To become a more effective manager, you need feedback — not only from your supervisor, but from the employees you supervise. Be aware, however, that there’s a right way and a wrong way to seek your team’s input. Here are a few tips from human resources consultant Sharlyn Lauby, creator of the website HR Bartender, […]
Abstract vs. Concrete Language
Try “I can help you find a firm mattress for your guest room” instead of “I can help you with that” to better serve shoppers Great customer service is the holy grail of sales. When customers feel satisfied, they spend more money and are more likely to come back. Happy customers write positive reviews online […]
Nail the Landing
Use well-crafted website landing pages to entice consumers to act, preferably by clicking “Buy” When a visitor lands on your website, you want them to do something — ideally, buy something. We’ll help you create attractive, easy-to-navigate landing pages that encourage browsers to become buyers. But first: Marketers and web developers have surprisingly strong feelings […]
The Future of Retail Design
Stores need to be adaptable, agile and connected to consumers, a new forecast says The past two years have tested retailers’ abilities to pivot, and those skills will serve them well as they reimagine their brick-and-mortar spaces to serve shoppers whose priorities and habits also have been altered by the pandemic. “The retail industry has […]
An Appropriate Valentine
Showing your employees affection on Valentine’s Day? Um, maybe not. But showing your employees appreciation on Valentine’s Day? Sure, why not? Bonusly, an employee recognition consulting firm, says in a 2019 blog post that celebrating Valentine’s Day at the office can boost employee morale, motivate workers, increase positivity, show employees they’re cared for, and generally […]
Sleep: It’s Good for Your Bones
To keep your skeletal structure strong and supple, try these 7 steps, including exercising daily and buying a quality mattress Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council […]
A Big Thank-You
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 […]
Healthy Sleep Habits
Looking for lifestyle practices to improve your body and mind? Follow these tips to improve your sleep and kick-start your health Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep […]
How to Win the Hiring War
Follow these recommendations to enhance your workplace reputation and compete for top talent against bigger brands There was a time when Apple was known only as a fruit, the word Nike was only the name of a Greek goddess, and Walgreen was simply a family name. All brands started unknown and had to build 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 […]
Mixed Messages: Consumers Shop Amazon but Want to Support Small Businesses
New survey finds 4 in 10 consumers do most of their online shopping at the e-commerce giant A new survey finds that the vast majority of Americans say it is important to support small businesses hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic and yet many have increased their reliance on the retail behemoth Amazon during the past […]
E-Commerce Inspiration: 9 Websites to Emulate
Follow the lead of these stars that offer attractive designs, consistent branding and user-friendly features Now is not the time to snooze regarding your website. We expect that once the pandemic eases (Soon! Hopefully soon!) consumers tired of being cooped up for more than a year will be eager to return to in-store shopping. But […]
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 […]
Moody Much?
Sleeplessness can harm relationships and cause depression, anxiety and problems with attention. Here’s how rest can come to your emotional rescue Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep […]
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 […]
Holiday Spending Forecast Is More Ho-Hum Than Ho-Ho-Ho
While overall sales are expected to rise only 1%-1.5%, e-commerce could grow by 25%-35% Retail sales during this year’s winter holidays are forecast to rise an anemic 1% to 1.5% over last year, with overall sales from November to early January totaling $1.147 trillion and $1.152 trillion, according to an annual forecast from Deloitte, a […]
‘Tis the Season for E-Commerce
Online shopping will drive holiday sales more than ever this year. We’ll help you prepare for Cyber Monday and get you ready to greet online shoppers throughout the winter sales period In this unusual year, when time seems to both drag on and rush by simultaneously, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that […]
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 […]
Circadian Rhythms and Blues
What does our body need to stay in balance? These suggestions for managing daily behaviors, especially sleep, can lead to better health and a happier life Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this […]
A Retail Guide to Social Selling
Digital channels can help you reach customers and create a more personalized shopping experience As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, consumer buying behaviors are continuing their prepandemic shift to digital channels. Consumers are using these digital channels to research products, connect with companies and make purchases. Retailers can rethink their use of digital channels […]
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 […]
Pandemic Prompts Storewide Changes for Mattress Retailers
Sleep Savvy survey shows more cleaning and other new safety procedures to keep people safe Mattress retailers say they are prioritizing their employees’ health and making a variety of changes to their in-store operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an online survey that appeared in the May 28 and June 11 issues of […]
7 Simple Ways to Silence Snoring
That harsh sound coming from your throat can impede your sleep — and drive your partner crazy. Follow these suggestions to remedy the problem Editor’s Note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance […]
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 […]
Disappearing Act
Has a job candidate ever ghosted you? In other words, has a strong prospective employee pulled a no-show during the hiring process? Here are 3 ways to minimize the risk. The Urban Dictionary describes ghosting as “the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone the subject is dating, but no longer wishes to date.” […]
Secret Shopper: Going to Extremes in California
The search for a new mattress leaves a couple feeling at times unsatisfied — and even ignored For this issue’s Undercover, we sent a middle-aged couple out to shop for a new bed for the master bedroom of their new home in Southern California. The husband and wife own a 10-year-old mattress set purchased from […]
While You Were Sleeping…
Placing a tooth under your pillow and waking up with cash in its place is a rite of passage for kids. What is the lore — and magic — of the tooth fairy? Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice […]
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 […]
What’s the Word?
Instead of making resolutions, pick a word or phrase that will guide your self-improvement in the coming year If you’ve set and failed to keep new year’s resolutions in the past and resolved that you’ll never resolve again, you’re certainly not alone. But there’s something about a new year — maybe it’s all those clean […]
You’ve Been Talking in Your Sleep
Why do we sometimes chat and walk while we’re asleep? Here’s an introduction to parasomnia and how it affects our sleep habits — and actions Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great […]
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, […]
Tingles for Sleep
What is the autonomous sensory meridian response? How can it be used to help your customers fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply? Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance […]
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 […]
Great Beds on the Great Plains?
Hoping to retire their decades-old mattress, a couple in their 50s explores the nuances of today’s bedding options. Here’s what they found Knowledge is power in mattress retailing just like it is anywhere else, but there’s a fine line between educating shoppers and overwhelming them with information. For this issue’s Undercover, we sent a 50-something […]
Tools for Sleep
Having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep? These two trendy solutions can help you get the restorative rest you need Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council […]
A Secret Weapon
Secret shoppers can point out what your stores are doing well — and what they aren’t — in a way that other consumer satisfaction tools can’t Customer satisfaction surveys, testimonials, even repeat business and sales figures tell you a lot about what your business is doing well and some about what it’s not doing well. […]
Secrets Revealed
Undercover shoppers point out what retailers could be doing better Sleep Savvy has sent secret shoppers to six mattress retailers — three in the Southeast and three along the Gulf Coast — so far in 2019, and whether they visited an independent furniture store or a large national sleep chain, they found similar problems. Most […]
Secret Shopper: The Good, the Bad and the Buggy
In this issue’s installment, our secret shoppers — a senior couple living along the Gulf Coast — visit three stores for new mattresses and generally have enjoyable experiences. Here’s why Every day as a mattress retailer, you help couples find a mattress that will give each person the support and comfort necessary for a good […]
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 […]
Worst Case Scenario: Make a Plan for Potential Disasters
Best practices and basic steps to help you safeguard your business The sheer number and variety of disasters that can strike — and potentially devastate — your business is enough to keep any retailer up at night, regardless of how comfortable your mattresses might be. Hurricanes. Fires. Earthquakes. Floods. Tsunamis. Tornadoes. Blizzards. Landslides. Volcanic eruptions, if […]
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 […]
Co-Sleeping Pros and Cons
Couples, kids, pets — is your bed too crowded? Consider these benefits and drawbacks of piling onto the same mattress Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council […]
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, […]
Why Selling Sleep Matters
By understanding the vital role restorative rest plays in health, sales associates can help customers make the best choice for their specific needs We are in the sleep business, let’s be clear about it. In our arsenal we have a variety of tools assembled to solve sleep problems. Some of our tools are mattresses, pillows, […]
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, […]
Try Hypnosis to Fall Asleep
Is hypnosis all in your head? This age-old technique often is shrouded in mystery. What is it, how does it work and can it help you fall asleep? Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share […]
The Legend of Worry Dolls
The Guatemalan tradition of placing a small handmade toy under a pillow at night is said to eliminate children’s worries while they sleep Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from […]
Smile! Great Photos Help Sell Beds
8 Ways to Improve Your Images and Create Content for Websites and Social Media Instagram. Your e-commerce site. Pinterest. Facebook. Today’s most popular marketing methods are image hungry, demanding an endless stream of photos to catch consumers’ attention. You can rely on manufacturers to provide much of the imagery you need for website product pages […]
Secret Shopper: The More Things Change …
Our secret shopper gives three retailers in the Southeast mixed reviews. While she found an appealing selection of products, customer service and store design left something to be desired Sleep Savvy thinks 2019 is a perfect year to revive our secret shopper feature, sending consumers out around the country to see how mattress retailers are […]
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 […]
How to Be a Morning Person
There’s no better way to start the day than to wake up early and full of energy. These 6 steps will make you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to […]
E-Commerce: Improve Your Product Pages
Start with better imagery and complete item descriptions, then go from there When it comes to online sales, think of your product pages as virtual retail sales associates: They need to be friendly and informative — and they need to ask for the sale. Here are some ideas to make sure the product pages on […]
“Can I Speak With a Manager?” How to Handle Customer Complaints
It’s a little scary out there. Planes are taking off late — or landing early — because of fisticuffs breaking out among passengers. Road rage incidents make the news daily, and mask mandates have led to shouting matches in store aisles. Sleep Savvy hopes that you haven’t had to deal with such extreme bad behavior, […]
The Next Chapter
In my farewell column, I want to thank readers and friends, as well as share lessons I’ve learned and imparted during my tenure with Sleep Savvy BY GERRY MORRIS The time has come for me to turn the page (pun intended) and move on to another chapter in my life. So, this is my final […]
Giving Thanks
6 ways to show your customers how much you value them Without customers, you have no business. It’s as simple as that. Given this fact, it’s nice to go beyond the “thank you” you offer as shoppers head out the store door post-purchase or click “Place Order.” There are a number of meaningful ways you […]
An Attitude of Gratitude
10 quotes to inspire a practice of thankfulness With Thanksgiving near, now is a perfect time to take stock of your life and be grateful for all that you have. Professional blessings can include everything from your business or job to your colleagues and customers. Some people have started an annual practice of publicly giving […]
Vitamin Green
Spending time in the great outdoors not only affords you the opportunity to stretch your legs, but it also helps with a good night’s sleep Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great […]
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. […]
The Selling Paradox
BY GERRY MORRIS Do you want to increase your mattress sales? Sales strategist Jill Konrath offers 7 seemingly contradictory ways to go about it Sometime back, I ran across an article, “The 7 Paradoxical Sales Principles,” by Jill Konrath, a sales strategist, speaker and writer. I thought it might get your attention and hopefully give you […]
Emails Elicit All the Feels
They can annoy recipients but also remain an effective marketing vehicle We know a lot of email goes unread, but a new survey shows marketing messages still can be effective. For the fourth year, Adobe surveyed 1,000 office workers about their email habits and their feelings about the communication vehicle. When it comes to marketing […]
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 […]
Motivating Shoppers to Buy
BY GERRY MORRIS An interview with a Texas retailer reveals winning ways to overcome customer objections, close the deal and follow up “When we do things right up front, closing becomes a ‘nudge’ that allows the shopper to buy.” — Devin McNeal This is the third in a series of my interviews with Devin […]
The purpose of sleep
Why do we need rest anyway? These scientific insights reveal why it’s necessary and what happens in our bodies while we’re snoozing Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better […]
Understanding sleep difficulties
BY DR. REBECCA ROBBINS While sleep disorders should be treated by a medical professional, this cheat sheet of common sleep problems can help you help your customers Retail sales associates know all too well that sleep complaints or difficulties often are what bring customers into a store for a new mattress. But what about those […]
The digital natives are here
Take a look at the world through their eyes and see how your company stacks up BY SCOTT SNYDER AND MORGAN S. SNYDER Scott Snyder, a senior fellow at Wharton University’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, and Morgan S. Snyder, a software engineer with Palantir, a software and services company that specializes in big data analysis, […]
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 […]
As temps rise, mattress shoppers will appreciate these chill beds
With summer heating up, mattress retailers can keep their customers cool by offering a selection of mattresses that wick away moisture and keep the sleep surface cool to the touch. We’ve rounded up mattress introductions from the most recent furniture markets in Las Vegas and High Point, North Carolina. All of these beds are designed […]
How to get a cool night’s sleep in a heat wave
Much of the country has been suffering through a heat wave and when it lifts, we’re still facing the hottest time of the year: July and August. Even with the air conditioning running full blast at home and office, it can be hard after a day in and out of the heat to cool your […]
Four steps to selling a mattress
BY GERRY MORRIS It starts with building rapport and (gasp!) includes asking early about a shopper’s budget This is the second in a series of my interviews with Devin McNeal, who is general manager of three Ashley HomeStores, two Four States Furniture locations and two America’s Mattress stores in northeast Texas (with more stores to […]
To nap or not to nap?
BY LISSA COFFEY That is the question many consumers ask. Share these suggestions on how, when and where to take a siesta so it won’t interrupt nighttime sleep Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to […]
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 […]
Lessons from the GM’s office
BY GERRY MORRIS First, don’t have an office—and other advice from a retailer who knows how to sell mattresses In my column in the April issue of Sleep Savvy, I recounted my adventures actually selling mattresses at the retail level as opposed to my real profession of telling others how to do it—or, as I […]
No complaints about this customer service
What a recent experience can teach retailers about keeping consumers happy “I’m happy to help. In fact, I get paid to help you! Seriously, that’s the only reason I’m here.” That’s part of an exchange I recently had with a customer service representative. It shouldn’t have struck me as unusual, but it did because in […]
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 […]
Get a hobby and up your sales game
Free-time activities can help you build professional skills—and you’ll have fun doing it Many of us think we don’t have time for a hobby, not with work and commutes, kids and family responsibilities. But what if we told you that regularly making time for a little fun could improve your skills at work? An article […]
When a coach becomes a player
BY GERRY MORRIS An experienced sales trainer takes to the store floor and remembers selling mattresses is harder than it looks It’s far easier to tell others how to do things than actually do them yourself. I should know. I’ve made a career out of it. Uh-oh! A company I have been doing sales training […]
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 […]
Tips brought to you by the letter ‘e’
BY GERRY MORRIS Retail sales associates can make mattress shopping easier for consumers by being educated, engaging and enthusiastic Over the many years that I’ve been writing for Sleep Savvy, I’ve discussed on a regular basis the attitudes and motivations of consumers as they begin shopping for a new mattress. Here’s why. It cannot be […]
Feng shui fixes for fab sleep
BY LISSA COFFEY Follow these strategies recommended by this ancient Chinese science to improve the energy in your bedroom and the quality of your sleep Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great […]
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 […]
Don’t wait for your customers
BY GERRY MORRIS Reach out to consumers with positive messages about sleep and bedding on social media and in face-to-face interactions. The good news is that mattresses are and always will be one of the single best and most important products for consumers to buy and, consequently, for retail sales associates to sell. But the […]
A 7-day sleep retreat
BY LISSA COFFEY The Better Sleep Council leads you through a weeklong plan to improve your sleep—and you don’t have to leave home Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from […]
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 […]
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave me a mattress
BY GERRY MORRIS Retailers can show consumers that mattresses make great gifts (and they are way more practical than turtle doves). It’s hard to believe the holidays are again rapidly approaching. I, like probably many of you, have begun contemplating what to get my true love and even wondering what my true love may get […]
Looking ahead to the holidays and year-end
Retail sales growth is expected to be modest at year-end, while e-commerce racks up double-digit gains A leading retail association has lowered its forecast overall for 2017, but expects U.S. sales this fall and during the winter holiday season and year-end to be a bit stronger. In September, after looking at revised first-quarter retail sales, […]
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 […]
Delivering service in 7 steps
BY JEFF GIAGNOCAVO Delivery teams from brick-and-mortar stores can wow customers in ways a boxed bed left on the porch never will Given the buzz and excitement in the mattress world being created by direct-to-consumer online mattress retailers, I have a timely message about delivery to share. Thankfully for traditional retailers, when it comes to […]
What buyers don’t know can hurt
BY GERRY MORRIS Without your help, people who have spent their lives sleeping on a bad mattress may never know the benefits of a quality bed set “I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed. My cousins’ beds were so uncomfortable. They don’t know what they’re missing.” Those words from my daughter Amanda—11 years […]
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 […]
How expecting success—and envisioning positive scenarios—can improve your real-life performance
BY GERRY MORRIS In the July/August issue of Sleep Savvy, I presented the Pygmalion and Golem effects, which explain how employee performance and even customer behavior are influenced by the expectations of others—positively in the case of the Pygmalion effect; negatively in the Golem effect. In essence, retail sales associates perform much better when their […]
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. […]
A Travelogue Of Sleep Through Time
BY LISSA COFFEY How, where, when and with whom we sleep varies widely but the need for a good night’s sleep never changes Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from […]
How the Pygmalion and Golem Effects Change Retail Mattress Sales
BY GERRY MORRIS Different expectations of RSA performance and customer buying behavior can spur or squash mattress sales The Pygmalion and Golem effects have nothing to do with pygmy animals or Gollum, the ring-bearing creature in “The Lord of the Rings.” Rather, these two terms refer to psychological phenomena that relate to human performance […]
Rev Up Your Summertime Sales with a Big ol’ Party
Summertime is a great time for mattress sales. Of course, there are the long holiday weekends, but consumers also often have more time on their hands and like to get out and about in the nice weather and longer days. Here are some ideas for pulling shoppers into your store between now and the official […]
7 Habits of Highly Effective Retail Sales Associates
BY GERRY MORRIS Adopt these principles to mattress selling, and you’ll achieve financial success by doing the right thing for the right reason Most readers will instantly associate the headline of this article with Stephen R. Covey’s best-seller “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” That’s because it’s considered by many to be one of […]
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 […]
How to be a well-rested trendsetter
BY LISSA COFFEY Try these latest sleep aids and apps to catch up on your zzz’s at home, work or anywhere. Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep […]
How Sleep Changes from Infancy to Old Age
How much rest we need changes over time, as do the things that keep us up at night. Here are tips for a lifetime of good sleep: Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share […]
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 […]
BSC research says shoppers understand a good mattress means a good night’s sleep
Exclusive Better Sleep Council research: Sleep-mattress link clear In the final installment about the Better Sleep Council’s 2016 study, Sleep Savvy examines consumers’ attitudes toward sleep, accessory shopping habits and demographic profiles. Download a PDF of the entire three-part series here. BY JULIE A. PALM Everyone wants to be healthy, and the majority of consumers […]
How to Build Trust Between Your RSAs and Your Customers
BY GERRY MORRIS It starts with being honest and having integrity—and then you can build other skills that will help customers see you as trustworthy. Every shopper for every consumer product has a prioritized list of factors they use to determine what and where to buy. Mattress shoppers are no exception. Common considerations include brand, price, […]
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 […]
How Golf Lessons and Mattress Sales Go Hand-in-Hand
What does selling mattresses have to do with a love of the links and the clubs used to play on them? More than you might imagine. BY GERRY MORRIS There is a similarity between golf clubs and mattresses. No, I haven’t lost my mind, but I’m pretty sure that I have your attention now. I […]
First-time Millennial Homeowners: Aspirational, Practical
Generation is focused on building home equity, doing home improvements themselves Millennial homeowners ages 22 to 39 see homeownership as a good investment, according to the ninth annual Better Homes & Gardens survey of attitude and behavior trends of U.S. homeowners. That’s especially true of millennial “firsts”—those millennials living in first homes they’ve owned for […]
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 […]
New Quiz to Help Your Retail Sales Associates Thrive
Are you an RSA superstar? Take—and use—this, quick, five-question quiz as a roadmap to improve your techniques to win customers and grow sales: BY KEVIN CUNDIFF It’s one thing to know the ins and outs of your product offerings, but do you really have what it takes to maneuver sensitive customer situations? Find out if […]
5 Recipes that Give You a Better Night’s Sleep
Kitchen cures for insomnia For years, families have passed down home remedies and recipes to help folks fall asleep. Here are a few time-honored classics: BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to […]
12 Sales Tactics to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Resolutions to build success What better time to set new goals than when the calendar changes? Practice these 12 tactics to make this year your best year yet: BY GERRY MORRIS Why do we make New Year’s resolutions? It seems we are endowed with a desire to improve our lives. It’s as simple as that. […]
Generation Z Enters the Workforce with Ambition
Gen Z is about to hit the workforce. Here’s the scoop on a generation that blends old-school values with the digital world: Look out, retailers: Here comes Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2009, and about to enter the workplace with a bang. According to a survey by Monster.com, an employment website based in Weston, […]
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 […]
Reducing the Stress, Achieving the Bliss of this Holiday Season
May visions of sugar plums… How to reduce stress and achieve the bliss of sweet slumber during the hectic holiday season BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance […]
How Mattress Sales are Part of the Bigger Picture
Seeing yourself as part of an important process that involves countless other people who can make you more successful BY GERRY MORRIS At 6 years old, riding in the backseat of our ’56 Chevrolet station wagon, I gazed at the sparkling lights of Dallas disappearing in the distance as my family journeyed back to our […]
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 […]
Interesting Sleep Trivia to Tell Your Shoppers
BY LISSA COFFEY Not-so-trivial pursuit Sleep trivia you never knew that you never knew: a collection of interesting tidbits to share with shoppers Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from […]
These Famous Quotes Will Help Improve Your Mattress Sales
BY GERRY MORRIS “People who like quotes love meaningless generalizations.” That’s according to Graham Greene, the English novelist and, I would say, a sourpuss. Sorry, but I do like quotes and use them often in my Sleep Savvy columns. I Googled to find out why some people (like me) favor quotations and some people (like […]
A Remedy for Women’s Sleep Shortfalls
BY LISSA COFFEY Women and sleep If you are a woman, you’re probably well aware that you have more difficulty snoozing than men. Here are simple steps to remedy resting shortfalls: Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. […]
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 […]
How-to Make a Sale to Those ‘Just Looking’
BY GERRY MORRIS Just looking? Oh no! Consider these 8 ideas to increase the odds of making a sale to those determined to shop around and compare “We need a mattress, but this is our first stop and we want to shop around and compare.” These are not only some of the most dreaded words heard […]
Stellar Selling Strategies That Start With ‘C’
BY GERRY MORRIS The sounds of success Alliteration is a stylistic device defined by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of words, e.g., the headline on this column. There are several reasons I like using alliteration. First, it’s kind of fun for me to see how many meaningful words I can […]
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 […]
Mattress Shopping Isn’t So Bad After All
BSC survey reveals Americans don’t stress over buying a new bed and mattress shopping It’s a familiar headline that tends to say something along these lines—Americans loathe mattress shopping. Or, mattress shopping frustrates consumers. But the notion that mattress shopping stresses out Americans is a fallacy, based on a recent survey from the Better Sleep […]
Tires Change the Dynamics of Mattress Sales
BY GERRY MORRIS Believe it or not, a query about tires can transform the way you—and your customers—think about mattresses. I can trace a turning point of my mattress industry career to a single question I asked more than 20 years ago, “How would you feel if you had to buy a new set of […]
Interpreting Dreams to Improve Lives
Interpreting the ‘movies’ we experience during sleep can help us improve our lives while we’re awake. By Lissa Coffey Editor’s Note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council spokeswoman Lissa […]
Why Pillows Are the Solution to Higher Sales
Are you looking for ways to increase your conversation rate? Up your focus on pillows before customers rest-test a single mattress. By Gordon Hecht People in the mattress industry, whether in a full-line furniture store or a bedding specialist, have a unique view of their incoming shopping traffic. Full-line stores often are satisfied with converting […]
Millennials Are Savvy Savers, New Survey Says
Millennials could teach older generations a thing or two about saving money, according to a survey from BankRate.com, a personal finance website. Some 62% of millennials say they are saving more than 5% of their incomes—up from 42% last year. By comparison, only 50% of older adults (defined by BankRate.com as age 30 and up) are […]
Financial Stress For Americans Peaks In Midlife
Economic anxiety index: Financial stress for Americans peaks in midlife Squeezed by a mix of personal and professional pressures, middle-age Americans feel the most financial pressure, according to a poll from the national radio program “Marketplace” and Edison Research. In a survey of 1,000 people, respondents ages 35 to 54 reported having the most financial […]
Shifts in the Shopping Landscape and Consumer Attitudes
Trends expert predicts four ways consumer attitudes will change. If you think it’s increasingly difficult to predict the tastes and behaviors of your potential customers, you’re not alone. But that doesn’t make the effort any less important to your success. One reason it’s so challenging is that consumers themselves feel like balls in a pinball […]
The Changing Mattress Industry
BY GERRY MORRIS While the mattress business has transformed itself, over the past two decades, the need for retail sales associate training is more important than ever Each time the deadline approaches to submit my column for Sleep Savvy, I get a friendly reminder from Editor in Chief Mary Best. I’m sure she pads the […]
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 […]
Believing the ‘Mattress Matters’
Sleep Savvy columnist compiles past articles to give retailers an educational, inspiring book they can turn to again and again BY GERRY MORRIS It doesn’t seem that long ago that Nancy Butler, founding editor in chief of Sleep Savvy, called to ask me if she could include an excerpt from my then-recently published book, “Spring […]
Strike a Yoga Pose for Better Sleep
Making these five postures part of your bedtime routine will help you drift easily to sleep. BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council spokeswoman Lissa Coffey […]
Tips For Becoming a Sleep Expert
Help your customers connect the dots between the quality of a mattress, the quality of sleep and the quality of their lives BY GERRY MORRIS While the relationship between mattresses and sleep should be obvious, a significant percentage of consumers don’t fully appreciate the vital role a mattress plays in getting restorative sleep and the […]
5 Steps to Better Sleep
Help customers resolve to sleep better in 2016 BY LISSA COFFEY TO LEARN MORE If you’d like more sleep tips, check out the Better Sleep Council’s website BSC spokeswoman Lissa Coffey’s videos can be viewed at YouTube. Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including […]
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 […]
Meet The Millennials
All grown up, ready to tackle the world and 80 million strong, this generation of digital natives is revolutionizing America’s retail landscape. How can you adapt your sales strategies to fit generation Y’s values and lifestyles? BY JULIE A. PALM With their financial futures thrown off course by the Great Recession and their lives shaped […]
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. […]
How to put sleep on holiday shopping lists
This year, give your loved ones what they need most—a good night’s rest BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better Sleep Council spokeswoman Lissa Coffey with […]
Does Your Store Have a Unique Value Proposition?
Stand apart and be noticed. When you establish a value proposition to distinguish your store from the competition, it gives consumers a reason to buy from you. Here’s how to create yours BY CARLOS ARNAVAT 4 Value proposition—isn’t that a slogan or positioning statement? Why do I need one? And how will it increase my bottom […]
Browsers, shoppers, customers—what’s the difference and what does it matter?
Create your clientele: Customers aren’t customers until they buy something. Find out how to keep them satisfied—and keep their business BY GERRY MORRIS It seems the word “customer” is the catch-all term for anyone and everyone who visits a store. The truth is, they’re not technically customers until they buy something. While this may seem nit-picky, […]
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 […]
Sleep is critical to brain function
Sleep and brain health Getting enough zzz’s is critical to keep your mind junk free and alert. Here’s why—and how you can help your customers rest well BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel […]
Fleetzen survey says same-day delivery can make the sale
Retailers of large items—everything from big-screen TVs and barbecue grills to sporting equipment and furniture—are losing sales if they don’t offer same-day delivery, according to a new survey from Seattle-based Fleetzen. Fleetzen, it should be noted, has a vested interest in the subject: Instead of moving people, the Uberlike startup, along with Los Angeles-based Buddytruk, […]
What goes into a bed?
Seeing the forest and the trees: Gaining a broader perspective on mattresses by looking at their components and the industry that produces them can deepen your appreciation of your job BY GERRY MORRIS If you can’t see the forest for the trees, take a closer look at the trees. Confusing? Contradictory? Yes, but I’ll explain. Most […]
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 […]
Returns: A laughing matter?
Often funny, sometimes bizarre, these anecdotes about returned goods offer insight—and instruction—into what can be a retailer’s nightmare BY GERRY MORRIS For many years I worked as a manufacturer’s rep, and the one aspect of my job I dreaded was dealing with returned goods, including warranties and—even worse—comfort returns. It was during this time that […]
Where did accountability go?
Believe it or not, employees want to be held responsible for their performance. Here are four keys to turn this watchword into a successful practice BY DOUG STEWART “I WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.” In every cubicle and on every sales floor, the word “accountability” strikes fear in the hearts of employees, but shouldn’t accountability be a […]
Back to school, back to sleep
How can children get sufficient rest to learn and grow? Better Sleep Council spokeswoman Lissa Coffey offers these suggestions for an A+ year Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from […]
Mattress shoppers favor decorative displays
Survey reveals consumers are less drawn to plainly dressed beds Seven in 10 consumers say they are more drawn to elaborate top-of-bed displays than more plainly dressed mattresses, according to a survey commissioned by Colonial LLC and released earlier this year. A slightly higher number—75%—say they expect “top-quality brands” to have more attractive displays than […]
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 […]
Why you should create customer profiles
Customer confidential: Creating buyer personas can help you draw specific shoppers to your store BY CARLOS ARNAVAT 4 Truly knowing and understanding the customers you want to serve play a major role in the success of any mattress retailer, whether you’re a furniture or department store, specialty sleep shop or online seller. Creating buyer personas—fictional representations […]
Some things bear repeating
In the last of a two-part series, we revisit six of the most useful and empowering ideas that have helped mattress sales associates over the years BY GERRY MORRIS As I prepare my column for each Sleep Savvy issue, I am burdened by a sense of responsibility to present new, empowering ideas that hopefully will […]
Selling to aging baby boomers
The times they are a-changin’ As baby boomers—the massive generation that revolutionized consumerism in post-war America—age, so do their buying habits. How can bedding retailers adapt to the shifting needs and values of this demographic juggernaut? By Julie A. Palm What’s made your store successful? Is it hiring a great team? Crafting a creative marketing […]
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 […]
Some things bear repeating
In the first of a two-part series, we revisit six of the most useful and empowering ideas that have had a positive impact on sales associates over the years BY GERRY MORRIS Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. … We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but […]
A sleep plan for travel
As summer approaches, your customers’ thoughts turn to upcoming vacations. These strategies should help them rest soundly while away from home BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance […]
10 ways to transform your store’s culture
I ♥ my job! Google Inc. is known for fostering a work environment where creativity and productivity thrive. In his recent book “Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead,” Laszlo Bock, Google’s senior vice president of people operations, reveals secrets about how one of the world’s most successful companies has achieved this enviable […]
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 […]
Spring cleaning
A sparkling store can help build your competitive edge—especially during the summer selling season. Here are practical tips to make your store fresh as a daisy BY JULIE A. PALM If the idea of spring cleaning your store sounds as appealing as spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April cleaning out your garage, remember this: […]
Subliminal sabotage?
Are your personal preferences and comfort zones keeping you from selling mattresses effectively? Follow these suggestions for overcoming your biases BY GERRY MORRIS There is an issue damaging our industry that flies so far below the radar screen few are even aware of it. I call it subliminal sabotage. Retail sales associates can and often […]
The sleep-allergy connection
With the beauty of spring comes the agony of allergies. These insights can help your customers minimize their symptoms for restful sleep BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and and tips. Feel free to share this […]
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 […]
Marketing workshop: Content really is king
From educating to storytelling, today’s successful creative marketing strategies are all about winning the hearts of consumers BY CARLOS ARNAVAT 4 The days of advertising exclusively on billboards and in newspapers are coming to an end. While it was commonplace back in the 1970s for consumers to be exposed to 500 ads a day, today […]
Retail sales workshop: If it ain’t broke
Don’t fix it To satisfy customers, explore every shopper’s sleep experience and offer an accurate explanation of mattress performance BY GERRY MORRIS “It started sagging where we slept. The store would not take it back and allow us to exchange for something more firm.” “I have had the same issue with each of the mattresses […]
Understanding luxury shoppers
How can you keep this misidentified demographic coming back? Every year, luxury brands experience something no retailer wants to confront—a loss of more than half of their top customers. New research from Epsilon and the Luxury Institute shows this loss comes from not understanding who those top customers really are and failing to give them […]
Seeing red
Color of the year is red and it reflects more confident U.S. consumer sentiment According to the nation’s top color forecasters, the color red will take center stage in home décor this year. The Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Journal Sentinel recently noted the nation’s three major color predictors selected red—or a related pigment—as the hot hue of 2015: […]
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 […]
The ‘sweet sleep’ diet
To slumber well, avoid some foods and increase your intake of others. Keep the list handy for evening eating BY LISSA COFFEY Editor’s note: Savvy mattress retailers want to do everything they can to help their customers sleep better, including offering them sound advice and tips. Feel free to share this great guidance from Better […]
Content & social media—a winning marketing formula
SOCIAL GRACES | Sponsored by Restonic I’ve been using social media for business for more than 10 years. I think a sustainable social media strategy always will be about relationship building, but the foundation always has been about content. And once that content is created, repurposing it can give it longer life—and reduce your workload. ✔ […]
Value judgment
The price might be right, but it’s not the only thing driving sales. Quality, service and trustworthiness factor heavily in the decision to buy BY GERRY MORRIS Many people will choose to spend more money on the same product to buy from someone they like and trust.” I can still remember the look of […]
Upselling mattresses
BY STEVEN KING If you want to sell better bedding, differentiate yourself In 2007, I published a book, Money in the Mattress: The Sales Associates’ Guide to Premium Mattress Sales. It still sells well on Amazon.com. During the time I spent researching and writing the book, I visited many mattress retailers and spoke with a […]
Social PR—the medium is the message
Ten years ago when a manufacturer or retailer had something newsworthy to share, it hired a public relations agency that then got the information into the hands of a senior writer or editor. Successful PR agencies understood how to get honest, helpful product or service reviews without crossing the line into advertorial. It was almost […]
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 […]
Sign, sign, everywhere a (store) sign
How well does your store signage attract and inform customers? Here are 10 less-is-more tips to help convey effective and useful messages BY JULIE A. PALM Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? —“Signs” by Les Emmerson, 1970 If there’s […]
The real value of a mattress
BY GERRY MORRIS This sample message–“Make your dreams come true–sleep on a comfortable mattress” (below)–to consumers can help you help them understand the true importance of a quality sleep system and will be the most powerful determinants in mattress shopping, especially when consumers are trying to decide what mattress to buy and where to buy […]
Real Simple offers on-point, mattress-shopping advice
Article has useful tips for buying new bed When consumer magazines advise their readers on buying a new mattress, the editors at Sleep Savvy often hold our breath as we read along: We’ve encountered too many articles that tell consumers foundations are a rip-off and that there’s little difference between mattress brands or technologies. A […]
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 […]
Alphabet soup: Mattress-selling tips from A to Z
Here’s a 26-ingredient recipe that will satisfy your hunger for increased mattress sales BY GERRY MORRIS Accessories » Don’t think of protectors, pillows, sheets, etc., as add-ons. Use them to help shoppers maximize the enjoyment, benefits and longevity of their investment. Benefits » It isn’t the product that’s important to shoppers; it’s what the product does […]
Six tips for furniture stores to increase mattress sales
The ‘96 percenters’: For furniture stores to increase their share of the bedding market, they need to become mattress destinations. Here are six ways to do just that BY GORDON HECHT Editor’s note: This article is designed for owners and managers of furniture stores that sell mattresses. Mattress specialty retailers, even though you already know […]
Self-serve vs. selfless serving
Some advice on what retail sales associates can do to be more effective—and respected—on the job BY GERRY MORRIS Does this headline get your attention? It did mine. CHAIN TESTS NEW CONCEPT IN MATTRESS SHOPPING: STORE WITH NO EMPLOYEES —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The story reads: “Operated by the owners of a local chain of furniture […]
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 […]
Consumers share mattress-shopping concerns
BSC research reveals confusion, hesitation about buying a new bed set The Better Sleep Council’s latest research uncovered reasons why consumers hesitate to shop for and purchase a new mattress. Understanding the consumer mindset can help retailers sell the value of better sleep that comes with a new quality mattress set, says Mary Helen Uusimaki, vice […]
‘P’ soup for the (mattress) sale
Partake of these powerful points to polish your presentation and pump up your sales production BY GERRY MORRISWHY DO WE LIKE ALLITERATION? It seems the repetition of consonants has a mnemonic effect–a memory hook–that has been proven to help us retain information.So let’s have a little fun, with a purpose, and eat some “P” soup–my […]
A heavy issue: How to tactfully assist overweight mattress shoppers
How does the nation’s size epidemic affect mattress retailers? Sleep Savvy explores the relationship between weight and sleep and its affect on the sales floor. We also offer insights into how you can steer shoppers to the best mattress for their body type—and deal with an awkward conversation BY JULIE A. PALM When setting out […]
‘Socialnomics’ 2014
Erik Qualman video presents 19 social media facts every retailer should know By now, most retailers realize that social media isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, Erik Qualman, author of the best-selling book Socialnomics and the creator of a series of videos by the same name, recently released a new clip that highlights staggering […]
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 […]
Marketing to Millennials
Bedding retailers can benefit from lessons learned by the GOP when it comes to selling to this unique generation BY JULIE A. PALM Looking at the numbers, the Millennial generation is a mattress retailer’s dream market: 80 million strong and at the age (18 to 33) when young adults typically move out on their own, […]
Preparing for mattress-selling season
The sales season officially kicks off with Memorial Day and lasts through Labor Day–with July 4 in between. Are you prepared? BY GERRY MORRIS Everyone is a potential customer because (most) everyone sleeps on a mattress every night. Mattresses wear out and get replaced—this can and does occur consistently day in and day out. So […]
Pillow Talk: Social media and your intern
Bringing interns into your company is a smart move for you, your staff and the interns. They can free up resources, deliver serious return on investment on social media and even train other staff how to engage in this medium. But you might want to think twice before you hand over your social media strategy […]
Managing employee rivalries
Dueling staff members are disruptive in the workplace and corrupt the attitudes of other employees. Consider these 5 steps to eliminate or lessen their negative impact BY BARBARA JAUREQUI Child psychiatrist David Levy introduced the term “sibling rivalry” in 1941. Self-explanatory in its terminology, the concept of sibling rivalry is easy to grasp. The mechanism of […]
The evolution of mattress sales
This brief history of selling bedding—from quantity of coils to quality of sleep—shows how far we’ve come and where we should go from here BY GERRY MORRIS Over the years, our approach to mattress sales has evolved, with the focus on presentations progressing from coil counts and firmness to “selling sleep”—with countless iterations in between. […]
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 […]
Secrets to falling asleep
America is suffering from a sleep epidemic. Here’s a simple thought process that will help you—and your customers—drift off into dreamland BY GERRY MORRIS Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you ask this question of all your shoppers and customers? Considering that Americans spend $7 billion on sleeping pills each year, according to Wikianswers.com—and […]
Magazine issues bedding review
Consumer Reports’ analysis delivers mixed bag In its annual review of mattresses, the March issue of Consumer Reports provides a four-page package of mattress scores, retail store ratings, purchasing advice, mattress myths and insights into better sleep. The magazine evaluates 12 innerspring and 12 memory foam models through a series of comprehensive testing, yielding its […]