Charlie Eitel, Chairman of Simmons and ISPA, International Sleep Products Association, says that the bedding industry has an image problem, (we do) and he proposes a comprehensive marketing program, similar to the GOT MILK campaign.

David Perry, Bedding Editor for Furniture Today in the 5/29/2008 issue reports that Charlie in his speech at the recent Furniture Today Bedding Conference sought the support from the other industry leaders, saying, “So let’s all lay down our swords and come together and elevate the image of this industry for the betterment of everyone in this room.”

In the same article Larry Rogers, Sealy, responded to Charlie’s invitation by saying: “The real question on everyone’s mind should be: How will we improve the total customer experience to make it one we will be proud of?  A PR campaign unsupported by a favorable customer experience is not sustainable.”  OUCH

Well our poor image is not completely our fault, but we can do something about it. By the way, I am proud of our industry but do recognize we have plenty of room for improvement.

The poor image is caused by several factors, the consumers’ attitude about buying need products, “seeking value” and the difficulty in demonstrating value.  There is less differentiation between beds and more competition than most any other consumer product.  With so many choices, so many prices and so many places to buy, it’s no wonder that shopping can cause confusion and create the angst that sets up a negative dynamic with sales associates.

What does this mean to you?  In my last blog I discussed areas of concern (things you care about) as opposed the areas of influence (things you can do something about).  You can be concerned about the overall image of the mattress industry and the consumers’ attitude toward it.  But what can you do about it? 

Well, you can strive to make every experience with consumers a positive one, even if the consumer elects not to buy from you.  You should still be kind, courteous and considerate. At least leave the door open for them to come back.   It’s the only way to “fix it”, a grass roots effort, and one customer at a time.  Here is an idea that I think can help.

If you will switch the focus of your presentation away from the bed to the customer it will make selling the bed easier and make for a more pleasant experience for you and your customer.  This works because while customers don’t particularly like shopping for a mattress, they do like to feel good and be happy.  Well mattresses can’t solve everyone’s problems but they can sure help them feel better, which contributes to their happiness.  Give it a try and email me back with your thoughts - Gerry.Morris Please enable javascript. sleeptrust [dot] com

The great news is that consumer attitude about mattresses is changing. My friend Craig McAndrews, Innovative Retail and fellow contributor to Sleep Savvy, www.sleepsavvymagazine.com recently told me his research is showing that more and more people are starting to like the idea of shopping for a mattress.  This is partly because there have been an abundance of articles about sleep, (Without mentioning beds) in magazines, newspapers and on TV.

So, consumers are starting to get the message and to think of their bedrooms and beds as a haven. As Craig says, this is a good time to be selling mattresses.

Hopefully our leaders will be able to run the campaign, and then it will be up to us to create favorable customer experiences that Larry and the rest of us can be proud of.  I know you can do it…let’s get started…one customer at a time.

Got Milk?  No, but we do have some really comfortable mattresses that can help you feel good and be happier!