyalty program to reinforce your point of difference (USP).

I started the newsagency channel’s longest running loyalty program in 2004. It’s still running today and is a key factor in above average performance in participating stores. It meets the eight points noted above.

The back end of managing a loyalty system is complex. It takes sophisticated software to leverage the real value of collected basket data. This is where major national retail chains do well – their pockets are deep and they have suppliers who will fund the work because of the value of the data.

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marketing tip

Newsagency marketing tip: refuse to believe what you hear

The continued talk of tough time in retail frustrates me just as talk from others saying their newsagency is doing it tough because of the decline in print media. There are enough newsagents enjoying success out there to tell us that it’s possible to be doing well right now, it is possible to be enjoying year on year growth.

I think it’s a choice we can make: to trade above the talk of those who would have you join them in a cloud of negativity.

The thing is, chasing growth is hard work, relentless work. It’s risky too. The keys are to be accountable for your situation, pick yourself up from any setback and ignore those who want you to think you should perform as poorly as them.

I know a bit about this from my work with newsagents in trouble. I’d be happy to talk m with and help any newsagent who reaches out.

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marketing tip

Small businesses need to do more to leverage mega brands on social media

Tic Tac Australia & New Zealand has more than 226,000 fans on Facebook. Their Facebook page is awash with coverage of the new, for a limited time only, green apple tic tacs. It’s a fun and engaging campaign – with Facebook fans having voted for this flavour to be manufactured.

TV channels are carrying plenty of advertising for green apple tic tacs.

I know from recent advertising in Convenience World magazine that year on year sales of tic tacs are up 11.2% and that 47% of shoppers want new flavours. This suggests the recently released green apple product will be a hit.

How the tic tac people are using Facebook and other platforms is a lesson on social media engagement. It is also an opportunity to leverage their leadership for our own benefit. Retailers who connect with the tic tac social media campaign can drive traffic for themselves and create their own local success.

I saw an excellent lift in one of my newsagencies when I leveraged social media coverage around One Direction … and it cost nothing. Why not do the same with tic tacs? While some newsagents will say there is no time, if you could have your message seen by 260K+ people why not invest the time?!

By leveraging I mean engaging on their Facebook page and through their Twitter feed – reaching our to existing tic tac fans. In each case you would need to engage with content that is complimentary to what they post.  This is what I did with One Direction and it worked a treat.

Whether it is tic tacs or other major social media engaged brands, there are excellent social media opportunities for newsagents beyond our own Facebook page or Twitter feed – opportunities we can turn into traffic for our businesses and sales through our registers.

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confectionary

Sunday marketing tip: Look for your business online

Go to Google and search on magazines and your suburb. Dopes your business come up on the first page? Do the same for: ink, greeting cards and stationery.  How dod you fare in these searches?

If you are not coming up on the first page you’re not where you need to be. This can be fixed by completing entries in a number of free listing sites and maintaining these.

If you are in a marketing group get their advice on what to do, they should have pre-prepared advice for you. If you are not in a marketing group email me at mark@towersystems.com.au and I’ll privately share advice with you.

Yes, it will take a couple of hours to get your information into the listing sites – the result will be your business coming up in search results. I was at a conference recently where they said that more than 70% of in-store purchases involved at least some form of online search or engagement.

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marketing tip

Sunday marketing tip: what’s your well-trained sales pitch?

Needing a new paid of runners I went to a well-known sports outlet on Friday, selected the style I wanted and asked to try them on in my size. The well-trained sales associated wanted to measure my feet to be sure. Next, I was asked to walk and then put on some device to assess which parts of each foot carried the most weight. The result was a recommendation for an inner sole for better support. I declined the offer.

While waiting for my size to be found in the back room, I noticed that placed in with the runners on display were displays of inner soles.  I also heard two other employees make the same recommendation of inner soles for support to other shoppers.

The cynic in me had me wondering whether the walking, measuring and weight balance device test were all about selling inner soles. I checked these products – they were a generic brand, made in China and therefore probably delivering an excellent margin. Between my realisation and completing the purchase I saw the pitch repeated several times more – in the name of excellent customer service … to make sure we get the right product for your feet and type of walk.

A glance around the shop showed several people with the promoted supports in their hands. The pitch works – it must otherwise they would not push it as they do.

While I am sure some newsagents train their staff to provide excellent customer service in recommending items to go with items already selected by shoppers, I wonder if we have down as well as this sports shoe store. The follow-up question is whether we would want to. I know newsagents are challenged getting employees to make offers across the counter.

My experience was a reminder of the importance in adding every dollar possible to a purchase and structuring the business for this to be done in a way that fits with the business and is easy. I wonder how many people have purchases these inner sole supports who did not really need them.

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marketing tip

Marketing tip: promote your brand

Newsagents push a bunch of different brands through their businesses and I am not talking here about branded products. Think about shopper bags, uniforms, name badges, the shingle above the door, the floor mat, in-store signs, magazine headers, department place signs, business cards, vehicles, in-store radio, receipts – what is the brand on all of these. It should be the one brand on all, the brand under which you trade.

I have seen a newsagency recently promote their business under three brands across the mediums I list above. This confuses shoppers and dilutes the brand message of the business.

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marketing tip

Sunday marketing tip: Up-sell scripts for use at the newsagency sales counter

Up-selling is a challenge for many in retail, especially in the local newsagency. To many, it feels uncomfortable and forced, a chore employees often do only because they have to.

Those most successful have usually found how to inject themselves into the up-selling process. It can take time to find the words that work. Smart retailers provide their employees time and encouragement to discover this for themselves.

To force it and demand a pitch be made across the counter can do more harm than good.

Here are some example or up-sell scripts. Some are full scripts while others are the opening words. They are designed to kick start your own ideas.

  • Would you like fries with that? Every store has a good impulse item which works with the majority of sales. If not, find the product. Then, the upsell question is a service and not a sales pitch.
  • We have a special offer today with every purchase…
  • Have you seen this, it’s just in…
  • The boss wants us to quit this item so we are offering two for one…
  • We have a free gift if you buy this today…
  • Did you want any candy with that today?
  • Would you like to taste one of our new candy bars?
  • We have a special offer today for customers who spend over $50, if you spend another $50 you get it at half price.
  • Have you seen these, they’re just in…
  • If you join our loyalty club I can give you 5% off this purchase today.
  • We have a free gift for every purchase over $50 today, you’re just $10 off getting this free gift you wanted to look around some more.
  • Would you like one of our re-useable shopping bags – they are only $2.50 and they’re environmentally friendly.
  • Would you like to go in our gift voucher lucky dip? It costs $10 and there are vouchers inside from $10 to $50.

Asking for extra business is half the battle to getting extra business. Retail employees are more likely to engage if you have good offers to pitch. Find items of relevance and price them for efficient selling. The best items are those which fit with the most common items you sell – like fries fit with burgers.

Allow your team the time to develop the words which work for them to turn your good ideas into extra sales.

Remember, up-selling is personal.

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marketing tip

Sunday management tip: Why are some newsagents more successful than others?

Following on from the discussion yesterday about the article by Stuart Binnie saying the sky is falling for newsagents, I figured this was a timely question to ponder.

Why are some newsagents more successful than others?

The answer is easy. Because they choose to be successful.  They plan for success, manage for success and pursue success in every business decision.

I see this every day in my contact with newsagents.

The most successful newsagency businesses I see are those with a point of difference in their community, an offer – product, service of both – that sets their business apart.  They are not necessarily big.  No, some of the most successful newsagencies I see are the smaller in an area.

Having a successful point of difference starts with understanding your customers and would-be customers.

These are the actions of retailers.  This is what we need to be – retailers.

An average newsagency business from yesteryear selling products others select for the business has a tough future ahead.  A growing newsagency business will have more products sought out by owners and  management, presented professionally and marketed outside the four walls of the business.

Successful newsagents are choosing to be successful and pursuing this relentlessly in their decisions and actions.

This is what we must do.  We must be retailers and not agents.

T2020, the News Limited changes, is a wake-up call to all newsagents – even though there have been many wake-up calls in past years.

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marketing tip

Sunday marketing tip: names matter

One way a business can show off its commitment to customer service is by referring to customers by their names. Newsagents should urge their team members to do this, to make the personal connection by name when interacting with customers. It subtly reinforces a personal level of service the shoppers will not experience in other shops selling what you sell: supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol outlets.

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marketing tip

Sunday marketing tip: master the Facebook small business opportunity

While plenty of newsagents are on Facebook, not enough use the platform well.  It’s a good tool for connecting with shoppers and prospective shoppers as well as researching products.

While I am no Facebook expert, here are some tips which could be useful to newsagents:

  1. Make someone responsible for your Facebook posts. Ensure they understand the platform and your goal for using it. If you don’t have a goal don’t use it.
  2. Post regularly – at least three times a week.
  3. Be aware of when your Facebook friends are likely to be online and post at this time.
  4. Make sure the content is genuinely useful to your community and remember that individuals are usually on Facebook for social reasons.
  5. Promote Facebook-only offers – these need to have a social connection (see 4 above).
  6. Have a goal for each of your posts.
  7. Promote likes to your customers in your newsletter and in store.
  8. Like pages of magazines and other products you sell – to learn from them.
  9. Interact with suppliers and magazines you like – in a meaningful way.

Facebook is a business platform. That it is a publicly traded company should prove this to anyone who doubts this. To use it as a business tool you need a plan.

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marketing
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