As in all aspects of business, there are best practices that ensure success. This is also the case when it comes to marketing mattresses. Sometimes companies make mistakes that are easily remedied with a different approach. Last month we highlighted examples of how our expert team at Colonial, LLC applies our rules to turn around mattress marketing mistakes. Since this topic seemed to be helpful to our readers, this month we are highlighting additional mistakes and how to turn them around.
Mattress Marketing Mistake #3: Your company believes that the past should be just that — in the past. They do not think it is worth the time and energy to review anything that already happened, rather it is more important to focus only on the future
As the adage goes, hindsight is 20/20. It is only after something has happened that we can gain full knowledge, perspective and understanding. Reviewing the past can help us learn from mistakes and adjust strategies so they are more effective and give us greater opportunity for future success. For these reasons, we created the Rule — If you want to get ahead, start by looking backwards.
When you determine goals and objectives for new product designs, it is valuable to reflect on what worked and did not work in the past. Ask questions like, "what happened," "was it good or bad," "what does it mean," "what did you like about it," "what didn't you like about it," "why was that," "what would you do if you had the chance to do it all again what would you never do again?"
Data points gathered after analyzing past failures as well as successes are essential in formulating marketing strategies moving forward. You may discover that some customers did not like a particular aspect of a mattress dressing or they did not understand some of the signage. These things are easily changed and could help you significantly increase your bottom line. It is important to learn from past projects and programs so you can ensure future efforts meet success.
Mattress Marketing Mistake #4: Your company believes their reputation speaks for itself and does not believe it is important to “roll out the red carpet” when it comes to creating mattress displays for prospective customers.
From an early age, many people are told, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” We believe this point holds true in relationships as well as in marketing mattresses, which is why we made it one of our 12 Rules — You only get one chance to make a first impression. If a customer’s attention is not easily captured when he/she approaches a marketing display, chances are low that a sale will be made. If a display makes a poor first impression, the customer will quickly turn away and never learn about your quality product.
A well-dressed bed complete with good-looking, quality fabrics, headboard and signage is more apt to capture and keep the attention of customers. It can pique their interest and encourage them to ask questions and take the time to learn more about your product. Bed displays that look inviting are pleasing to the eye and have what is referred to in the real estate industry as “curb appeal.” It is a well-known fact that homes with greater curb appeal make a great first impression and are sold faster. The same holds true for mattress displays.
At Colonial, we are committed to helping you market your mattresses in a clear, effective manner that helps you deliver strong sales and happy customers. We established our rules so clients know what to expect when working with us and to ensure we deliver results. We have 12 rules that we follow in our business and shared several in this article. We welcome the opportunity to share our other rules with you!