Sweet Dreams Mattress & Furniture wins with a powerful package strategy.
There’s a lot of talk in mattress retail circles about selling better sleep. But how, exactly, should retailers do that?
Greg and Katy Law, the owners/operators of Sweet Dreams Mattress & Furniture, provide a compelling case study on the elements of better sleep. And, helpfully, they have organized those elements into a strategy for success. The key, the Laws say, is to have a game plan that addresses the three pillars of better sleep: The right mattress, the right sleep accessories, and, crucially, sleep tips.
Last year, in Sleep Savvy’s May/June issue, we took a Retail Road Trip to the Lake Norman area near Charlotte, North Carolina, and I introduced you to the Laws and to Sweet Dreams Mattress & Furniture, a four-store operation that thrives with a team-building culture centered on a celebration of the company’s Dream Team of employees. I love the Laws’ passion for the business. I’m also impressed with their multifaceted approach to selling better sleep, which deserves a closer look in this column.
Sweet Dreams promotes its “Game Plan for Better Sleep” on signs and cards in its stores. These are the five steps and this is what the retailer says about them:
Step 1:
“Your Just Right Mattress. Simple comfort test to fit you for your just right mattress.”
Step 2:
“Power of the Pillow. Your pillow affects 30% of your sleep.”
Step 3:
“The Game Changer. Customize your comfort on the Game Changer Adjustable Base.”
Step 4:
“Sheets Matter. Complete your comfort with the right linens.”
Step 5:
“Sleep Tips. The Dream Team’s Guide to help you take control of your sleep quality.”
Many retailers hit some of those key themes in their merchandising programs, but the genius move by Sweet Dreams is to put them all together in one powerful package. And the retailer is correct that all of those elements are critical to a great night’s sleep.
Sure, good sleep starts with the right mattress, but the simple fact is a lousy pillow or uncomfortable sheets can sabotage a good night of sleep. And so can poor sleep hygiene. Gulping high-caffeine energy drinks at bedtime is not a prescription for good sleep.
Sweet Dreams shares important insights with its sleep tips. It talks about the importance of developing a healthy morning routine, taking control of the evenings, keeping the bedroom cool, using fans (which help lower the room temperature and create white noise), minimizing caffeine after morning hours, eliminating light from the bedroom and cutting out screen time within 30 minutes of bedtime.
Yes, many of those tips are well-known to mattress retailers, but many retailers fail to communicate those important messages to their customers. And, thus, they are leaving the door open to sleepless nights.
Sweet Dreams, by contrast, puts those sleep tips in writing, greatly increasing the likelihood that consumers will take them seriously.
In fact, the retailer moves into the realm of personal development with its “take control of your mornings” messaging. A good night’s sleep, Sweet Dreams says, actually starts in the morning. A healthy morning routine is the springboard for personal fulfillment.
“Develop the habit of waking up early and at the same time each day,” the retailer says. “Before touching your cellphone or electronics, take some time to dedicate to personal development. Reading, prayer, meditation, exercise and hydration set the tone for your whole day and trigger positive motion that actually helps you end your day with more peace of mind.”
That is wonderful advice for all of us. Sweet Dreams is not just selling mattresses, pillows, sheets and adjustable bed bases, as important as all of those products are. It is also selling better sleep and even a better life. Well done, Greg and Katy!
