In an impersonal world, a personal note of gratitude can turn your customers into fans I occasionally order items from a small business in Canada — mostly fun little treats, like calendars, T-shirts and books, for myself and others. I’m always delighted when the packages hit my porch, not just because of the coffee mug […]
Buying Local vs. Buying Online
Consumers don’t have to choose. Here’s how to showcase community roots on your e-commerce site Recent surveys show that consumers love the ease of buying online — and they want to support local businesses. In fact, a survey by Convey, an Austin, Texas-based delivery experience management company, that was released in March found that a […]
Text Me
These quick, immediate messages are a great way to reach customers — and they’re receptive to them What’s the best way to reach consumers these days? Try the same method you probably use to communicate with friends, family and colleagues — text. In a new survey, 58% of consumers say they prefer text messages from […]
Focus, People! Focus!
Learning to strengthen your attention span will keep you productive and engaged in the task at hand, no matter what you’re doing BY JULIE A. PALM A construction crew banging away next door. A talk radio program. Thirst. A long to-do list. Email alerts popping up on my computer. Social media alerts pinging on my […]
Keep Calm and Carry On
If you have a plan for coping with them, supply chain disruptions don’t have to derail your business or anger your customers Next-day delivery! Two-day shipping! Such have been the promises of many mattress retailers. Until last summer, that is. Among the many frustrating repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic have been supply chain disruptions. By […]
Special Delivery
Follow these suggestions to provide great customer service regardless of how your customers want to receive their new beds For mattress retailers that have prided themselves on the type of stellar white-glove delivery and in-home setup that makes customers rave about excellent service, the increase in threshold drop-offs and customers cashing-and-carrying may feel a little […]
Make Your Holiday Sales Season Jolly
Now is the time to get your website, store and stock of sleep products ready for consumers seeking great gifts For retailers, this holiday season could shape up to be a surprisingly festive one. Despite the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, an early survey of consumers’ holiday shopping plans indicates Americans expect to […]
Who Is That Masked Retail Associate?
Face coverings are now part of our attire. Here are tips for keeping your employees and customers safely covered Forget cool boots and tweedy jackets. The hot accessory for autumn looks like it will be a face covering — just as it was in the spring and summer. With the novel coronavirus still spreading, the […]
Buying by Appointment
Scheduling shoppers to browse and rest-test may make them more comfortable visiting your brick-and-mortar store People make appointments for doctor visits, haircuts and oil changes. Will they make appointments to shop for mattresses, too? With new concerns about social distancing and sanitation, we think so. As the novel coronavirus pandemic struck, Fox Mattress, a manufacturer-retailer based […]
White Mask Delivery
How coronavirus is changing the way retailers deliver and set up beds in customers’ homes It’s been a selling point for many brick-and-mortar retailers to offer free, white-glove delivery of new bed sets to their customers’ homes. But with everyone worried more than ever about germs, you may need to rethink how you deliver mattresses […]
Shake Up Your Market Routine
Attending mattress shows can be costly and time-consuming. Preplanning and post-show reviews can make the most of your time there. A few years ago, Riley’s Furniture & Mattress, an independent retailer in Monroe, Ohio, took a planeload of employees to the High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina, so they could explore the latest […]
What’s That Sound?
From creating an acoustic logo to advertising on podcasts, it’s time to tune up your company’s audio identity. Listen up! With the popularity of sound-centered media such as podcasts and music-streaming services, and the increasing prevalence of voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, you need a distinctive audio identity that works in harmony with […]
8 Customer Service Resolutions
To make this your best year, care for and appreciate the consumers who keep you in business If your goals for the new year include selling more mattresses, boosting your average ticket, opening new stores, expanding e-commerce or improving profits (and what retailer’s goals don’t include one or more of those?), start with strengthening your […]
How to Write a Great About Us Page For Your Website
Who Are You? Who, Who? Here’s how to craft an About Us page that conveys your store’s personality and connects with consumers If done right, your About Us webpage should be much more than a store biography. It should give consumers a reason to buy from you. A well-written About Us page is the ideal […]
Get a Grip on Great Handshakes
A firm, friendly handshake can help retail sales associates make an instant connection with shoppers It’s one of the most famous handshakes in cinematic history: actor Tim Matheson glad-handing his way through the Delta Tau Chi fraternity house in “National Lampoon’s Animal House” saying, “Hi. Eric Stratton, rush chairman. Damn glad to meet you.” Funny, […]
Organizing Principles
Autumn is the perfect time to declutter. We give you tips for clearing out and cleaning up your store after a busy summer While spring is the traditional time for deep cleaning, mattress retailers can benefit from getting in the habit of tidying up and decluttering their stores every autumn. You’ve just completed a successful […]
It Is Easy Bein’ Green
Making simple changes can reduce your store’s environmental footprint and reduce your costs, too The first Earth Day was nearly 50 years ago and today, virtually everyone participates to some extent in the three Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle. Doing so helps cut the amount of stuff we send to landfills, decreases our energy use […]
Changing Lanes
If you’re looking for ways to drive consumers from shopping online to walking through your doors, follow these best practices for shifting your web traffic to store traffic What do you do when your web traffic is hopping but your store doors aren’t swinging? Use your website to drive consumers into your stores! One easy […]
More Than a Mattress
Want to express your appreciation to shoppers? Thoughtful leave-behind gifts will make a lasting impression with your customers “You get a car! And you get a car! And you get a car!” Oprah Winfrey made a lasting impression on her daytime talk show audience on the day she doled out all those new vehicles. Heck, […]
How to Show Customers You Care
Do your shoppers know you appreciate them? Sleep Savvy shares 7 ways to show the people who keep you in business how much you care about them Customer care is one way to take customer appreciation to the next level, letting shoppers know that you not only appreciate their business, but appreciate them as people, […]
New Year’s Resolutions for RSAs
Pick a goal to reach and make this your best year ever in mattress sales This year, we want every mattress retail sales associate to be successful and satisfied at work, so we’ve compiled a list of new year’s resolutions for RSAs. Choose one — or, if you’re feeling especially ambitious, two — and get […]
Investing in a new way to pay
Consumers like the convenience and safety of using mobile wallets — and they have benefits for retailers, too After you’ve sold a customer on a new mattress set, you want to make the payment process easy. Accepting shoppers’ mobile wallets can help with that — and may be a requirement among consumers in the future. […]
Just the FAQs
BY JULIE A. PALM What are the most effective ways to answer consumers’ common questions? Consider these 6 suggestions Consumers have so many questions: Do you offer financing? Can you deliver to my house, even if I live in another city? What if I don’t like the mattress when I get it home? The challenge […]
Summer school for retailers
BY JULIE A. PALM Here’s a reading list for the beach, lake or wherever your vacation takes you As you pack for your summer vacation, be sure to include a few good books. It’s the perfect time to read: long blocks of free time, an empty hammock calling to you. We won’t begrudge you the […]
Don’t let vacation time go unused
Put your trips on the calendar now to get the time off you need to relax and restore Summertime is prime vacation time. Do you have your trips planned? Americans are notoriously lax about taking all the vacation time owed to them by their employers. In 2016, workers took an average of 16.8 vacation days—up […]
Um, we need to, like, talk
BY JULIE A. PALM Annoying verbal tics can distract shoppers from your outstanding sales presentation So, today, we’d like to, um, discuss how you can, like, get rid of all those conversational space fillers that, uh, distract from what you’re, er, trying to communicate, you know what I’m sayin’? The most common verbal tics are […]
How to make rest-tests better for customers
BY JULIE A. PALM It’s your job to help shoppers get the most out of trying mattress models in your store. It’s a service they can’t get browsing online At brick-and-mortar stores, the rest-test is at the heart of the mattress shopping experience—and it’s one of the main reasons many people prefer browsing in-store. They […]
New year’s (daily) resolutions
BY JULIE A. PALM Looking for ways to be more productive during the next 12 months? Try small changes to your routine to make every day this year the best you can “Temporary becomes permanent, so start the way you want to continue.”—Gretchen Rubin The new year gives you 365 chances to start every day […]
Give them something to talk about
BY JULIE A. PALM Sharing customer testimonials widely can drive more shoppers through your doors and onto your website In the October Tip Sheet, we talked about the importance of testimonials and gave you tips for soliciting feedback from your customers. (You can get a refresher here.) This month, we want to show you how […]
How to solicit positive customer testimonials after a sale
BY JULIE A. PALM Customer testimonials are one of the most effective marketing tools. Here’s how to solicit them from satisfied shoppers at the end of a sale: Happy customers can do more to drive business than the cleverest ad campaign because, as consumers, we trust the recommendations not only of friends and family but […]
Social media that’s a snap
BY JULIE A. PALM The photo and video sharing app Snapchat can be great for your store—if you use it right Of all the popular social media platforms, Snapchat may be the hardest for mattress retailers to grasp. It’s ephemeral by nature—the amorphous-looking logo is a ghost. The messaging app allows users to share photos […]
Keep your website contact page cool and current
A well-done website contact page gives potential customers plenty of ways to reach you A website contact page seems so boring and basic. I mean, let’s face it, it’s no home page. But the contact page is a vital link between you and your customers—a place for you to show them how responsive you are […]
Turn Up the Tunes to Create Great In-Store Ambience
Playing the right background music in your store can make shoppers tap their toes and put them in a buying mood BY JULIE A. PALM It may be called background music, but the sounds that play in your store should be at the forefront of your mind. Background music is all about creating a mood. […]
How to Sharpen Your Pinterest Strategy
Of all the social media platforms, this one is designed for users who love to daydream, plan and shop BY JULIE A. PALM As one of the first social media apps designed to help people collect, organize and share images of the things they covet—from fabulous wedding dresses to delicious-looking recipes to stunning room designs—it’s […]
Instant Tips for Instagram
Instagram should be a part of your social media strategy. Here’s how to make it an effective tool for your store or e-commerce site. Created as an easy way for friends to share photos, Instagram has become one of the “big five” social media apps, along with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest, and has some 600 […]
6 Steps for Boosting Your Facebook Visibility, Likes and Following
Looking for more exposure on the world’s most popular social media network? Let us introduce you to the Facebook factor. BY JULIE A. PALM If you’re frustrated by Facebook, you’re not alone. You’d like to reach just a tiny fraction of its 1.86 billion monthly active users, but the social media site’s algorithms practically push businesses […]
Tipsheet: Better Business Blogging
Use your store blog to answer customer questions, drive traffic to your website and store, and burnish your reputation. BY JULIE A. PALM A blog can help your retail mattress business accomplish many things—push traffic to your website and store, build awareness for your retail brand, answer consumer questions, even give you and your staff a […]
Tip Sheet: Attract Shoppers in the Christmas, Hanukkah or Solstice Buying Spirit
BY JULIE A. PALM The big selling season for mattress retailers has long opened with the three-day Memorial Day weekend in May and run through the three-day Labor Day weekend in September. Let’s face it: The mattress industry loves the three-day holiday weekend, regardless of the time of year. Bring on Presidents Day! The major […]
Tip Sheet: Keeping Social Media On Schedule
BY JULIE A. PALM What’s more important to managing your store’s social media efforts than a mobile device? A calendar, of course. When you are responsible for creating and managing social media content, those social media “streams” can feel more like flooding rivers. One way to manage the flow and keep yourself afloat is to […]
Tip Sheet: How-to Beat Retail Burnout
The competitive, people-oriented environment of a showroom floor can lead to physical and mental stress. Here are 5 ways to stay motivated. Stress on the sales floor and in the workplace is nothing new, but it seems to be on the rise. According to a June 27 article by Rich Fernandez posted on the HarvardBusiness Review […]
Tip Sheet: Watch Your Language
Replace lazy, off-putting phrases with customer-friendly substitutes and watch your sales jump BY JULIE A. PALM Words matter and what you say to a customer matters a lot. Throwaway phrases and poorly thought-out responses to questions can send customers scurrying away from your store and over to a competitor. Retail Training Services, a firm based […]
Tip Sheet: Scents and Salability
Hitting the right note with in-store fragrance can put shoppers in a buying mood BY JULIE A. PALM Smell is one of our most powerful senses. Fragrances are evocative and compelling. A whiff of baseball glove leather can transport you back to summers spent on Little League fields; the scent of hot popcorn can make […]
5 New Year’s Resolutions For Mattress Retailers
BY JULIE A. PALM Make 2016 your best year yet Try one of these five easy resolutions to invigorate your store or your professional life during the coming 12 months The new year is a nice time to take on new challenges. Many of us make personal resolutions as the calendar turns to January. This […]
Pipe the Perfect Background Music Into Your Store
Playing the right background music in your store can make shoppers tap their toes and put them in a buying mood BY JULIE A. PALM It may be called background music, but the sounds that play in your store should be at the forefront of your mind. Background music is all about creating a mood. […]
A Little Privacy, Please
When customers rest-test to find a comfortable mattress, don’t make them so uncomfortable they want to flee the store BY JULIE A. PALM The last time Sleep Savvy checked, there weren’t a lot of clothing retailers that encouraged people to try on outfits in the middle of the store—just pull off those jeans and slip […]
Email etiquette
While it may seem old school, email remains the most popular form of business communication. Remember these tips to keep your messages clear BY MARY BEST I know, I know, in the days of social media, email seems so 20 years ago, but like the rest of the world, mattress retailers have become so dependent […]
How to welcome customers to your store
Greetings and salutations: How you welcome customers to your store can determine whether they feel comfortable staying, shopping and buying BY JULIE A. PALM 1) “Hey.” 2) Silence 3) “Can I help you?” Which of those is the worst way to greet a customer? OK, we admit it’s a trick question. All three are inexcusable—likely […]
Punctuality pointers
Time not on your side? These nine solutions can help you beat the clock Are you one of those people who battle the clock every day? Being chronically late not only is annoying to and inconsiderate of others, but it’s also bad for business. Making co-workers—or even shoppers—wait because you couldn’t find your keys doesn’t […]
Tweet worthy
How to keep your Twitter followers engaged and entertained #SocialMediaTips @SleepSavvyMag BY JULIE A. PALM At this point, you’re probably on Twitter. You might even be using it for your store. But do you ever wonder exactly what you should be tweeting to your followers? Are you worried about tweeting too much? Too little? Is your […]
Get a grip on handshake basics
What’s in a handshake? A lot more than you realize. Here’s a quick review of the basics—and pitfalls to avoid You know the old saying, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When working with customers, part of that first impression often comes with a smile and a handshake. This traditional […]
Remembering to say thank you
Sending your customers a thank-you note is a simple touch that can make a lasting impression. Follow these simple steps to make your store unforgettable BY JULIE A. PALM If the last time you wrote a thank-you note was for the candlesticks Aunt Ruth and Uncle Harvey gave you for your wedding—or worse, the sweater […]
Perk up! Survival skills after a sleepless night
It’s time to head to work, and you are anything but rested and ready. Here are some strategies to help you survive the workday after a sleepless night BY BARBARA T. NELLES You are in the business of selling the importance of a good night’s sleep, but what to do on those rare occasions when […]
Stand up straight—and smile!
When it comes to selling mattresses, your body language matters as much as your well-rehearsed sales pitch Depending on which research you believe, somewhere between half and virtually all communication between two people is nonverbal. We’ll let the experts quibble about the particulars, but it’s clear that things like how you stand, the expression on […]
How to deal with angry mattress shoppers
Kill ’em with kindness. What to do when an irate customer stomps into your store? Here are seven ways to defuse angry people IN RETAIL, IRATE CUSTOMERS are a fact of life and dealing well with them takes planning and practice. It also is important to understand that a mattress purchase is a stress-inducing task for […]
The well-dressed RSA
To rework a phrase, it’s the clothes—plus a few other things—that make the retail sales associate It takes people just seconds to form an impression about someone they’ve just met. In fact, a set of Princeton University psychologists found in 2006 that it takes less than one-tenth of a second! For retail sales associates wanting […]
Tip Sheet: Rev up your RSAs
YOU’VE HIRED THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND TRAINED THEM WELL, but in a showroom filled with mattresses where traffic may ebb more than it flows, how do you prevent that urge to “lie down on the job”? Is it possible to keep retail sales associates energized and performing at their peak, ready for the next customer […]