Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2022 48 T his is probably the best time ever to sell mattresses! More people are aware of the value of good restorative sleep, and they're looking to you for solutions. Because your selling process improves when you're feeling confident, here are 10 tips for building your confidence – and sales: 1. Roughly eight out of 10 shoppers who walk into your store are getting substandard sleep. They're looking for a solution that will empower them to wake up refreshed and energized to take on the day. 2. For most people, getting six hours or less of restorative sleep leaves them with the same functionality as a blood alcohol level of .08, which is legally drunk! Sure, some people can get by on five hours, but the overwhelming majority of us need seven to nine solid hours of shut-eye. There is no "sleep bank" – so, no, you can't make up for lost sleep on the weekends. 3. All furniture and appliance store shoppers are mattress customers, especially those looking for recliners. Lead that next recliner guest into the mattress area. These people prize comfort, and some of them are sleeping in their recliners because their mattresses are so bad. 4. People looking for better sleep will tell you they need a new mattress. But a sleep system includes mattress, base, pillows and protection. Start building the package right away. Accessories are necessities – they improve the product experience. They are not add-ons. 5. In most furniture stores, about 75 percent of living room and dining room shoppers are shown a mattress. The best time to sell something is when people are buying. Show your mattress selection, and build your average ticket. 6. People may not remember last night's dreams or sleep position, so a good early qualifying question is "Which part of your body was hurting when you woke up this morning?" Find out your shopper's "pain points." No mattress will cure medical issues, but the right sleep surface can reduce some of the pain, and good sleep helps the body heal. 7. You'll save the shopper time, confusion and errors when you ask them the right qualifying questions. Some really good ones are: • "Who else will be using the bed?" • "Is snoring a problem?" • "What do you like or dislike about your current bed?" • "When do you need your new bed?" 8. Quote the first price in dollars, and then dollars per month with financing. That $1,199 bed will end up being an affordable $99 a month over two years. 9. If a motion base was the same price as a box spring, how many people would get motion? The simple answer: everybody. People want adjustable bases; you only need to justify the cost for them. 10. Always have a "no-walk mattress" in mind. It's the bed you think has the best value. Show it before your shopper leaves the store, and start closing those "I'll-be-backs" right now. Bonus Tip: The simplest way to lose a mattress sale is by not asking for it. Always ask them to buy, even if you think you're a million miles from a close. Happy selling! Gordon Hecht Furniture Trends Gordon Hecht is a business growth and development consultant to the retail home furnishings industry and a content contributor to the AVB/BrandSource buying organization. You can reach him at Gordon.Hecht@aol.com. RO "HAPPY SALES TO YOU…" Ten tips for better close rates on beds

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