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 […]
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 […]
Fill Those Online Shopping Carts to the Rim
Add-on sales make e-commerce more profitable Getting customers to click “Buy now” on your e-commerce site is great — and it’s even better if their online shopping cart is chock full of sleep products when they are ready to check out. Increasing the average order value online is much like growing the average sales ticket […]
“Can I Speak With a Manager?” How to Handle Customer Complaints
BY JULIE A. PALM On the front page of my local newspaper this morning, a columnist recounts his ongoing frustration dealing with a cable and internet provider. “I’ve been to the ninth ring of hell,” he begins. “Perhaps you know it, too. It’s known as calling ‘customer service.’ ” Crabbing about a bad experience with […]
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
BY LISSA COFFEY 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 […]
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
BY LISSA COFFEY 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 […]
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 BY JULIE A. PALM 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 […]
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
BY JULIE A. PALM 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 […]
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 of 2018 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 […]
How much do you value sleep?
BY LISSA COFFEY A lack of adequate sleep can make you—and our whole society—less healthy, less productive and less safe 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 […]
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: 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 […]
Instant Tips for Instagram
BY JULIE A. PALM 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 […]
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 […]
How to make your sales floor ‘POP’
New technologies—and a less-is-more approach—add punch and power to point-of-purchase displays
Losing a sale: What to say when a customer walks away
BY STEVEN KING “Thank you for your time. This is the first place I stopped, and I want to shop some more and compare…” You just spent the better part of the morning with a customer who is about to walk and leave you empty-handed. This came up when I recently visited a newly launched, […]
9 daily rituals that will increase mattress sales
BY GERRY MORRIS What makes retail mattress sales exciting and challenging is not knowing when the next shopper will enter your store and having no idea what her needs may be. There is no way to calculate the missed opportunities retail sales associates have had because they weren’t fully prepared—or something within the store or […]
TECH CHECK: Update your Goodbed.com profile at no cost
BY GERRY MORRIS While there’s no shortage of websites giving advice to mattress shoppers, GoodBed.com offers a store, brand and product locator with consumer reviews and ratings. A forum enables shoppers to pose questions to experts. Even if you haven’t heard of GoodBed, most retailers are listed in its database of 6,000 mattress retailers and […]
Her Bed Post: Selling to women
Motivating factors While purchasing decisions ostensibly may seem straightforward, those made by women often are driven by profound psychological factors and behaviors. To understand those subconscious drivers, Insights in Marketing, a Chicago-based marketing research firm, developed five female behavioral insight profiles to help retailers comprehend the motivations behind women’s buying habits. The FBI profiles were […]
New words hitting your sales floor?
“Selfie,” “bitcoin,” “twerk” and “phablet.” No, they’re not misspelled words. These odd-looking letter combinations are among the most recent Internet-speak additions to the Oxford Dictionaries Online, which focuses on modern meanings of English words. If someone wants to show you the selfie he took with his phablet on one of your beds, he’s not a […]
Profiling your customers
Nielsen survey says… Word-of-mouth is most credible source of advertising Eighty-four percent of consumers around the world say they trust word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family—known as earned media—above all other sources of advertising, according to a new study from Nielsen, a New York-based provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. Trust […]
Making the most of the vendor-RSA relationship
Industry leaders share insights; strategies to jumpstart partnerships BY GERRY MORRIS Retail sales associate: “Thanks for the doughnuts.” Vendor representative: “Sure. How about that game last night? RSA: “Didn’t see it; had to work.” Vendor rep: “Oh yeah. Well, is there anything I can do for you? RSA: “Do you have any pens or tape measures?” […]
Selfless listening: The value of hearing customers with ‘inner ears’
BY MICHAEL PENNY True listening is selfless. Selfless listening calls for hitting “pause” on your inner monologues and agendas. There is no other way to truly focus your attention on the customer. The good news: It’s that simple. The bad news: It’s not easy. When a customer comes into your store, that person brings a […]
Latinos set shopping trends
Latinos view shopping differently than their non-Latino counterparts, a study finds. For the fastest-growing demographic in the United States today, shopping is a social experience that involves many sources of information, their senses, multiple generations and trendsetting. The survey, conducted by Lapiz, a marketing agency for emerging cultures based in Chicago and an affiliate of […]
Selling to women
Brought to you by restonic® Increasingly, retailers around the country—from Best Buy to Lowe’s—are implementing significant design changes to make their stores more female friendly. Another one followed suit last fall when home and garden retailer Orchard Supply Hardware, a chain based in San Jose, Calif., rebranded its shops to create a more welcoming environment […]
Mattress shopping and fun
Mattress shopping and fun. Consumers rarely use those words in the same sentence. How about selling mattresses? How enjoyable is that? Is there a way to make the experience of buying and selling mattresses more fun? I say yes! I learned about having fun selling mattresses as a rookie sales representative for Serta, thanks to […]