How Changing a Line-up Impacts the RSA

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Q

The following is a guest post by David Fisher

Before we start, I’d like to preface these remarks with the understanding that the comments are not an expert’s opinion but rather observations from someone with many years of retail experience.Mattresses How Changing a Line up Impacts the RSA

Retail sales associates are a unique breed: Day in and day out they are on the front lines facing each and every customer, challenged with the responsibility of turning as many opportunities as possible into high-ticket sales. Those considered the best look at their job as if it were their own business. They are emotionally invested and take it personally when they do not have the right ammunition to meet the needs and requirements of all their clients. What keeps them motivated? On their game? How are they able to fine-tune their skills? Continue reading →

Marketing Experts Wonder Why Industry Avoids Sex

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Q

Imagine this: A couple walks into your store and they’re looking around for a new mattress. The guy is clearly irritated because he would rather be home watching the game but the little lady insisted they shop for a new bed because she just couldn’t take it anyMattress for Sex 300x191 Marketing Experts Wonder Why Industry Avoids Sex longer. They try out a few mattresses and the guy thinks to himself, “Hey, I think I could actually make this experience fun.” While on the king-size deluxe Ultimate Hybrid model (of course), he says to the RSA, “How is this mattress going to perform during our more intimate moments?” as he winks and raises his big furry man ‘brows at his wife. She jabs him in the ribs, and quickly apologizes to the RSA for her husband but the RSA insists that this is no problem and explains that many customers actually ask similar questions. The male RSA then launches into a 10-minute story about his many conquests on different mattress surfaces and provides the couple with a graphic account and recommendation for the best bed for sex. Continue reading →

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Are We Falling Short?

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Q

Whenever I am asked what my biggest fear is, my answer is always the same: I am afraid that I will not live up to my full potential. There is no doubt we are all blessed with a different set of skills and talents and don’t want to fall short of using them as they were intended. How about our industry? Are we living up to our full potential?

In March of this year, I took a small group to Las Vegas, where we partnered with POCO Labs and conducted some consumer research. You may remember the “Sex or Sleep”article Barron’s published last year that addressed a problem pretty much undiscovered by industry insiders. The issue was “…a decidedly controversial type of mattress.” Consumers were complaining about memory foam beds and how they lacked the necessary properties to provide a good surface for intimacy. I have to admit being mildly aware of this prior to reading the article, but never gave it much thought. The author, Miriam Gottfried, did an excellent job explaining a problem that must be impacting a lot of people – the article generated nearly 5,000 comments and 10,000 shares on Facebook. That type of response got us thinking. Continue reading →

A Public Service Announcement: Sex is Relevant to the Mattress Industry

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Q

If I told you there’s a way to make your product more emotionally appealing, which ultimately makes it easier to sell, would you want to know more? And what if I told youSex and Sleep 300x218 A Public Service Announcement: Sex is Relevant to the Mattress Industry there’s a simple way to make a mattress more interesting and compelling to the consumer, more fun to shop for, and overall simply more relevant? Do you want to know that bit of information? It sounds like a stupid question, but I had to ask because this opportunity is right under our noses, and for some reason most of us in the bedding industry continue to ignore it and I am not sure why. So here it is: the key to the kingdom is sex. Continue reading →

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Interview with a Sleep Geek Community Manager

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Q

The following is a guest post by Ashley Hawse and Lauren Zimmerman

When you think of marketing in the mattress industry, you might be tempted to take a snooze. At least that is what I thought when I first entered the bedding world. As an outsider, the industry seemed lifeless. Dull. Just plain boring. I mean how much can you say about mattresses? SleepGeek 4C 300x80 Interview with a Sleep Geek Community Manager

That was before I became a part of the Sleep Geek community. As a Q’s Views reader you know that “bedding shouldn’t be boring.” And it’s not. The mattress industry is exciting. Just look at Sleep Geek. We created this online community for two reasons: 1) serve the mattress industry; with a focus on retail sales associates 2) inject some fun into the bedding business! Continue reading →