Tempur-Pedic has been great for the mattress industry. I’m a big fan in many ways. By targeting consumers, the company has grown awareness in the importance of a good mattress and single-handedly raised the average unit selling price for ALL of us in this crazy business. I have a profound respect for its marketing approach. Tempur’s team has built a truly compelling brand. All of this is coming from an innerspring guy, by the way!
In case you haven’t heard, at Las Vegas Furniture Market, Serta had a 40-foot banner hanging from the side of the building that said, “It’s Time to get iComfort, Not a cheap-ass knock off.”
Boy did that stir the pot!
Have you heard the expression “low-hanging fruit”? It refers to something that’s valuable and easy to get. If you’re just starting out as an RSA, your uncle with a bad back who sleeps on a futon would be considered “low-hanging fruit.” He’s an easy target. Look around your company. Do you have branches bending that are full of easy wins? What happens if you don’t harvest that fruit? Have you given that much thought?
As I write this, we are days away from the first furniture market of the year. Some great things happened in 2011, and I think 2012 is going to be very exciting for the mattress industry.
From Serta, Tempur-Pedic, Simmons, and Sealy, here are my thoughts on what to watch for in Las Vegas: (more…)
Why did the Palm Pilot all but disappear from the consumer lexicon? The device was great when it came out, wasn’t it? You could manage your calendar, take notes, keep contacts organized, and much more. Millions of people LOVED the Palm Pilot, so what happened?
As you may know, the Palm Pilot merged with several other devices that used to operate independently. Cell phones gobbled up the PDA, music player, camera, gaming system, GPS, and more to create a HYBRID device. Look around you. Life is filled with hybrids. You have hybrid cars, (electric + gas), hybrid animals like the Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel + Poodle), and even a hybrid golf club (wood + iron), which can really help your game if you find yourself 175 yards out. (more…)